Essex League: Hornchurch extend lead in title race

Hornchurch moved 44 points clear at the top of the Hamro Foundation Essex League Premier Division table with victory over Chingford.

Captain Billy Gordon chose to bat as matches reverted to 50 overs per side and saw Paul Murray (23), Jalpesh Vijay (24) and Lesbourne Edwards (24) all make starts, before George Hankins (39) put on 58 with Jamie Sorrell.

Gordon (26) gave further support, with Sorrell going on to top score with 52 from 85 balls, before Ronnie Saunders hit 37 off 31 to help lift the total to 260.

Chingford’s openers put on 56, before Arthur George made the breakthrough, and the visitors looked well set at 121-2.

But spinners Adeel Malik (2-8) and Marc Whitlock (2-54) struck in quick succession, with Hankins (2-37) and Gavin Griffiths (2-20) having further success to help secure a 36-run win.

Nearest rivals Colchester lost by 13 runs against Buckhurst Hill at Castle Park, allowing Brentwood to move up to second place after their five-run win at Hadleigh.

Aaron West’s men posted 241-8 and, in an exciting finish, took the last Hadleigh wicket with four balls left.

Hutton were also celebrating after a five-wicket win over Chelmsford, who were dismissed for 222 at the Polo Field Ground.

Nick Prowting (53) top scored for the visitors, as Sean Sullivan (3-33), Thomas Debenham (3-46), James Grady (2-27) and Joseph Parry (2-43) shared the wickets to fall.

Hutton slipped to 75-4, with only Cameron Tredgett (38) making an impact, before Joseph Parry (71) put on 104 with Grady, who was unbeaten on 59 alongside Viraj Gandhi (20 not out) as they reached their target with 19 balls left.

Wanstead were beaten by four wickets at Loughton, though, after making 271.

Openers Yuvraj Odedra (54) and Tom Simmons (77) put on 129, before the Herons lost five wickets for 19 runs, but Ali Zeb (65 not out) held firm to help set a target.

The hosts were reduced to 4-2, before a 119-run stand between Alan Jones (26) and Omar Akram, who fell one short of a century to Zeb (2-41).

Bilal Butt put on 63 with Peter Miller and was unbeaten on 54 from just 38 balls after hitting nine fours as Loughton got home with 4.3 overs to spare.

Wanstead turn their attention to the ECB National Club Championship on Sunday and a quarter-final home tie against holders Bexley.