Harold Wood 2nd XI 238-3 declared

Stanford-le-Hope 2nd 140-9

FOR the second consecutive week Stanford were left clinging on to avoid defeat.

Home side Harold Wood won the toss and opted to bat first and immediately took advantage off the flat track.

Openers Glen Wooding, 77 not out and N Sohail (60) both reaching half centuries as well as a useful 48 from C Bennett to bolster the total.

Stanford bowlers were made to toil with Ben Tarten, Neil Fuller and Jack Carter taking a wicket a piece before Wood skipper Luke Hammett called his men in with the score on 238.

Some light rain at the end of the Harold Wood innings seemed to have woken some sleeping demons in the pitch as opening bowler Billy Mortimer (4-25 off 11 overs) immediately found some zip and bounce. Wickets at regular intervals left Stanford's chances of chasing down the total in jeopardy.

Opener Alex Ellis (40) and Mark Knight (44) put up some resistance but avoiding defeat soon became the only viable option. Gibson (3-26 off 16 overs) and Stallibrass (2-18 off 8 overs) also got amongst the wickets but the last one proved elusive for the Wood bowlers as Stanford managed to bat out for a draw.