SAFFRON Walden have won the 2007 Shepherd Neame Twenty20 competition in emphatic style, beating Shenfield in the final by nine wickets on Sunday. Giles Ecclestone, Walden batsman, said: We were all really chuffed to win; we really steam rollered them in

SAFFRON Walden have won the 2007 Shepherd Neame Twenty20 competition in emphatic style, beating Shenfield in the final by nine wickets on Sunday.

Giles Ecclestone, Walden batsman, said: "We were all really chuffed to win; we really steam rollered them in the final, it was a great performance from us."

Shenfield won the toss and decided to bat first at the Billericay ground, but were unable to establish a strong batting partnership. Opening pair J Watson and M Maynard put on 27 runs between them, before both lost their wickets to excellent bowling from Josh Coote.

The middle order fell cheaply with the next five batsmen unable to score more than a handful of runs each.

Ecclestone put Walden's victory down to a very solid bowling display, and he picked Scott Barker as their stand out player who took two wickets while conceding only eight runs.

Shenfield were all out for a total of 91 runs after 19.5 overs.

Walden's reply was swift and they surpassed Shenfield's total losing only one wicket, reaching 92 runs after 13.5 overs.

Ryan Sparrow scored 26 runs before being bowled by M. Maynard. Ray Mordini, (31no), and Giles Ecclestone, (26 no), batted the game out.

Both the final and the semi-final were played on the Sunday and Ecclestone believes that their semi-final match against Wanstean was "a much tougher and closer game." He said: "Out of the four teams in the semis, Wanstean were our main rivals."

Walden won by 17 runs, scoring 148 off 20 overs. Wanstean were all out for 131.

Saffron Walden will now go on to represent Essex in the South East England competition against Middlesex, Surrey and Kent, at Beckenham Cricket Club on Sunday, September 16.

Ecclestone believes the team can do really well.

"There is quite a lot of prize money for the winners, so it is a big incentive for us to do well," he said.

- ENGLAND one day international, Ravi Bopara, led the assault for Hainault & Clayhall, in their convincing victory over Saffron Walden in the Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division on Saturday.

Walden batsman, Giles Ecclestone, believes that losing the toss and being put into bat first put them at a big disadvantage. He said: "In the morning the wicket seamed and swung prodigiously. We had lost our top order before lunch."

Opening batsman, Ryan Sparrow, made a brave stand of 33 before being bowled by S Vaja. The next five batsmen fell cheaply with three ducks.

Joe Holland, Walden's captain, made 12 runs before losing his wicket to Bopara, who finished the day on 3-32.

Things were looking bad for Walden by lunch and it took an excellent batting display of 75 from Charlie Knightley to give them a decent total.

Walden finished 170 all out after 56.1 overs. Ecclestone was critical of his teams display, saying "we didn't apply ourselves."

Batting second proved to be a wise decision and Hainault & Clayhall got off the mark quickly with opening batsman Bopara and Ismail.

Bopara powered his way to 30 before being caught and bowled by Charlie Knightley, and Ismail fell just short of a half-century being run out by Ryan Sparrow.

Hainault & Clayhall made 171 runs in 33.3 overs, losing just three wickets.

Walden visit Colchester on Saturday in the league.