High Roding Cricket Club completed the league double over local rivals Aythorpe Roding on Saturday.

HIGH Roding Cricket Club completed the league double over local rivals Aythorpe Roding on Saturday.

Mel Hussain’s men enjoyed a 95-run victory at the The Bill Reeve Pavilion which keeps their title bid on track.

High Roding are now 45 points clear at the top of the Mid-Essex League Premier Division with just four games to go, while Aythorpe slipped down to sixth place as a result of their weekend defeat.

On a muggy, overcast day and with an uncovered wicket that had got two hours of rain, it was an important toss to be won. Once again visiting skipper Mel Hussain called wrong, and Aythorpe put High Roding in to bat.

Travis Hussain (23) got High Roding off to a flyer as he first hit Neil Culleton for six over mid-wicket and then in the next over he gave Andy Clarke the same treatment, this time to square leg.

However, Roding were unable to follow up their excellent start and from 30-0 off five overs, they slipped to 32-2 off six.

Mel Hussain and Orban Holdgate (33) then set about the task of seeing off dangermen Clarke and Joe Grant, playing out the best part of another 10 overs.

They managed to do this, but with only another 15 runs added, Hussain played on to Joe Grant.

Orban then rode his luck being dropped twice, and after hitting 10 runs in an over, played one shot too many and was caught at slip.

Craig Miller, who has been a hero for most of the season, was then asked to steady the ship. This he did admirably hitting 65 runs, and he was well supported by Jeff Clarke (18), Ben Tadman (14), and Nick Dawson (17), who all chipped in with runs as Roding finished with a score of 206, which was excellent in the difficult conditions.

For the home side Culleton picked up 4-65 in 12 overs, Grant 3-33 in 10.2 overs, and Andy Clarke and Liam Rosewell took a wicket each.

Aythorpe Roding never really got going in reply with wickets falling at regular intervals.

Mark Gallop and Craig Miller bowled beautifully for the visitors, hitting good areas and making the batting difficult for the Aythorpe batsmen.

The pressure was beginning to tell and the hosts soon slipped to 65-8.

Neil Culleton hit 13, P Leete 27, Liam Rosewell 10 and Joe Grant scored 35, but Aythorpe were all out for 111 in 31 overs, giving High Roding the victory.

Mark Gallop took 5-41 in 12 overs, Craig Miller 3-27 in 11 overs, and R Palmer 2-15 in three overs.

High Roding have a massive game at second placed Hatfield Peverel on Saturday, in what could be a league title decider. Aythorpe Roding travel to Bentley in the Mid-Essex League Premier Division at the weekend.

On Sunday Aythorpe Roding are playing in The Warsop Stebbing 20/20 Finals day at Hatfield Peverel Cricket Ground, starting at 11am.

Aythorpe Roding got through by winning their three group matches.

Also through are Hatfield Peverel, Terling, and Rankins. Aythorpe will take on Terling in the semi-final.