MILDENHALL skipper Steve Lankester believes Saturday’s victory over Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship Division One leaders Woolpit has kept their season alive.

Second-placed Mildenhall cut Woolpit’s 35-point lead at the top to 15 points, after the leaders were bowled out for just 99 at Wamil Way and lost by nine wickets.

James Holmes (12.2-5-23-5) and AJ Warriach (10-4-35-3) ripped through Woolpit’s top order while wicket-keeper Karl Holmes held four catches.

Ben Shepperson (42) and Fran Bester (41 not out) then ensured Mildenhall of victory, which came in just 18.2 overs, with an opening stand of 74.

Lankester said: “It gives us a fighting chance. We were 35 points behind Woolpit at the start of the day, and if we had lost we would have been playing for second place.

“But we have narrowed the gap to 15 points and will be hoping that we can keep winning while Woolpit slip up elsewhere.

“There are not only a lot of good teams in this league but also good individuals. You may think you are on top, but they can win the game on their own.”

Lankester said that although Tymal Mills and Tom Westley often attracted the headlines, the Essex duo had only played twice each this season.

“The likes of Ben Shepperson, Fran Bester, Andy Squire, James Holmes and AJ Warraich have all been key to our success this season.”

Lankester, who used to play for the now defunct Bury Rail, said of Saturday’s match: “There was some debate about whether we should bat, but there were a couple of green patches and it has been swinging a lot at Mildenhall this season.

“I thought if both James and AJ bowled well and swung it we could put them under pressure.

“James produced his best spell of the season as he found an extra bit of pace and bowled big inswingers. AJ supported him well at the other end and they produced a good combination of inswing and outswing.”

“We then batted very positively and knocked the runs off in quick time.”

Lankester confirmed that should Mildenhall win the title the club would aim to win promotion to the Gibbs Denley East Anglian Premier League via the end-of-season play-offs.

“Last year we were neck and neck with Copdock & Old Ipswichian for a long time, and this season is almost a replica of that, although we have had far more games called off than Woolpit,” he said.

Indeed, Mildenhall have so far had six matches cancelled compared with the three Woolpit have lost to the weather, and they will be keeping their fingers crossed that does not prove to be crucial come the end of the campaign.

Elsewhere in Division One Michael Griggs made 122 as Mistley thrashed Maldon by 102 runs.

Bottom-of-the-table Exning were skittled for 94 and lost by six wickets at Frinton, while Javon Searles (97) and Jimm Rees (90) put on 149 for Coggeshall’s second wicket in their 96-run win at home to Lakenheath.

Dunmow suffered the ignominy of being bowled out for just 22 – the lowest ever recorded total in Division Two – at Hadleigh. Eight Dunmow batsmen were dismissed for a duck – opener Oli Rooney top-scoring with seven before he was out to leave the visitors eleven for eight.

Kyle Tanner (10-4-8-5) and James Gilderson (10-7-11-4) inflicted the damage, after Hadleigh had posted 212 for eight, to complete a 166-run success.

There was more good news for Hadleigh when they learned leaders Witham had been beaten by five wickets at home to Easton. Ben Foreman hit 124 not out for Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians as they beat Brightlingsea by nine wickets.

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship

DIVISION ONE

Coggeshall 274 for 4 (J Searles 97, J Rees 90, S Blackwell 27no, O Blackwell 26). *Lakenheath 178 (S Leech 69, R Horrex 26, W Blackwell 5 for 47). Coggeshall (20pts) bt Lakenheath (6pts) by 96 runs.

Exning 94 (T Catley 36, T Moulton 4 for 10, I Morton 3 for 24). *Frinton 97 for 4 (R Reifer 32, M Foakes 29). Frinton (20pts) bt Exning (2pts) by 6 wkts.

*Haverhill 264 for 7 (A Phillips 67, L Youngs 62, B Moran 45, D Harris 3 for 37). Elmstead Grasshoppers 179 for 7 (D Sargeant 40, F Eadie 37, A Garnham 23no, D White 20, D Poole 4 for 40). Haverhill (18pts) bt Elmstead Grasshoppers (7pts) by 85 runs.

