Essex League: Hornchurch would love to clinch title early

Hornchurch captain Billy Gordon admitted he would love to clinch the Hamro Foundation Essex League title this weekend.

Gordon’s men head to Brentwood with a 44-point lead at the top of the Premier Division table, with only three games left.

But he knows their local rivals pose a tough test, having won their June 17 meeting at Harrow Lodge Park by seven runs.

“It would be lovely to win it on Saturday but we can’t get complacent,” said Gordon.

“We’ve got to concentrate and hopefully we do win and the last couple of weeks can be nice and easy.”

Gordon chose to bat at Chingford as matches reverted to 50 overs per side and saw Paul Murray (23), Jalpesh Vijay (24) and Lesbourne Edwards (24) 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.

“We felt we did alright, it was a decent score, but we didn’t bowl well at the start and they batted well,” added Gordon.

“It was spinning quite a bit and we brought it back well, everyone chipped in and it was good to get the 20 points and then hear Colchester had lost.”

Hornchurch kept their hopes of a treble alive with success over Blackheath in the Conference Cup at Harrow Lodge Park.

The visitors chose to bat but lost former Hornchurch player Jas Bassan, caught by Griffiths off Gordon, cheaply.

Vijay and Malik also had success to leave them 63-3, before a 64-run stand for the fourth wicket was ended by Hankins.

Malik (2-24) and Gordon (2-37) had further success as the visitors made 208-7 intheir 45 overs, before Vijay (26) put on 69 with Murray in quick time.

Murray hit nine fours in his 35-ball 45, before Hankins added 52 from 44 in a 90-run stand with Gordon, hitting five sixes and two fours.

Captain Gordon struck 10 boundaries in his 61 from 68 balls, taking his side to the brink of a five-wicket win which was secured by Luke Edwards in the 35th over.

“Blackheath were pretty decent and it was nice to get into another semi-final,” said Gordon, whose side visit Hornsey on Sunday.

“We’re looking forward to another busy weekend.”

*Hornchurch’s Gary Barnacle and two his sons all make unbeaten hundreds on the same day, with two of them in the same game!

George struck an unbeaten 101 from 105 balls in a 2nd XI game against Fives & Heronians, with eight fours, and put on 225 with Luke Edwards as brother Freddie took two wickets and a catch.

Meanwhile, at Cromer Road, Gary and Tommy hit unbeaten centuries in 3rd XI a win over Wickford. 

Gary, after a century for Essex Over-60s a week earlier, hit two sixes and 23 fours to score 161 off 151 balls in a total of 377-2.

And Tommy hit his maiden senior 100 off 65 balls, with a six and 18 fours as the father-and-son duo put on 220 for the third wicket.