Third XI Premier Division

Abhay Bygott took a five-for as Wanstead and Snaresbrook Thirds clinched a four-wicket win at Upminster Thirds.

Inserted, Upminster lost a couple of wickets to Finlay Chesney-Brown (two for 12) as they set about trying to put up an imposing target.

Stewart Hammond (61) made some progress on that front but Bygott (five for 48) then seized control of proceedings and skittled out the bulk of the middle and lower order.

Having declared on 205 for nine, Upminster were undone by an unbeaten 68 from Naail Dar, who proved the mainstay of the away side’s innings.

Aryan Gupta chipped in with 31 and Wanstead got home with six wickets in hand.

Buckhurst Hill Thirds spectacularly failed to build on a bright start with the bat and went on to lose by 96 runs at Shenfield Thirds.

Opting to make first use of the wicket, Shenfield put on an imposing total of 297 for eight before opting to declare, with David Castell (67) and Henry Austin (50 not out) to the fore.

The odds favoured hosts Shenfield ahead of the second innings but Buckhurst Hill made the ideal start in reply and laid down a marker.

Ash Mohammed (61), David Roberts (42) and Sulosan Thiru (55) all made good contributions but only Daniel Isaacs (22) hit double figures after the top three had departed and Buckhurst Hill collapsed to 201 all out.

Third XI Division One

Loughton Thirds cruised to a ten-wicket trouncing of Southend-on-Sea & EMT Fourths with Jonathan Almond taking six for 15.

Southend won the toss and were all out for 71 as Almond (six for 15) made light work of tearing through the home side’s line-up.

Nigel Green top-scored with a lowly 17 and was one of just three batsmen to even manage double figures.

Hammad Malik (48) and Ashfaq Parvez (19) then knocked off the runs with minimal fuss to see Loughton to 73 without loss after just eight overs.

South Woodford Thirds had Jonty Burah’s stunning six-for to thank for their 74-run success at Colchester and East Essex Thirds.

It had been an unconvincing start from South Woodford, who found themselves one down with only 11 runs on the board.

However, a cool 30 from Arshad Rehman was added to by those around him and South Woodford finished on 190 all out.

Burah then accounted for the Colchester line-up, returning six for just 12 to remove the home side for just 116.

Wanstead and Snaresbrook Fourths cruised to an eight-wicket win at home to Upminster Fourths after Sayyad Rizvi’s six-for had laid the foundations for victory.

Only Alfie James (37) displayed any resistance as Rizvi (six for 44) and Joel Morris-Ley (two for 36) made light work of the away side, removed for 109.

Toqeer Ahmad (72) and Barney Mead (26 not out) then did the necessary, guiding Wanstead to 112 with eight wickets still in the bank.

Chingford Thirds were beaten by five wickets at Hornchurch Thirds to leave them bottom of the pile.

All out for 134, Chingford could not stop their hosts, who scored 136 for five in reply.

Third XI Division Two

Fives and Heronians Thirds sealed a four-wicket win at Hadleigh and Thundersley Thirds after making hard work of chasing down the hosts.

Having bowled Hadleigh out for a meagre 104, Fives then took 27.2 overs and six wickets to ensure the win with a total of 105.

Third XI Division Three

Lynn Ninan’s five-for proved in vain as Loughton Fourths lost by 67 runs at Hainault and Clayhall Fourths.

Hainault overcame the early loss of Hanif Khan (9) to put up a below-par 189 all out.

Ninan (five for 34) was the protagonist for Loughton, rattling through the hosts’ line-up to put his side in a good position to seal victory.

Neal Jani (40) got Loughton off on a solid footing but his lead was not followed and only two other batsmen even mustered double figures in a paltry reply of 122 all out.

Woodford Green Thirds can count themselves somewhat fortunate after holding out for a draw at home to Stanford Le Hope Thirds.

Barry Leigh opened with a knock of 83 for Woodford Green, which included 15 fours. Mitul Bhatt (21), Chris Masters (20) and Ian Simpson (30 not out) all then added to that total.

But it was the unbeaten 51 of Zachery Mendel which tipped the balance in Green’s favour, finishing on 266 for seven before declaring.

Woodford Green may have feared the worst when Stanford opener Robert Pearn hit a menacing 95.

His teammates were unable to follow suit and although Ashok Patel helped himself to three for 47, the away side still reached 245 for four in reply, their run-rate eventually denying them the chance to get any closer to Green’s score.

Fourth XI Premier Division

Ashley Brand steered Buckhurst Hill Fourths to a 75-run home win against Belhus Fourths by recording an unbeaten 80.

Brand (80 not out) and Jon Cooper (60) laid on the all-important runs before Mark Slatford (39 not out) got in on the act further down the order. Hill declared on 240 for five after 49 overs.

Dipesh Bidwala (two for five) then helped remove the visitors for 176 to ensure maximum points.

Jamil Akhtar made 77 but his contribution mattered little as Chingford Fourths were beaten by five wickets at home to Harlow Fourths.

Aktar (77) led the way but meaningful contributions from those further down the order were in short supply and the home side were removed for an underwhelming 179.

And despite a return with the ball of three for 59 from Ross Simmons, Harlow got home with a total of 183 for five.

Fourth XI Division One

Oakfield Parkonians Thirds clinched an 85-run win over Wanstead and Snaresbrook Sixths to cling onto second spot and the last automatic promotion place.

Ronan Karuna hit 53 to open for second-placed Parks but contributions from the rest of the order were lacking. It took until Usman Rafiq (62) and Sifth Ali (54) at five and six respectively.

Simran Dhingra-Smith finished with five for 46 for third-placed Wanstead, restricting Parks to 217 all out.

Wanstead were shaky, to say the least, as they got their reply underway and only Mohammed Tariq Mohuiddin (50) of the top order had any real impact, batting at four.

The bowling of Parks’ Jonathan Balakumar (four for 47) had Wanstead in trouble and they were all out for 132, comfortably short of the target score.

Bottom-of-the-pile Fives and Heronians Fourths are still searching for their first win of the season after losing by four wickets at home to Basildon and Pitsea Thirds.

Fives, having won the toss, were entirely reliant on three batsmen in putting on 195 all out. Uriel Duncan (49) and Kasey Cummings (62 not out) were the protagonists in an otherwise miserable display with the bat.

And despite the best efforts of Portia Blogg (three for 42) in reply, Fives were unable to deny their visitors a victory as Basildon replied with 196 for six.