Belhus in clash with Thurrock (From Thurrock Gazette)

Boundaries in borough derby

11:03am Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in Sport

Thurrock 1st 176-7

Belhus 1st 180-3

MATTHEW Hills of Thurrock and Ryan Wells of Belhus were the batting stars in this end of season derby at North Stifford on Saturday. Hills, batting at number three, plundered a fine undefeated 93 and struck eight fours and one six. Later, Wells hit 12 boundaries, including one maximum on his way to a match-winning, undefeated 85. Supporting roles came from Ayub of Thurrock with 29, but Michael Fogg made a significant difference in the batting depth between the two teams as the Belhus middle order batsman crafted a fine innings worth 57 runs which included nine fours. Fogg was eventually dismissed by a comfortable catch by Hills at deep mid-on. Earlier, Thurrock's Wayne Simmons and Bilal Qureshi contributed 16 and 11 runs respectively. For Belhus, Roy Heffernan was top wicket taker, his eight overs of flight and guile produced 3-42, while Danny Norris and Richard Waters produced identical figures, being 2-28 from eight overs, one of which was a maiden. Thurrock’s George, Qureshi and Bundock shared the three Belhus wickets to fall, but the home side were good value for a comfortable victory.

Goresbrook 1st 168-6 Belhus 1st 170-7 WAYNE Read slammed a spectacular 74 from just 48 deliveries in the season's finale as the Belhus Sunday first XI made it a double-winning weekend. Read helped himself to ten fours and one six in his powerful knock, while Joe Joyce contributed 30 in a successful run chase as Keith Dhannie and Brian Edwards saw Belhus home, both undefeated on 19 and 10 respectively. But the visitors to North Stifford made inroads into the Belhus batting, Andy Livett's 2-28 from seven overs caused problems, even more so Steve Barwick's 2-18, also from seven overs (one maiden), kept Belhus in check. Joe Barwick and Keith Maund picked up one wicket each. Earlier, the diminutive Jordan Harris had been the saviour of Goresbrook's cricket on a number of occasions this season, and he repeated the feat with a stylish knock of 53. But Jack Plane and Edwards responded with 2-41 and 2-52 respectively, while Paul Whitlock and Danny Norris were the most economical, returning 1-29 from seven overs and 1-8 from five overs respectively as both recorded one maiden.

BASILDON & Pitsea, along with Belhus A, emerged as winners from the first round of U12 youth indoor matches played at Grays School on Friday September 28. Both teams had one prominent batsman and, co-incidentally, both reached 24 then attained the compulsory retirement score of 25 with a boundary six. Michael Edwards of Stanford hit 33, while Travis Singleton finished on 30 not out for Basildon. Stanford had been dismissed for a healthy 86 and Basildon achieved their win in a similar time frame, taking just 9.2 overs to overhaul. l This week's fixtures (Friday 5th October): 6pm - Orsett v Belhus "B"; 7pm - Stanford le Hope v Belhus "A".