Cricket round-up (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Cricket round-up

12:06pm Wednesday 1st September 2010 in

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LOUGHTON slipped to defeat and ceded ground in the race for glory as the season nears its climax, writes Dominic Gover.

Nobody for Loughton could muster a decisive innings to repel some effective bowling by Chelmsford, at Uplands.

Ritchie Bann top-scored with his knock of 51 in a rain-affected match that handed rivals Chelmsford a revised target of 144 in 38 overs, which they reached with five wickets to spare.

The result leaves Loughton fourth in the Premier League table, and turns up the heat on Wanstead in second place who now have Chelmsford breathing down their neck.

That made Wanstead’s five-wicket win over Colchester & East Essex all the more vital.

Merv Westfield smashed an eye-catching innings of 72 in only 73 balls in another match affected by poor weather.

With 144 off 37 overs the target, Westfield and opener Arfan Akram steered Wanstead to the win, after seeing fellow opener John Chambers out for a duck.

But he made up for it by taking two wickets for just six runs.

The result has Wanstead in second place in the table, five points ahead of Chelmsford, with one game left to go.

A long wagging tail by Woodford Wells did not prevent defeat to Upminster by four wickets at Monkhams Lane.

The last five batsmen made 85 to add to top-scorer Will Rogers' 54.

But an unbeaten 95 by Akbar Jabar took the game away from Wells.

Meanwhile, in Division One, South Woodford are sitting in a promotion place after a nine-wicket win over Hadleigh & Thundersley.

Hadleigh were dispatched for 115, and then Rizwan Akram (63) and Max Shirt (45) wrapped up what could be a crucial win, come crunch time.

Chingford sealed an important 83-run win over Shenfield to stand just above the drop-zone, thanks to a powerful bowling display, after making 179 at the crease.

Shaun McMurray took 4-10 in 7.5 overs. Ben MacGregor took 3-13 in eight overs.

Fives & Heronians won by 54 runs over Hutton.

In Division Two, Buckhurst Hill won by four wickets against Horndon on the Hill CC.

Elsewhere, in Division Three, West Essex recorded a 47-run victory over Belhus, but Woodford Green lost by 17 runs to Old Brentwoods.

Epping's game with Walthamstow was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch.