Hornchurch ease past Hutton as Vijay hits maiden ton

Jalpesh Vijay hit a superb maiden century for Hornchurch to set them up for an emphatic Hamro Foundation Essex League Premier Division win at Hutton.

Showing an array of strokes, Vijay hit eight sixes and nine fours before falling for 118 off 88 balls as the visitors built a big total at the Polo Field Ground.

And it proved far too many for hosts Hutton, who crumbled in reply to suffer a heavy defeat.

Billy Gordon chose to bat after winning the toss and saw Vijay and Paul Murray make a good start against the new ball.

Vijay played the aggressor, despatching early full tosses to the boundary and over the clubhouse, as Murray, after a dogged half-century against Wanstead the day after his 40th birthday a week earlier, played the supporting role.

But just when it looked like Murray (23) was about to throw off the shackles, he was superbly caught by James Grady, running back from mid-off and taking the ball over his shoulder as he fell.

Jamie Sorrell was next to play second fiddle to Vijay, who continued to find the boundary with regularity – at various points around the ground.

Vijay clubbed a full toss from Connor Whetstone for six over wide long-on and then had a let-off when the next delivery – a free hit – clattered into his stumps, off his pads.

He reached his maiden century for the club from just 60 balls, having hit seven sixes and eight fours, as Hornchurch cruised to 153-1 in the 22nd over, when Sorrell fell to another great grab from Grady after a 77-run stand.

George Hankins didn’t take much time to find his range, hitting a big six into the car park, only to fall to the very next delivery when chipping Will Spires to Greg Spires at mid-off.

Vijay was caught in the deep by Adam Spooner off Alex Tredgett and Ronnie Saunders failed to trouble the scorers, Tom Patterson taking the latest catch, as Hornchurch lost four wickets for 24 runs in the space of eight overs, with Hutton spinners Will Spires and Tredgett bowling with control.

Captain Gordon found an ally in Adeel Malik, though, as the fifth-wicket pair played themselves in, then started to up the tempo with an array of boundaries of their own.

Gordon was dropped by Sean Sullivan on the rope, but Malik edged the very next ball behind to Ben Parry to fall for 36 and end a 69-run stand.

And Gordon (41) was grabbed by Greg Spires at leg gully after one that bounced from Sean Sullivan, before Arthur George and Ozzy Onwuzulike both hit sixes down the ground but then departed in quick succession.

Hornchurch saw out their 50 overs, closing on 283-9, but Hutton appeared the happier side at tea having kept their target below 300.

That soon changed after the restart, though, as George (3-15) produced a superb opening six-over spell to claim three wickets and leave the hosts wobbling at 18-3.

Ben Parry fell first, pouched by Gordon, before Adam Spooner was caught down the legside by Murray and Grady was bowled.

Gavin Griffiths went unrewarded at the other end as Cameron Tredgett, after a fine hundred at Hadleigh a week earlier, and Adam Holdgate dug in for the next 10 overs, before Gordon got in on the act and Malik struck six balls later to make it 48-5.

Malik bowled Tredgett (28) and trapped Connor Whetstone lbw four balls later to make it 51-7, with Gordon getting opposite number Alex Tredgett caught behind by Murray moments later.

And Gordon (3-24) and Malik (4-15) claimed the final two wickets to dismiss Hutton for 72 in the 30th over and wrap up a whopping 211-run win.