Aythorpe Roding claimed a two-wicket win over Little Baddow in their latest T. Rippon Mid-Essex League Premier Division outing.

Baddow's openers put on 57 for the first wicket, with Mahmood going on to score 83 as they reached 213-8 from their 45 overs.

James Woodmore produced a good spell of pace bowling to finish with 3-30 from six overs, while Neil Culleton (2-42) and Graham Milbank (2-32) nabbed braces from their nine and 10-over spells.

Ian Bryant (1-47) also had success for Aythorpe, who lost Paul Gravatt (1) and Tom Wharton (0) in the first over of their reply.

Sam Gravatt (22) and Andy Clarke (22) moved the score along, but Aythorpe were in trouble at 66-5 after 13 overs.

Milbank then shared 76 with Joe Apperley (25) to put the home team back on track, but the game was in the balance as they found themselves 142-7.

Steve Chambers hit a valuable 28, while Milbank hit seven fours in his 76, before Culleton (13 not out) and Bryant (1 not out) sealed victory in the 43rd over.

Second-placed Aythorpe, three points behind leaders Rayleigh, travel to Great Totham on Saturday (1pm).

*High Roding were well beaten by table-topping Terling in their latest outing.

Put into bat, they saw Jeff Clarke and Ben Speakman (16) made a steady start, before Clarke (24) and George Halls fell to successive balls.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, with Mark Gilfrin (16) the only other batsman to reach double figures as they were dismissed for 91 in the 38th over.

Archie Halls (2-24), Sam South (1-3) and Josh O'Connor (1-35) had some success with the ball for Roding, but they could not avoid a heavy defeat and host Springfield this weekend.

The seconds had a better day against Rayleigh, who collapsed from 82-0 to 119 all out.

Adrian Nelson (4-29) was the pick of the bowling, as Amit Tulaskar (2-7) and Adrian Pask (2-12) nabbed braces.

Roding reached their target in the 30th over, thanks to Alastair Bushell (36), Alex Lodge (50 not out) and Tahir Khan (28 not out) and visit Rankins this weekend.