Since gaining promotion to the Premier Division for the 2002 season, Upminster’s 3rd XI have been ever present in the top flight, finishing as runners up four times and in third place three times. However, until 2018 the title had always alluded them as Wanstead and Snaresbrook, Chelmsford, and more recently Brentwood, had claimed the crown. However, under the captaincy of Josh Lamont 2018 saw the 3rd XI finally finish in spot, after a thrilling season. For much of the campaign it had looked like they would cruise to the title, but in the end they needed to overcome one or two wobbles before finishing as champions. The side was much changed from previous campaigns, and the performances of a number of youngsters bodes well for the future of the 3rd XI and the club’s higher sides.

The season started on a rainy day in May with what turned out to be a crucial win. On a day of few results Lamont’s men made the perfect start with a comfortable victory over Harlow. The evergreen Mark D’Cruz picked up four wickets as Harlow were rolled out for 87 and then youngster Tom Daniels made an unbeaten 43 to steer his side to an eight wicket win. This was followed up a week later when a much changed line up picked up a thrilling win at Nutter Lane against Wanstead and Snaresbrook. Nathan Bright starred with the ball as the Herons were dismissed for 185 and Upminster looked on course for a comfortable win as captain Lamont, Rob Mack and Joe Wyatt all made contributions. However, a flurry of wickets turned the game in the home side’s favour, before a last wicket stand of 18 saw Upminster home by one wicket. May was then rounded off with a third consecutive win, this time over local rivals Harold Wood. Ant Limn, Jordan Tigg and Paul Stratton led Lamont’s side to 213-9, and any worries this may not be enough were soon wiped away as D’Cruz and Oliver White ran through the top order as Wood were dismissed for 128.

June started with two draws, although in very different circumstances. Firstly in the home game against Chelmsford, the struggling visitors ended up clinging on for a draw after Upminster had dominated the afternoon. 59 from Pete Thompson and contributions from Lamont and Steve Limn meant Upminster made a competitive 198-9 before Andrew Berry and Tom Daniels combined to run through the Chelmsford top and middle order. However, despite trying eight bowlers Upminster could not break the resistance of the Chelmsford lower order and they finished on 102-8. Roles were reversed a week later at Hainault and Clayhall as the home side had the better of the game. Ranjan Gulati made a brilliant century for the home side and an under par performance in the field allowed Hainault to reach 267. Ant Limn, Josh Lamont and Tom Daniels all passed 30 in reply but Upminster lost wickets at regular intervals and ended on 202-8.

The first signs that this season may be different to others came in mid June at Coopers as Upminster ended Brentwood’s 24 match unbeaten run in a tight contest. Tom Larke and Oliver White led the way for the home team as Brentwood were restricted to 145-9 from their 45 overs (the game being the first of the limited overs contests). Upminster lost early wickets in reply but the captain played a crucial knock, making his highest league score of the season to date (67), and with support from Pete Thompson Lamont’s side squeezed home by two wickets with four balls to spare to signal their title intentions. The following week also looked like being a stern test for Upminster as they made the short journey to play Hornchurch, who were lying in third place at the time. Upminster batted first and Steve Limn (53), Tom Daniels (69*) and Josh Lamont (one better than last week with 68) helped the leaders to make 213-5 from their 45 overs. Tom Larke and Scott Fisher then ensured there would be no dramas this time out as they tore through the Hornchurch line up to bowl them out for 137. Struggling Buckhurst Hill came to Coopers on the last day of June, but were easily dispatched by the title chasers. Fisher and Larke picked up where they had left off the week before, claiming three wickets each as Hill were shot out for 70. Steve Limn and Mike Larke then wasted no time seeing Upminster to a 10 wicket win.

The last game of the first half of the season saw Upminster travel to Woodford Wells on World Cup Quarter Final day. Wells batted first and half centuries from Charles Scott and Ben Munson saw the home team, who started the day in third place, make 271 from their 45 overs. There may have been some worries that Upminster would struggle after the local hospitality during the break for the football, but Steve Limn soon eased any such worries as he played one of the greatest knocks seen by an Upminster 3rd XI player. At 98-3 the game was in the balance, but at that stage Limn was joined by Dan Tyler and the two combined in an unbroken partnership of 182 to take Upminster to victory. Limn struck 27 fours and 6 sixes as he made an astonishing 170 not out from 123 balls. It was also his maiden senior century for the club. Tyler finished on 70 from 62 balls as Upminster won by seven wickets with more than seven overs to spare. The win gave Upminster a significant lead at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Stage two of the season started with a thrilling game at Harlow. Harlow were much changed from the first week of the season and 94 from Amir Farooq helped them to 237-9. Oliver White was the pick of the Upminster attack. Steve Limn was in the runs again as Upminster replied, and with assistance from brother Any and Matt McCarthy Upminster closed in on victory. However, a flurry of wickets left the game in the balance and eight runs were needed from the last over, then three from the last ball. Ellis Pickering and Paul Middlemiss scrambled two from the final ball to tie a game and keep Upminster’s unbeaten record intact. Week 11 saw Upminster’s first defeat of the season, as the first sign of nerves started to creep in. Hugh Anderson-Elliott made 86 for Wanstead and Snaresbrook on their visit to Coopers and although Tom Daniels took two wickets for the home side the Herons made 243-6. Josh Lamont and Pete Thompson both made contributions in the Upminster reply, and Oliver White showed some late resistance, but it was not enough as the league leaders were dismissed for 214.

