HORNCHURCH (201-7 from 45 overs) VS GIDEA PARK & ROMFORD (205-7 from 43.5 overs)
Gidea Park won by 3 wickets

The tie of the round saw, as expected, a tight affair, but as the previous two years, the premier side were the victors and this time by 3 wickets at Harrow Lodge Park.

After winning the toss, Gidea reduced the home side into trouble at 96-5, including the scalp of former Essex wicketkeeper Robert Rollins, who joint-top scored with 38. They managed to recover well to post 201-7 from their 45 overs, thanks to an unbeaten 38 from Luke Sweeney, 31 from Chris Sains (both against their former clubs) and 27 not out from Kiwi Chris Drum.

At 72-3 the target seemed a very defendable one, but Andy Churchill, who earlier took 3-35 from 9 overs, saw the job through with an unbeaten 76 to win the tie for his side by 3 wickets, despite 3-32 from 9 overs for spinner Mark Whitlock.

FIVES & HERONIANS (48 All Out) VS CHINGFORD (49-0)
Chingford won by 10 wickets

And Gidea, winners of the competition 2 years ago, will now meet Chingford in the 2nd round, thanks to the E4 based club pulling off the shock of the round, by thrashing premier side Fives by 10 wickets at The Paddock.

The home side were bundled out for only 48 and the division 1 side knocked them off without any fuss, to win by 10 wickets and onto a 2nd round tie at Gallows tomorrow.

COLCHESTER & EAST ESSEX (243-4 from 45 overs) VS WOODFORD WELLS (154-7 from 45 overs)
Colchester & East Essex won by 89 runs

The holders of Colchester comfortably won through to the next round by beating Woodford Wells by 89 runs.

After making a challenging total of 243-4 from their 45 overs, Wells were nowhere near the target, making just 154-7 from 45 and losing by 89 runs. The holders have another home tie, this time division 2 outfit Old Southendians travelling to Castle Park. The Southend side got through to this match vertue of their match at West Essex being conceded by the home side, because they didn't have their pitch prepared.

ILFORD (166-8 from 45 overs) VS UPMINSTER (176-7 from 45 overs)
Upminster won by 10 runs

The other shock was caused by Upminster, where the division 2 side went to premier new boys Ilford and won by 10 runs at Valentines Park.

A total of 176-7 from 45 overs seemed below par on the former county wicket, but 4-34 from Rob Mack won a close encounter for the Havering team, who now travel to National Cup holders Saffron Walden, who themselves beat South Woodford by 31 runs.

There was nearly another shock at Oakfield, where Old Parkonians entertained premier side Hadleigh & Thundersley. Hadleigh stumbled from 103-0 to 172-9 from their 45, thanks to 5-25 in 9 overs from new boy Arshad Ali. In reply, Ali himself smashed 55 from only 32 balls, but despite him and Manoj Kumar with an unbeaten 57, figures of 9-4-6-4 from Desai gave the Southend team a win by just 7 runs.

The biggest result came at Central Park, where Ardleigh Green trashed Ongar by 218 runs, thanks to 70 from the run machine Roy Smith and 6-26 for new 19 year old Cornelius. In the Horndon-Shenfield match, the former premier side scrapped through by 2 wickets, in no small way thanks to a whopping 63 extras from the Thurrock team and 43 of them in wides! Shenfield entertain Loughton next (Loughton beating Stanford by 5 wickets), while Ardleigh Green go to Harlow, which is one of the ties of the 2nd round, Harlow having beaten Billericay by 10 runs.

So, all that has left us with eight 2nd round matches, all playing tomorrow, with Walthamstow earning a bye into round 3, where in the only tie of that round (due to odd number of teams) will play at home to the winners of Colchester/Old Southendians. The other winners from round 2 go direct into the quarters.

The tie of the round would for me be at The Old County Ground, where Brentwood entertain premier side Hainault & Clayhall. The division 2 outfit have underachieve in recent years, but look focused this term and the Oakfield side will have a game on.

The other attractive tie would be at Marigolds, where Harlow play Ardleigh Green, in a division 1 vs division 2 clash. Both had excellent wins the previous rounds and with a small ground, there could be plenty of runs in this and an exciting game is in prospect.

Scimitars will bring you news here of results and the Quarter-Final draw once it's known, but if you're playing in any of these games this weekend, or playing in friendlies, enjoy your cricket! If you fancy going to any of the above matches, they all start at 1:30pm tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 3rd May).

What are your views?! Put your views on the message board or e-mail me, links below:

Date: 2/5/03

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