Essex League: Oakfield Parkonians sunk by Woodford Wells

Skipper Paran Kalley lost the toss again and saw Joe Johnson (58) elect to bat and put on 140 for the first wicket with Anurag Sarangi.

A lot of chances that were put down by Parks as Sarangi went on to score 80 and Liam Dolden (50) also made a half-century, but Om Thakeria (2-43) bowled extremely well as the visitors declared on 260-8 in the 48th over.

Parks saw a few batters make starts but none go on to make the big score needed as eight wickets fell to catches and poor shot selection left them fighting for the draw.

Vibhor Yadav (53) posted his first half-century for the club, but Parks slipped to an 83-run defeat as Sarangi (4-33) shone brightest with the ball for Wells.

The loss leaves Parks off the promotion pace as the midway point approaches, with a trip to fellow hopefuls Aztecs up next this weekend.

The seconds beat struggling Colchester by 21 runs to move back into the top two.

Put into bat, they overcame a slow start on a used pitch to post 254, with Neil Brathwaite (103 not out) carrying his bat.

And wickets fell at regular intervals in Colchester’s reply, with victory secured late on.

The thirds made 201 against Brentwood, as Nikhith Poddutoori (74 not out) and Krishan Dillipkumar (34) combined well.

Jigar Desai struck early in reply, as Pranav Khetia nabbed a brace thanks to great catches by keeper Alan Bouquet, but Brentwood eased to a seven-wicket win.

The fourths beat Wanstead fifths by eight wickets in a crucial clash.

Manicks Shankar (2-45) and Aman Patel (3-45) showed excellent control, after Wanstead scored 30 runs in three overs, with Janeban Selvamohan taking a juggling catch at point.

Patel held onto two catches off his own bowling, while Nikhil Roy-Mukherjee (2-45) bowled one of his best spells and Selvamohan (1-39) dismissed the dangerous Nikhil Patel (52) as Wanstead reached 206-8 in 45 overs.

Parks lost colt Ibad Usman to an early run out, but vice captain Fazan Habib scored a maiden century on his comeback, hitting a six and 20 fours in an unbeaten 101.

Tariq Jamil (45) gave support, with Fahad Yusuf (32 not out) helping to secure victory with 11 overs to spare.

The fifths lost to Wanstead sixths by seven wickets, though, after being dismissed for 177.

Parks were in a confident mood having won the previous four games but lost three early wickets before Kavin Veloopillai (62) and Shahid Khan (20) put on 62.

Jayden Desai (3-31) was the pick of Wanstead’s bowling and their opening batters took advantage of dropped catches and loose deliveries to share 153 in 30 overs.

Despite losing Rajesh Rajesh for 82, they sailed to the target inside 35 overs with opener Zaid Patel unbeaten on 67 as Shahid Khan (2-16) and Rameyaan Selvamohan took the only wickets to fall.

Oakfield’s U12s won their Brian Taylor League game against Woodford Green on Sunday after a special performance from one of their colts.

Needing a win to progress, Rian Parmar hit his first ball faced for six and kept going to score 79 off 58 balls, hitting another six and 11 fours, before he was bowled in the 19th over to end a 249-run opening stand.

Captain Suryasankara LN retired in the 23rd over after scoring a massive 202 from 75 deliveries, with 13 sixes and 21 fours, which is believed to be the first double century in the competition.

Parks finished on a whopping 324, with Green losing wickets at regular intervals in reply as Aryan Chavan took 5-12 in his four overs to help seal a 212-run victory.