CRICKET: Hadleigh & Thundersley suffered a 45 run defeat to Colchester & East Essex in the Premier Division of the Essex League.

Colchester made 277/5 after being put into bat with Joseph Austin scoring 123 not out.

Ishen Patel took 2/40 with the ball for Hadleigh who were then dismissed for 232.

Haider Ali Syed Zaidi top scored with 66 for sixth placed Hadleigh.

In Division One, Billericay beat Gidea Park & Romford by eight wickets.

Gidea Park were bowled out for 141 with Ellis Pickering (4/20) and Arjun Bhardwaj (3/29) doing most of the damage.

In reply, Billericay’s target was reduced to 112 due to the wet weather and they made it home for the loss of two wickets.

Rowan Elliott scored 55 not out while Bhardwaj added 27 not out to secure victory for fifth placed Billericay.

In Division Two, fifth placed Westcliff suffered a five wicket defeat to Horndon on the Hill who sit immediately above them in the table.

Westcliff scored 273/6 in their innings with Jonathan Pratt hitting 71 not out, Naeem Amin 57, Lewis Groves 43 and Peter Barnes 41.

However, Horndon saw the required total reduced to 240 due to rain and made it home for the loss of five wickets.

Old Southendian & Southchurch remain just above the relegation zone in eighth after losing to Orsett & Thurrock by 117 runs.

Orsett made 213/9 with Joe Madren taking 3/69 before Southendian were bowled out for 96.

Ahsan Yousaf top scored with 50.

Benfleet are second from bottom but beat Wickford, the only team below them, by 96 runs on Saturday.

Benfleet scored 251/7 after opting to bat first with opener Jamie Casson hitting 46, Sean Pritchard 44 and Rob Zammit 40.

Wickford were set a revised target of 244 but ended on 147/7.

Billy Corps top scored with 59 while Callum Wheeler (3/27) was the pick of Benfleet’s bowlers.

In Division Three, eighth placed Leigh on Sea beat Barking by six wickets.

Barking were bowled out for 94 with Joe Sexton taking three wickets for just 10 runs.

Leigh then made it home for the loss of four wickets with James Pettitt scoring 43 not out.

In Division Four, seventh placed Southend & EMT beat Frenford by six wickets.

Frenford were bowled out for 212 with Adam Hunt taking 4/53 with the ball for Southend.

The hosts reached the required total for the loss of four wickets with Matt Mohan scoring 46 not out.