IT was a very mixed weekend for Chelmsford, with some excellent wins and depressing defeats balancing out.

All four home games were won but only one of six away from Chelmer Park. The first team kept up their good run thanks to a maiden five-for from Jack Moss and an unbeaten 72 from Matt Thurston. Otherwise the weekend's big performance came from Tom Halsey who claimed six wickets in the fourth team's win over Gidea Park & Romford.

Shepherd Neame Essex League Division 1
Wickford 129 all out Chelmsford 1st 135-3
(Chelmsford won by 7 wickets)

The Chelmsford first XI looked to carry their momentum from their successive victories as they hosted Wickford on a seamer friendly pitch at Chelmer Park.

Chelmsford's decision to bowl was justified by the cheap removal of the Wickford top order, leaving the visitors struggling on 60 for six. Bate (32) demonstrated some resistance, showing control and good shot selection in challenging conditions.

The Wickford lower order consolidated through White (29) and Rouse (19), as they attempted to use the overs to put their team in a competitive position. Jack Moss returned after a promising first spell to break this partnership and finish off the innings in style leaving him with the well deserved figures of five for 27. Jack was well supported by Neil Fergus' lengthy 25 over spell of three for 39 and the visitors were held to 129 all out.

The Chelmsford reply started slowly with Ahmed striking early and bowling a challenging length on the lively pitch. Matt Thurston showed patience to weather this early storm before he confirmed his return to form with fluent stroke play. Thurston was well supported by Nick Prowting (21) and Kamran Ali (36), Ali being dismissed with the scores level. Thurston's 72 not out steered Chelmsford home to an unfamiliarly comfortable victory only losing three wickets along the way.

Chelmsford have climbed the table in recent weeks and will look to build on this success when they host Horndon On The Hill next week.

Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division
Loughton 213-8 Chelmsford 2nds 191 all out
(Loughton won by 22 runs)

Coppeard had a day to remember for Loughton scoring an unbeaten fifty and taking nine for 66 to consign Chelmsford's second team to a 22 run defeat. Fahan Mahmood, Stuart Everard and Ian Hare all took two wickets for Chelmsford in Loughton's 213 for eight; Mahmood bowling a fiery debut spell. James Redman (42) and Nick Bailey (41) looked in good touch but neither managed the major score that was needed and the lower and middle order foundered.

Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division
Gidea Park & Romford 169 all out Chelmsford 3rds 159 all out
(Chelmsford lost by 10 runs)

The third team lost four wickets in the last eight balls to lose at Gidea Park & Romford, who took a largely undeserved 20 points. Chelmsford's bowling was generally good but the home side somehow managed to make 169; Alistair Fergus (4-66), Anthony Holland (2-39) and Neal Abhyankar (2-11) amongst the wickets. A 50-minute rain delay left Chelmsford needing to score quickly but with Paul Keaney (55) playing well they went for it even though Winmill (6-48) was proving very difficult.

Shepherd Neame Essex League 3rd XI Division 3
Gidea Park & Romford 127 all out Chelmsford 4ths 131-5
(Chelmsford won by 5 wickets)

Andy Thurston got two important wickets but Gidea Park were well placed until the leg spin combination of Tom Halsey and Jason Bolton got to work. The innings subsided to 127 all out, Halsey's six for 15 causing most of the carnage. Guy Balmford made 43 in the chase and despite a late flurry of wickets, the margin of victory was a fairly comfortable five wickets.

Friendly (played at Chelmer Park)
Chelmsford 5ths 209 Brentwood TTC 38 all out
(Chelmsford won by 171 runs)

Alistair Baldwin made a successful return to Chelmsford, taking six for 10 in the fifth team's massacre of Brentwood Table Tennis Club. Steve Bond and James Arnold hit rapid half centuries and Zain Panjwani 45 in Chelmsford's 209. That was enough for a 171-run win.

Friendly (played at Shenfield High School)
Shenfield 190-9 Chelmsford 6ths 97 all out
(Shenfield won by 93 runs)

The sixth team were well beaten at Shenfield. Chelmsford bowled and fielded pretty well and restricted Shenfield to 190 for nine, Ben Clifford taking two for 11, Joyner scoring 78. The chase never got going and Pratt (5-23) and Bailey (4-31) ran through the Chelmsford batsmen, all out for just 98.

Friendly (played at Chelmer Park) Kingfisher 109 all out Chelmsford Sunday 1sts 110-2
(Chelmsford won by 8 wickets)

Friendly (played at Roding Valley)
Roding Valley 249-5 Chelmsford Sunday 2nds 151 all out
(Roding Valley won by 98 runs)

Under-16s Essex Matchplay
Braintree 78 all out Chelmsford 79-1
(Chelmsford won by 9 wickets)

Under-13s Peter Coe Cup
Brentwood 82 all out Chelmsford 79 all out
(Brentwood won by 3 runs)

7:47am Thursday 17th July 2008

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