Essex League: Hornchurch top, Brentwood tie, Wanstead lose

The hosts chose to bat at Chelmer Park and saw captain Jack Sterland and Dan Hagen put on 51 for the first wicket.

But Ronnie Saunders made the breakthrough and wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as Chelmsford collapsed to 118 all out in the 36th over.

Saunders finished with 4-38 from his 10-over spell, as Marc Whitlock nabbed 3-19 and Adeel Malik returned figures of 10-2-18-2.

Jalpesh Vijay dominated a 53-run opening stand with Paul Murray in reply and hit 11 fours to reach 51 off just 30 balls, before departing with the total on 69.

George Hankins fell to a first-ball duck – a week after hitting an unbeaten 201 against Loughton – and Jamie Sorrell followed cheaply to leave Hornchurch 77-4.

Captain Billy Gordon was the fourth lbw victim of the innings with the total on 91, but Saunders (27 not out) and Malik sealed a five-wicket win in the 28th over.

And that put Hornchurch five points clear of Colchester, who tied their match at Brentwood.

Aaron West (42) put on 95 with Ed Ballard after choosing to bat, but the hosts lost Will Buttleman to a second-ball duck.

Ballard hit 13 fours in his 79, with Tom Ballington (25) the next highest scorer as Brentwood were dismissed for 223 in the 48th over.

Colchester appeared to be cruising at 170-3, but Daniel Drew ran out Adithya Ashok (65) and further wickets fell to Bailey Wightman (2-44) and Jack Hebron (2-28).

Visiting captain Simon Fernandes was left unbeaten on 72 as Dan Thacker was run out by Ian Belchamber from the last ball of the match and Colchester closed on 223-8.

Defending champions Wanstead came up short at Buckhurst Hill, after dismissing the home side for 196 at Roding Lane.

Zain Shahzad (3-24), Kishen Velani (2-29) and Jahansher Akbar (2-30) had most success with the ball for the Herons, but they slipped to 31-3 in reply.

Velani (30) fell with the total on 71 but Eshun Kalley put on 55 with Ali Zeb, who went on to score 58.

Captain Joe Ellis-Grewal saw three partners fall to the returning Hendro Puchert (3-23) before he was last man out for 34 with Wanstead on 182 at the end of the 44th over.

Hutton claimed their first win of the season at Loughton, who have yet to taste success in five outings.

Captain Alex Tredgett chose to bat and saw Joel Hussain (51) put on 77 for the first wicket with Ben Parry (36).

Connor Whetstone hit 53 off 42 balls and shared a 69-run stand with Thomas Debenham (30), before Sean Sullivan clubbed an unbeaten 52 off 22 balls, with four sixes and five fours, to lift the total to 256-7.

Loughton reached 212-4, before Bilal Butt (53) and Jay Parmar (52) fell to Whetstone and Tredgett in quick succession.

And Whetstone (4-41) had further success as Loughton came up short on 243-9 and Hutton celebrated a 13-run win.