THE curtain came down on the Shepherd Neame Essex Cricket League season on Saturday, but the championship had already been decided.

Fives and Heronians were crowned champions after their win last week, but there were still a few unresolved issues in division two.

Walthamstow were fighting for the title with Ardleigh Green and had headed the table for the most part of the season.

With rain forecast on Saturday, and coming down in torrents by the afternoon, it seemed the Stow would get their wish.

But somehow, the rain missed Green's match with Ongar and they managed to bowl them out for 137 to win by 37 runs and take the 18 points that were enough to depose the leaders and give Green the title.

But the Stow still win promotion as the second placed team, although they will still be a division lower than the top teams. A restructuring of the league has seen the inception of a new premier league consisting of the top ten division one clubs with the next ten making up a new division one.

The new look league is bad news for Ilford, who have been relegated from division one to what will be a new division three. The top ten clubs in the surrent division two are classed above them.

On the pitch, Wanstead did manage to play and defeated second-placed Billericay by seven wickets. John Chambers was in terrific form with the ball, taking six for 67 while Paul Harvey made the bulk of the Herons' runs with a knock of 53.

The win ensures Wanstead's place in the premier division next season and Loughton join them, despite defeat by Wickford in the only other division one game to be played on Saturday.

In the Tremain Toys under-13 cricket final, the Essex League players of tomorrow were in action with Wanstead playing Writtle.

The Herons scored 208 for five and beat Writtle by 86 runs after bowling them out for 122.

Almost constant drizzle threatened to ruin the game at Bentley Cricket Club, and both teams should be congratulated on putting up such a good display. Those often maligned figures in white coats, the umpires, were also determined that the match should be completed.

Batting first, Wanstead opened slowly with Rahul Bhome batting steadily for his 43, but it was not until wicketkeeper Matt Agass came to the crease and struck a rapid 43 that the innings really took shape. Good knocks from John Shepherd and Paul Hutchings took the score to a creditable 208 at the end of their 40 overs.

Writtle, who had the worst of the conditions, acquitted themselves well in the field and their bowlers handled the slippery ball with confidence.

They batted out their 40 overs, but were never in with a chance of victory. Wicketkeeper Peter Morgan made a determined 50 but the other batsmen were pinned down by some accurate bowling. Bhome, Shepherd and Karam Singh each claimed two wickets .

The Peter Coe Cup and medals were presented at the close of play with both wicketkeepers, Agass, of Wanstead, and Morgan, of Writtle, being named as the players of the match.

Wanstead's under-16 side will be hoping to complete the double on Sunday when they play Horndon-on-the-Hill at Essex's County Ground in the final of the Raffingers Matchplay on Sunday.

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