*Mistley 296 for 6 (M Griggs 122, K Young 68no, D Goff 33, B Allday 30). Maldon 104 (J Glenn 37, C Harris 36, D Smith 3 for 46). Mistley (20pts) bt Maldon (4pts) by 192 runs.

*Wivenhoe 195 for 8 (M Durrell 68, B Godleman 36, W Morgan 32, C Rule 22, J Elford 5 for 57). Ipswich 196 for 6 (L Bose 60, S Gibson 27no, J Rowett 26, R Savill 3 for 54). Ipswich (19pts) bt Wivenhoe (7pts) by 4 wkts.

Woolpit 99 (A Starling 21no, J Holmes 5 for 23, A Warraich 3 for 25). *Mildenhall 100 for 1 (B Shepperson 42, F Bester 41no). Mildenhall (20pts) bt Woolpit (0pts) by 9 wkts.

DIVISION TWO

*Abberton 185 for 9 (D Schofield 42, M Johnson 37, T Zaman 27, S Johnson 22, S Swinn 22no, P Akolade 6 for 36). Mildenhall II 133 (L Turner 23, T Zaman 6 for 35). Abberton (20pts) bt Mildenhall II (6pts) by 52 runs.

*Braintree 190 for 9 (W Jackson 72no, C Leech 27, B Golds 27, R Jones 23, D Sykes 4 for 27). Brockley 191 for 6 (D Fisher 59, R Jones 34, E Beeton 30no, P Kearney 29, E Smith 23, J Foyster 3 for 46). Brockley (19pts) bt Braintree (7pts) by 4 wkts.

Brightlingsea 212 for 8 (J Barry 68, R Minshill 38, J Gould 28, L Gould 21, A Oswald 3 for 69). *Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians 216 for 1 (B Foreman 124no, B Hamnett 47no, A Green 25). Woodbridge & OW (19pts) bt Brightlingsea (5pts) by 9 wkts.

*Hadleigh 188 for 8 (K Henry 71, T Piddington 37, K Ellis 20). Dunmow 22 K Tanner 5 for 8, J Gilderson 4 for 11). Hadleigh (20pts) bt Dunmow (4pts) by 166 runs.

Worlington 203 for 9. *Ipswich & East Suffolk 137. Worlington (20pts) bt Ipswich & ES (6pts) by 66 runs.

*Witham 170. Easton 171 for 5. Easton (20pts) bt Witham (5pts) by 5 wkts.

DIVISION THREE

*Coggeshall II 183 for 5. Copford 144. Coggeshall II (20pts) bt Copford (4pts) by 39 runs.

*Felixstowe 168. Yoxford 169 for 6. Yoxford (20pts) bt Felixstowe (6pts)

by 4 wkts.

Kelvedon & Feering 292 for 6. Halstead II 287 for 9. Kelvedon & Feering (19pts) bt Halstead (8pts) by 5 runs.

*Little Bardfield Village 157. East Bergholt 148. Little Bardfield Village (20pts) bt East Bergholt (7pts) by 9 runs.

*Stowmarket 213. Long Melford 214 for 9. Long Melford (20pts) bt Stowmarket (9pts) by 1 wkt.

Sudbury II 204 for 9. *Bury St. Edmunds II 82. Sudbury II (20pts) bt Bury St Edmunds II (4pts) by 122 runs.

DIVISION FOUR

*Clacton II 258 for 8. Ipswich & East Suffolk II 137. Clacton II (20pts) bt Ipswich & ES II (6pts) by 121 runs.

Earl Stonham 93. *Copdock & Old Ipswichians II 96 for 2. Copdock & OI II (20pts) bt Earl Stonham (1pt) by 8 wkts.

Hadleigh II 118. *Ipswich II 121 for 2. Ipswich II (20pts) bt Hadleigh II (2pts) by 8 wkts.

