CRICKET: THURROCK’S Essex Cricket League teams endured a hot weekend and a mixed bag of results. In ECL 2nd XI, third-placed Stanford le Hope had to settle for a draw at Ardleigh Green after they fell two runs short of victory.

Andrew Love’s 5-71 helped restrict the hosts to 209 all out before Matthew Higgins (68) and Kevin Smith (55) contributed most to Stanford’s 208-6 reply.

Third-placed Belhus and seventh-placed Pegasus & Corringham fought out a draw in the Thurrock derby.

Roy Heffernan (77), Ben Marns (40), Wayne Read (32) and Charlie Lewis (32) anchored Belhus’ 238-7 declared total in the face of a attack led by David Laurie 3-32.

Jason Pike (53), Callum Brady (36) and Steve Pearce (34) led the Pegs’ run chase, which reached 176-7 as Sam Hall took 3-24.

In the 3rd division, Leigh-on-Sea racked up a six-wicket victory at home to second-placed Belhus.

Hassan Mazhar, Rees Cartwright, Paul Sibley, David Archer and Ishen Patel took two wickets each as Belhus succumbed for 149, with Stuart Morris (23) and Jim Robertson (22) leading the way.

James Bradley (66), Joshal Patel (29) and Victor Hewitt (23) anchored the Leigh reply of 150-4.

Southend on Sea & EMT produced a five-wicket win away to seventh-placed Orsett.

The hosts opted to bat after winning the toss and were bowled out for 151 in 50.4 overs. Southend replied with 152-4 in 41.5 overs.

In ECL 4th, fifth placed Stanford le Hope fell two runs short of victory at Upminster.

Thomas Willats (87) and Neil Fuller (46) led the Stanford run chase, which reached 246-6.

Earlier Steven Trigg (4-51) and Jack Carter (3-34) had taken the lion’s share of the wickets as Upminster set a target of 247-9 dec, with Sam O’Dowd hitting 79.

Horndon are a place behind Wickford following their 14-run defeat to sixth-placed Old Parkonians.

Richard Jasper continued his good performances with the ball by taking 5-35, while Luke Smith claimed 2-5 as Old Parks were bowled out for 119.

Peter Clark (19), Danny Adams (19), Owen Jones (15) and Smith (14) were the only batsmen into double figures before Horndon were bowled out for 105. Basildon & Pitsea are second in the Division Three table after beating Orsett by four wickets.

Sean Healey took 6-20, James Bunce 2-16 and Frank Farrington 2-18 to leave Orsett all out for 81, with Robert Wigley offering most resistance.

Bunce (29no), Lee Dutton 13, Rhys Williams (13) and Abdalah Al Roky (11) led the winning reply of 83-6, with Connor Ramm taking 2-13 and Keith Haden 2-23.

Southend & EMT are a place behind Basildon courtesy of a 181-run win over Stanford. Luke Bunce (91), Shane Bottrill (52), David Enderby (31), Jeffrey Wood (25no) and Steve Laflin (22) helped the Seasiders to 261-8 declared, while Matthew Hasler and David Clayton took a total of three wickets each.

But Russell Ward (3-11), Jaspal Sehda (3-19), Wood (2-10) and Bottrill (2-15) bowled Stanford out for 80, with Adrian Page (17) and Peter Seaman (16) leading the resistance.