Normal service was resumed as July came to an end, with Dan Tyler and Ant Limn seeing Upminster to a comfortable five wicket win over Harold Wood, and then August started with a good all round performance at Chelmsford. Nathan Bright claimed 5-30 as Chelmsford were bowled out for 167 before runs from Steve Limn, James Ramsden, captain Lamont and Pete Thompson saw Upminster to a seven wicket triumph. Hainault and Clayhall came to Coopers the following week, and Upminster took a huge step towards the title with another victory. Oliver White and Andrew Berry were in the wickets as struggling Hainault were dismissed for 87. Upminster managed to make the chase harder than it should have been, sliding to 52-4 before Pete Thompson and Rob Mack saw them home without further alarm. With four games to go Upminster still had a healthy lead at the top of the table, but the form of Hornchurch and Woodford Wells meant nothing was yet decided, and they faced a tough looking trip to Brentwood on Week 15. The captain started well for the visitors as he claimed a remarkable 6-60 to put Brentwood in trouble. Paul Degg led the Brentwood recovery and they moved towards a challenging score before Nathan Bright picked up four wickets to mop up the tail and dismiss the home side for 172. Paul Middlemiss and Steve Limn started well as Upminster chased victory but the game was still in the balance as it moved towards it’s conclusion. Sam Twine and Will Frost combined in a crucial 8th wicket partnership and then Andrew Berry joined Twine to see Upminster home by two wickets.

That was the first crucial hurdle negotiated for Lamont’s side in a tricky looking run-in, but they stumbled the following week against local rivals Hornchurch. Nauman Farooq claimed four wickets for the Urchins and despite 30 from Oliver White down the order Upminster were dismissed for 122. Lamont took three wickets to give Upminster hope but Mark Elder made an unbeaten 24 to see Hornchurch to a five wicket win and blow the title race wide open.

Upminster now held a slim lead at the top of the table as they travelled to second bottom Buckhurst Hill on the penultimate weekend of the season. Hill won the toss and decided to bat and it looked like a good decision as their batting line up piled up the runs. Shaid Mohammed and Isuru Gama made 86 and 82 respectively while only Nathan Bright and Andrew Berry from the visitors attack were able to bowl with any control as Hill made 259-3. Paul Middlemiss made 45 in the Upminster reply but they fell to 89-4 and looked in trouble. Tom Daniels and Rob White then put together a crucial partnership for the 5th wicket. Daniels was eventually run out for a brilliant 82 and White was bowled for 46, but Ant Limn and Oliver White held their nerve to see their side to a four wicket win. Just down the road at Monkhams Lane Woodford Wells squeezed past Hornchurch by 11 runs and this meant they moved level with Upminster at the top of the table……….and the two sides would face one another at Coopers on the final Saturday of the season!!!

Wells won the toss and asked Upminster to bat at a tense Coopers Coborn School and the visitors got off to a flying start as Christian Hall and Osman Ashraf reduced Upminster to 15-4 and 59-6. At this stage Ant Limn joined opener Paul Middlemiss and they put together a match changing partnership. The two put on 84 for the seventh wicket until Limn for 28, but they had put Upminster into a competitive position. Middlemiss ended on 88 not out as Upminster fought their way to a total of 177. The Wells innings started in a similar fashion to the Upminster one as Andrew Berry and Will Chuter reduced the visitors to 3-3. The Wells middle order foughtback and going into the last hour Wells needed 90 to win with five wickets in hand. Enter Upminster stalwart Rob White to swing the game back in Upminster’s favour, before Wells veteran Wade Goodlet tilted things back towards the visitors. White removed Goodlet and picked up the 9th wicket, to finish with 5 for 46, to leave Wells requiring 20 from two overs with just one wicket remaining. With a large crowd now watching Will Chuter trapped the last Wells batsman in front to seal the title for Upminster. It was a thrilling end to the season and a fitting way for the side to seal their first ever league title.

Huge credit must go to captain Josh Lamont for leading the side to the title. Josh kept up the famous 3rd XI team spirit that has built up over a number of years, at the same time as bringing in his own ideas and bringing a number of younger players into the side. The combination worked perfectly!!! Great credit must also go to Woodford Wells for the season they had and especially the way in which the title decider was played in such great spirit. We wish Wells batsman Mark Webb good luck for the future after his last appearance for the Club on the final day of the season. It will be difficult for the Upminster side to replicate the 2018 season next year, but with a number of younger players being a year more experienced the team should still be competing at the top end of the division once again.