Wanstead & Snaresbrook made a winning start to the defence of their Essex League title before progressing to the next round of the ECB National Club Championship a day later.

The reigning league champions beat Buckhurst Hill by nine wickets at Overton Drive on Saturday as the Herons spinners ripped through their visitors’ batting line up, before an unbeaten 55 from captain Arfan Akram and veteran John Chambers’ 38 ensured a comfortable win for the home side.

Having won the toss Akram had no hesitation in asking Ian Russell’s side to make first use of the May wicket, and the away skipper was soon back in the pavilion after he was caught by Akram himself off the bowling of Essex quick Maurice Chambers.

There was little indication of the carnage that was to follow when Haroon Khan and Hendro Puchert made steady progress and put on 50 for the second wicket.

However, once Adam Lord had Khan caught by South African Petrus Hattingh, and the same fielder had run out Puchert the wheels came off the away side’s innings.

Home grown youngster Joe Ellis-Grewel picked up three wickets in six overs to break the back of Buckhurst Hill, while the evergreen Mohammed Fayyaz Khan gave nothing away as he took one for 20 from his 10 overs.

Leg-spinner Rehan Hassan completed the innings as he bowled the unfortunate number 11 Sandeep Singh around his legs to wrap things up with just 124 on the board from 39.3 overs.

In replay Chambers and Akram took few risks against the Hill bowlers but never looked in too much danger. The pair put on 100 for the first wicket before Chambers was caught by Puchert off Singh, but Akram saw things home with Hassan as the Herons’ made it home with more than 20 overs to spare.

Twenty-four hours later a quick-fire 47 from England Under-19 international Kishen Velani fired Wanstead past rivals Woodford Wells in the National Club Championship on Sunday.

The youngster's knock helped the Herons comfortably chase down a rain-revised total, making it two wins out of two in the competition they famously reached the final of last season as well as securing the local bragging rights.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, Wells would have been hopeful of posting a challenging score but they struggled to impose themselves on Wanstead’s bowlers who enjoyed themselves in helpful conditions.

MCC Young Cricketer Zain Shahzad got Wanstead off to a flying-start with the ball, ripping through the hosts’ top order on his way to taking four for 27 from his nine overs.

At the other end former Pakistan international Shahid Saeed was incredibly measly going at just three and over in his opening spell and creating a platform for Wanstead’s spinners to work their way through the middle order.

Left-armers Joe Ellis-Grewal (two for 27) and Mohammed Fayyaz Khan (three for 20), supported by leg-spinner Rehan Hassan who was himself perhaps unlucky not to pick up a wicket himself, made life tough for the Wells batsmen who finished on 151 despite the best efforts of former Heron Rory Ellison who held the innings together with 44.

The score that looked below-par at the interval and a rain delay meant the required total was reduced to 115 from 34 overs. With the weather forecast uncertain, Wanstead’s opening pair of Arfan Akram (16) and Hassan (15) set out to score quickly.

When both were removed in quick succession Wells had a glimmer of hope, but Velani’s knock combined with a well-made 28 from Petrus Hattingh ensured there would be no comeback and the Overton Drive based outfit continued their recent form in the cup competitions with another victory.

This weekend Wanstead return to league action against 2011 champions Brentwood, who got their season off to a disappointing start as they went down to a three-wicket defeat at South Woodford.

It was an unbeaten weekend for Wanstead’s other XIs as all of the club’s league sides started with positive results.

A brilliant 127 from Melanie Leach maintained Wanstead Heronettes’ perfect start to the North London Women's League A season as they cruised to a 46-run victory over Old Actonians.

The club’s second XI (241 for five) had the better of a draw with Hornchurch (168 for eight), who clung on at the end despite the visitors best efforts to force the win in the last hour.

New skipper Alan Lord took five for 46 as the third XI beat Hainault & Clayhall by two wickets while the fourth XI also started with a nine wicket victory over Upminster thanks to a superb 97 not out from youngster Abdul Gour.

Despite fine 60s from Michael Griesel and Sriram Pathamaraja the fifth XI were held to a draw by Hainault & Clayhall, but the sixth team enjoyed a 51-run win over Wickford thanks to 68 from Victor Mestre and Tariq Zaman’s six for 45.

A brilliant 127 from Melanie Leach maintained Wanstead Heronettes’ perfect start to the North London Women's League A season as they cruised to a 46-run victory over Old Actonians.