Premier Division

Wanstead and Snaresbrook continued their title push with a 21-run win at South Woodford on Saturday.

Visitors Wanstead remain second in the table with three games to play, trailing leaders Chingford by four points.

Having won the toss, the visitors opted to bat first but only opener Arfan Akram (62) put on a score of note.

Adnan Akram (29) added some runs at number three before late contributions from tail-enders Misem Ali Syed Zaidi (22) and Mohammed Fayyaz Khan (22) pushed the away side’s total up to 197 for nine.

Krishan Vadher was a threat with the ball for South Woodford, taking four for 43 from his ten overs.

In reply, Ashley Leat (20) and Harry Neicho (32) opened the batting in encouraging fashion for the hosts, with Jamie Carroll (34) and Vadher (22) also weighing in.

Usman Sahar took three for 32 though, to restrict the hosts to 176 for eight from 50 overs.

Shaun Eaton took four wickets in Chingford’s five-wicket win over Brentwood.

Jonathan Walford (67) and Dave Hammond (55) made good contributions towards the Brentwood total but the visitors were dismissed for 173 with Eaton taking four for 20.

The early loss of openers Jay Edmonds (5) and Paul Shawyer (3) didn’t affect Chingford, who rallied through Ben MacGregor (43) and Alfie Taylor (48).

Eaton then hit an unbeaten 33 as the home side eased home with 176 for five.

Loughton staggered to a five-wicket win over Shenfield in a low-scoring affair.

Shenfield elected to bat first after winning the toss and were quickly undone by Arslan Shahid (three for 28) and Hamza Omar (two for eight) to leave them on 37 for four.

Jamie Walton (17) and Ollie Ekers (19) offered some fleeting resistance but the away side were dismissed for 101.

Hosts Loughton made a similarly stuttering start with the bat in reply, losing the wickets of openers Mohammed Hafeez (9) and Ahmed (0) cheaply.

However 40 from Hafiz Yawar Afzal and Bilal Butt’s 45 carried Loughton over the line to finish on 102 for five.

Division One

Rory Ellison’s five-for helped Woodford Wells to a draw with Hainault and Clayhall – just enough to keep them out of the relegation zone.

Batting first, hosts Wells were building steadily, with Joe Johnson (42), Ed Buxton (36) and William Rodgers (44) providing good scores.

However, the tail order failed to replicate the top end of the Woodford line-up and the home side were restricted to 191 for nine, with Ravi Ravel taking seven for 48.

Irfan Shah (58) hit nine fours and a six as the home side saw their good start tail off.

Mousshin Ismail made 25 at number six but Hainault were no match for Ellison, who finished with five for 48.

Shane Cassel scored a huge 151 in a crushing 135-run win for Buckhurst Hill at Southend-on-Sea EMT.

Inserted into bat, Buckhurst began slowly and found themselves faltering on 65 for five before Cassel smashed his way to 151, hitting 17 fours and seven sixes from just 124 balls.

Joe Robbins took six for 74 to limit the Hill total to 245 for eight.

Cassel continued his impressive display by taking three for 28 as the hosts faltered with the bat before being removed for just 110 inside 26 overs.

Division Two

West Essex remain firmly in the relegation zone after being comfortably beaten by 108 runs at Hornchurch.

The Hornchurch innings was built around half-centuries from Jamie Sorrell (53) and Roy Smith (50) – the duo steering the home side towards 222 for three before opting to declare.

In reply, West Essex were less than convincing with the bat and only Ahsan Sarfaraz at number eight showed any kind of staying power with a knock of 26.

Chamikara Mudalige was largely responsible for West Essex’s shortcomings, taking six for 53 as the away side were removed for 114.

Terry Ballard hit 70 to help Fives and Heronians brush aside Westcliff-on-Sea by nine wickets.

Hosts Westcliff were removed for 123, with K Patel claiming four for 38.

Ballard (70) and Rahul Patel (51 not out) then provided the mainstay of the Fives’ innings, guiding the home side to 124 for one inside 19 overs.

Division Three

Epping left it late to beat Basildon and Pitsea in dramatic circumstances, securing a two-wicket win, thanks in no small part to Salim Mithani’s five-for.

Basildon opener Kalai Selven scored 57 but was not supported by his teammates, with wickets tumbling around him with alarming regularity before Tom Poole’s 38.

Mithani took five for 41 to remove the away side for 125.

Nathan Lycett (40) was the highest scorer for Epping, who were grateful for the input of Nathan Onojaife (25) and Sam Rashid (23) in reaching 126 for eight.

Woodford Green were comfortably second best against Stanford Le Hope, losing by eight wickets following a poor batting display.

Inserted into bat, the home side were removed for just 114, with Anthony Palmer (40) putting on the biggest Woodford score.

Rana Arslan chipped in with 21, including four fours, as Dylan Eginton (five for 55) and Adam Knight (three for 10) took control of proceedings.

Stanford made minimal fuss of securing the points, with Lee Knight (37 not out) leading the charge to 118 for two.