Nick Batcheler traps Muhammad Atif LBW.

CLACTON completed a league double over Walden on Saturday with a six wicket win at the Anglo American Playing Fields.

Chasing 238 runs for victory, Clacton’s Ben France built a 110-run partnership with Greg Smith (57) and put up another 82 runs with Stefanus Gericke (37) to steer his side to the win.

It was not all Clacton’s way, though. Having won the toss and deciding to bat first, Glen Batticcottio’s side suffered the early loss of Jack Sneath (3) before the skipper and Andrew Gale put on a second wicket stand of 130 runs.

The Aussie’s dismissal at 147-2 started a collapse in the 37th over that was unstoppable six overs later when Jason Gallian (10) and Gale (57) were given their marching orders.

Runs from Simon Parmenter (26), Joe Barrs (13) and Alex Majoribanks (16) helped Walden set a reasonable target but 14 runs from the final four batsmen handed the advantage to Clacton, whose star bowler was Imran Shiekh. The Clacton seamer took six wickets from 15 overs and surrendered only 52 runs.

Batticciotto could not have asked for a better response from his bowling attack. Barrs was the first to strike, luring George Brown into a shot that was caught by Sneath.

23-1 soon became 38-2 as Nick Batcheler rapped Muhammad Atif on the pads, forcing the umpire to give him out.

In came France to join Smith at the crease. The pair pushed the score up to 148-3 before Smith was caught by Gale off Tim Smith’s bowling. A quick wicket from Andrew Gale, dismissing Mark Comber for 11, had Walden’s hope up by it would be their last wicket as France and Gericke surpassed the target in the 48th over.