Aythorpe Roding remain adrift at the bottom of the Mid Essex Cricket League Premier Division after defeat at home to Little Baddow

Both teams came into this match with just one win to their name this season and while they remain the bottom two in the standings, the result means the gap to Baddow is now 23 points.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first, something that proved to be a good decision as they made 215-9 from their 45 overs.

Most of the runs came from the opening partnership, Waqas Mahmood (37) and Chris Tuttlebee (55) putting on 93 runs.

Matt Scammell also scored 36 while Rob Harris managed 33 but Roding could take some pride from the way they reduced Little Baddow from 191-5 to their final score.

Joe Grant with 3-43 and Manith De Silva's 3-40 were the pick of the bowling figures, Neil Cullerton chipping in with 2-38 as well with Graham Milbank the other to take a wicket.

The downside was a damaged shoulder for bowler Denu Tennakoon which prevented him from batting.

The Roding reply started with a wicket lost in the third over but a fourth-wicket partnership of 64 between Graham Milbank (34) and Richard Eaton (41) put them in a good position to take the game to a tight finish.

However, despite some scores in the teens, notably Culleton's 19 which included four fours, the nine batsmen could only get to 173.

Milbank claimed the man of the match award after a tight decision.

Aythorpe Roding entertain Rettendon on Saturday, who are one point and one position above High Roding in fifth.

Two of Roding's teams had tight finishes but the first team came out second best in their clash away to Tillingham, losing by just six runs.

They had put the home side and the hosts duly set a target of 178, something they felt was very achievable.

Archie Hall was once again Roding's main wicket taker with 4-16 and although five other wickets were shared out equally, Charlie Knightley's 1-15 from four overs did stand out.

And they started well in reply with Freddie Duke (43) and Knightley (31) putting on 85 for the first wicket.

But once the first wicket fell, Roding lost wickets at regular intervals, and apart from a cameo 19 from Harry Pilcher, including three sixes, they lost their final wicket to the first ball of the last over.

They host Basildon & Pitsea next week.

The second team had better fortunes in their match with Stock, winning by five runs.

They made 223 batting first with Toby Warnes (52), Jon Murphy (47) and Nad Kumarapperuma (38) their three best scores.

Stock batted well but finished 218 all out thanks to 5-44 from Henry Welland.

Charlie Smith also took 3-52 with Freddy Welsford Knightley on 2-40.

The thirds lost away to Woodford Wells by six wickets.

They scored 282 with contributions from Zahedan Abbas (88*), Paul Welland (60), Matt Hammond (52) and Jonny Smith (33) and can consider themselves unlucky not to get something from the match.