Cricket round-up: Clubs defy weather as well as opposition

The first, second and fourth teams at Saffron Walden all had their games either cancelled or abandoned, but the thirds played - and won too against neighbours Audley End & Littlebury.

Played against the backdrop of Audley End House, Walden recorded a 36-run success in CCA Senior League Division Two.

The game was delayed and reduced but batting first, Walden's squad of entirely home grown, former juniors made 197-6 in 30 overs.

Included among them was England Over 50s Giles Ecclestone, who scored 19 batting at five.

He was outshone though by some of the younger and up and coming players.

Captain Johnny Brace led the way with 56 runs off 40 balls, Hywell Bowen made 40 off 55 balls, including 3 fours and a six, while opener, Johnny Wiseman, scoring equally quickly with 23 from 24 balls.

Coming to the crease with only 5 overs left in the innings, Arthur Jones made a fantastic effort to push up the total, with 20 runs from nine balls before being dramatically run out. 

Despite an excellent 106-run opening partnership between Dan Powell (66) and Oscar Welch (30), Audley End & Littlebury never quite managed to get on top of the required run-rate of more than six-an-over.

And once they departed, wickets fell consistently as they ended on 161-8.

The pick of the bowlers for Walden was Jed Bailey with 3-17 from five overs.

The women played on Sunday by lost by 17 runs to Copdock & Old Ipswichian in a T20 XI game.

In Walden's junior section, there were wins for SWCC U11 West Essex team by 70 runs against High Roding, Cordelia Murphy taking 3-3 from two overs, while the U12s also beat Roding.

Their eight-wicket win saw Rodwell take 5-35 and Holden score 14.

The U11B team beat Dunmow by a net 30 runs, Theo Fox taking 4-14, while the U10s beat Ickleton by 27 runs and the U9s beat Thriplow by 45 runs;

The U11 CYCA lost to Thriplow, with the U8s beaten by Great Shelford too, but the U12s won by 38 runs against Chelmsford.

And there were runs for brother and sister Alice and Seth Carter as the U11 Girls, playing in the boys/open league, beat Dunmow.

Alice got 20 and Seth 27.

Aythorpe Roding's tough season continued with their nine fit players beaten by 118 runs at South Loughton in Mid Essex Division One.

They fielded first on winning the toss but saw the home side smash 248 in 45 overs.

Manith De Silva claimed 3-40 from his nine overs with Malaka Kiriella chipping in with 2-47.

Openers Malaka Kirielle (24) and Azeem Akhtar (15) put on 29 for the first wicket, and De Silva hit 18, but it was the innings of skipper Denu Tennakoon that made the score more respectable.

He scored 42, including five fours, as Aythorpe Roding got to 130-8.

The result leaves South Loughton top and Aythorpe at the other end of the standings.

High Roding first-team captain Ben Chillingworth. Picture: HRCC (Image: High Roding Cricket Club)

There was thunder and lightning as High Roding visited Great Baddow, and it almost ended very, very frightening for the away side, before they clinched a three-wicket success in the Mid-Essex Premier Division.

Roding won the toss and elected to field with the match length reduced, Baddow going on to score 129-7 in 23 overs.

Sam South was again the pick of the bowlers with 4-49, aided by Archie Halls 2-44.

And in reply, Roding did not have things their own way and it needed skipper Ben Chillingworth to save the day.

He manned the decks dutifully while all around, others were going overboard.

He finished on 104 not out with vice-captain Halls helping to see them home with 131-7.

The win keeps Roding top of the league.

The seconds lost at home to Boreham in another rain-shortened encounter.

Boreham scored 203-7 in 35 overs and Roding were never in the hunt as they finished on 121-9.

Jon Murphy top scored with 36 while there was 24 for Andy Duke and 20 from George Freeman.

The thirds won though, getting home with nine balls to spare at Nazeing.

The home side scored 192-6 off 35 overs but an opening partnership of 100 from Adele Abbas (84) and Tahir Khan set them up nicely for father and son pair, Paul and George Welland, to see them home.