Aythorpe Roding got off to a great start in the Mid-Essex Cricket League Premier Division on Saturday as they beat Little Baddow by 27 runs. Aythorpe batted first and Paul Gravatt (16) and Richard Eaton (48) put on 45 runs for the first wicket in

Aythorpe Roding got off to a great start in the Mid-Essex Cricket League Premier Division on Saturday as they beat Little Baddow by 27 runs.

Aythorpe batted first and Paul Gravatt (16) and Richard Eaton (48) put on 45 runs for the first wicket in 13 overs.

The runs continued to flow with Graham Milbank (34) and Simon Sargent (15) batting well, but the middle order batsmen seemed to lose their way as Aythorpe found themselves on 127-6 in 34 overs.

However, Liam Rosewell (14) and Andy Clarke (63 no) ensured the last 11 overs produced 79 runs with Aythorpe Roding ending on 212-8 in 45 overs.

For Baddow Golding claimed 3-41 in 10 overs, J Tierney 3-37 in eight overs and A Harris 2-60 in 10 overs.

Aythorpe claimed a wicket in the first over when C Cole was caught by keeper Richard Eaton off the bowling of Neil Culleton for two, but P Morgan (18), A Vasu (39), A Harris (25) and T Edmunds (27) put Baddow on course for victory with six wickets down for 147.

Rosewell put in a good bowling performance for Aythorpe claiming 4-38 in nine overs as Little Baddow were skittled out for 185 runs in the 43rd over.

Neil Culleton finished with 3-37 in 10 overs, and Joe Grant and Graham Milbank took a wicket apiece.

Aythorpe Roding seconds started their league matches in division seven with a comfortable seven-wicket victory at Southend & EM&T seconds.

Trojans batted first and were bowled out for 106.

Will Farr took 4-19 in 9.2 overs, Danny Elsworth 3-25 in eight overs and Joe Claridge 2-24 in six overs for the visitors.

Aythorpe reached their target in the 21st over scoring 109-3.

P Cutmore (25no), Sam Gravatt (22) and Justin Graham (22) were the main scorers.

Sawston CC continued their good start to the season on Saturday when they defeated Khalsa by three wickets in the Cambs and Hunts Premier Division.

Khalsa batted first and were restricted to 179 all out with only Tahseen Ahmed (44) and Portuguese international Tariq Aziz (35) getting to grips with the home attack.

Sawston's overseas player Sean Savage with 4-44, was backed up by Sam Rippington (2-21) and Aaron Pledger (2-40).

In reply Sawston saw Will Lawton (33), Marc Pearson (29) and skipper Adam Ellis (28) all making solid contributions, but limped home losing seven wickets along the way.

Sawston seconds suffered their first league defeat in over a year in CCA Senior Three, as a young and inexperienced side were soundly beaten at Somersham.

The home side scored 226-7 before bowling out Sawston for 101, with only Jason Metson (28) showing any resistance.

Sawston thirds got off to a flyer in CCA Division 2C, despite also fielding a very young side.

Veteran bowler David Binge picked up five wickets as the home side bowled out Longstowe II for 59. The hosts led by 15-year-old Jack Hayden's 45 won by seven wickets.

Dunmow suffered a heavy 10-wicket defeat at home to a strong Brightlingsea side on Saturday in the Two Counties League Division Two.

Dunmow were asked to bat first after overnight rain and opening batsmen Mark Humby and Oli Rooney once again did a good job of seeing off the new ball.

The introduction of spin bowlers T Moulten and M Perrera really swung the game in Brightlingsea's favour and both openers fell -Rooney for 32 and Humby for 45 off the bowling of Moulten.

The middle order took risks to increase the score but this only led to the loss of more wickets as the spinners took control.

Dunmow were really struggling at 119-6 in the 39th over until James Reid came in and smashed five sixes in an innings of 61 not out to take Dunmow to a respectable 180-8.

The pick of the bowlers being T Moulten with figures of 6-45 from 14 overs.

It was soon clear that this was never going to be enough runs as Moulten now led the attack with the bat.

Alongside opening partner M Jones they blasted their way to victory, chasing down the total in the 23rd over with the loss of no wickets.

Jones finished on 63 not out and Moulten capped a fine display with 87 not out.

were beaten at Nazeing Common on Saturday in the Herts & Essex League Division Two.

Dunmow were put into bat first and Graham Sneath fell to the first ball of the match and all batsmen then struggled.

Tony Lees (19), skipper Simon Illife (26), Ollie Bush (16) and Karl Mixture (15) all made useful contributions, but no one went on to make a significant score and Dunmow were bowled out for 104 in the 41st over.

Opening bowlers Matt Gibson (8-4-14-2) and Jack Sneath (9.4-4-16-1) built lots of pressure which led to a run out well executed by Ollie Bush and at the end of the 25th over the score was 54-5.

Only two more runs were added in the next five overs as Dunmow bowled a total of 15 maiden overs. However, they could not claim the next crucial wicket and the partnership of Cracknell and Blair saw Nazeing Common home by five wickets in the 39th over.

Lt. Bardfield Village CC entertained Bury St. Edmunds seconds on Saturday in their Two Counties Division Three fixture.

The home side were invited to bat and moved along at a fairly pedestrian run rate until the 30th over, with opener Mark Welby scoring 27.

Captain Alan Kemp (30) and top-scorer Dean Bass (59) put on 45 for the sixth wicket and with Bass bowled in the final over, Bardfield ended on 191-7.

Opening bowler Matt Graham managed to remove Bur's opener for just two runs, and added the scalp of Nick Curran batting at number three for three more, but Hugo Rynsard-Perry proved a more formidable opponent, ending as he did, with a well-crafted innings of 102.

Bury passed the post with three overs to spare to record a six wicket victory.

Finchingfield CC had a disappointing start to the season at close rivals Cornish Hall End, losing by eight wickets.

Batting first Finchingfield reached 136 from 35 overs.

Lee Rider (12), Paul Denman (15), Graeme Ellis (28), Paul Garrett (31) all added valuable runs for Finchingfield.

Cornish Hall End reached their target in the 28th over. Ian Kerr top scored with an unbeaten 61, while James Drain (35) T Still (18) and Andrew Ridgewell (15 no) all made double figures.

For Finchingfield Damon Knight took 2-30 in six overs.