Essex League: Wanstead win T20 title as Hornchurch dethroned

Wanstead were crowned Dukes Essex T20 champions after beating hosts Billericay in the county final at Finals Day.

The Herons had beaten defending national champions Hornchurch in their semi-final earlier in the day.

Sent into the field, they saw Zain Shahzad dismiss Jalpesh Vijay and dangerman George Hankins with successive balls to leave Hornchurch 17-2.

Lesbourne Edwards hit 30 off 18 balls, including two sixes and three fours, but he also fell to Shahzad (3-13), before Luke Edwards added 62 with captain Billy Gordon.

Both scored 33 but fell in quick succession to Yuvraj Odedra (2-21) as Hornchurch closed on 131-5.

Wanstead lost Tom Simmons to a third-ball duck in reply, bowled by Gordon, who also dismissed Odedra with the total on 40.

Haaris Usman fell cheaply to Arthur George to leave Wanstead 45-3, but Kishen Velani moved the score to 76 before succumbing to Adeel Malik.

Jonathan Das also fell cheaply to Gavin Griffiths to make it 83-5, but Essex youngster Robin Das hit 55 off 45 balls before falling to Hankins with the score on 111.

And Herons captain Joe Ellis-Grewal kept his cool to seal a two-wicket win with five balls to spare.

Billericay met Brentwood in the other last-four tie and chose to bat first.

But they lost wickets at regular intervals throughout their innings, which closed at 103-9 as Louis Barrell’s 19 top scored.

Jack Hebron (3-21), Harry Phillips (2-19) and Bailey Wightman (2-26) had most success for Brentwood, whose batters were kept in check during their reply.

Captain Aaron West fell cheaply to Arjun Bhardwaj, who had figures of 4-0-9-2, but Daniel Drew made 25 and Tom Oakley also reached double figures to help them reach 60-2.

Ross Poulton, David Houghton and Barrell (2-9) had further success with the ball for Billericay, who saw their rivals close on 93-7.

Captain Poulton chose to bat first in the final, with Raynard van Tonder (61), Bhardwaj (25) and Houghton (25) helping them post 145-5.

Shahzad (2-28) and Odedra (2-30) nabbed braces for Wanstead, who saw Simmons hit 54 in an opening stand of 120 with Odedra.

And although Robin Das fell cheaply, Odedra (71 not out) and Velani saw the Herons home to an eight-wicket win with 13 balls to spare.