Both games took place at Ingatestone, and the Hunters got the evening started as they took on Writtle. Writtle won the toss and asked Upminster to bat first and Adam Quested and Louis Pickering got the Hunters off to an excellent start. Pickering fell for 21 but Quested went on to reach the retirement mark as the run rate ticked along at around 8 an over. Scott Fisher added 21 and captain Nicky Ison made 22 not out at the end of the innings, including consecutive boundaries in the final over, as the Hunters finished on 116-3.

Upminster will have felt confident of defending such a total and that confidence was boosted in the first over as Louis Pickering had Matt Darvill trapped in front for a duck. The game’s champagne moment came in the next over as Ellis Pickering took a stunning caught and bowled to send back Andrew Boasman as Writtle struggled to get their reply going. John Curtis then struck twice and Nicky Ison removed Paul Fenton to make things 22-5, and although the ironically named Alastair Hunter made a determined 14, his side were all out for 44 to give Upminster a 72 run victory. (Scorecard)

The Tandoori Boys win came in more bizarre circumstances as Division B leaders Great Waltham arrived with only four players, and had to concede the game. The two sides did still play a friendly game, with Ellis Pickering and John Curtis guesting for Waltham, and despite the best efforts of Bill Wright’s side, Waltham won the game. The victory by concession does though move Upminster into second place in the latest table.

There is no game this weekend for the Tandoori Boys, but the Hunters are in action at 4.30pm at Shenfield School as they take on Broomhill Wanderers.