Mistley II 225. *Woolpit II 227 for 7. Woolpit II (20pts) bt Mistley II (8pts) by 3 wkts.

*Needham Market 245 for 6. Witham II 164. Needham Market (20pts) bt Witham II (6pts) by 81 runs.

DIVISION FIVE

Abberton II 271 for 2. *Mildenhall III 272 for 3. Mildenhall III (16pts) bt Abberton II (6pts) by 7 wkts.

Bury St Edmunds III 180 for 9. Elmstead Grasshopper II 184 for 4. Elmstead Grasshoppers II (19pts) bt Bury St Edmunds III (6pts) by 6 wkts.

Harwich & Dovercourt 112. *Maldon II 115 for 5. Maldon II (20pts) bt Harwich & Dovercourt (3pts) by 5 wkts.

*Kelvedon & Feering II 218 for 6. Tuddenham 179. Kelvedon & Feering II (20pts) bt Tuddenham (7pts) by 39 runs.

*St Margarets 235 for 5. Boxted 128. St Margarets (20pts) bt Boxted (4pts) by 107 runs.

DIVISION SIX

Braintree II 143. *Long Melford II 146 for 6. Long Melford II (20pts) bt Braintree II (5pts) by 4 wkts.

*Brightlingsea II 105. Mildenhall IV 59. Brightlingsea II (20pts) bt Mildenhall IV (5pts) by 46 runs.

*Earls Colne 100. Haverhill II 104 for 1. Haverhill II (20pts) bt Earls Colne (1pt) by 9 wkts.

*Ipswich III 182 for 7. Melton St Audrys 184 for 6. Melton St Audrys (18pts) bt Ipswich III (7pts) by 4 wkts.

Nacton 230 for 3. *Felixstowe Corinthians 125. Nacton (20pts) bt Felixstowe Corinthians (3pts) by 105 runs.

DIVISION SEVEN

*East Bergholt II 151 for 8. Coggeshall III 128. East Bergholt II (20pts) bt Coggeshall III (6pts) by 23 runs.

Felixstowe II 163 for 6. *Kesgrave 165 for 1. Kesgrave (18pts) bt Felixstowe II (3pts) by 9 wkts.

Halstead III 243 for 7. *Copford II 136. Halstead III (20pts) bt Copford II (5pts) by 107 runs.

Stowmarket II 65. *Maldon III 67 for 5. Maldon III (20pts) bt Stowmarket II (2pts) by 5 wkts.

*St Osyth 112. Sudbury III 113 for 1. Sudbury III (20pts) bt St. Osyth (1pt) by 9 wkts.

DIVISION EIGHT EAST

*Easton II 143 for 7. St Margarets II 144 for 2. St Margarets II (18pts) bt Easton II (3pts) by 8 wkts.

Ipswich IV 201 for 3. *Eye & District 202 for 2. Eye & District (16pts) bt Ipswich IV (6pts) by 8 wkts.

*Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians II 264 for 6. DBSL 266 for 4. DBSL (18pts) bt Woodbridge & OW II (7pts) by 6 wkts.

Sudbourne Hall 46. *Worlingworth 50 for 1. Worlingworth (20pts) bt Sudbourne Hall (0pts) by 9 wkts.

DIVISION EIGHT SOUTH

Brantham 227 for 3. *Harwich & Doverocurt II 231 for 3. Harwich & Dovercourt II (16pts) bt Brantham (6pts) by 7 wkts.

*Coggeshall IV 148 for 6. Kelvedon & Feering III 152 for 6. Kelvedon & Feering III (18pts) bt Coggeshall IV (5pts) by 4 wkts.

Eight Ash Green 92. *West Bergholt 93 for 7. West Bergholt (20pts) bt Eight Ash Green (3pts) by 3 wkts.

West Mersea 217 for 9. *Witham III 218 for 6. Witham III (19pts) bt West Mersea (8pts) by 4 wkts.

DIVISION EIGHT WEST

*Haverhill III 101, Nowton 103 for 6. Nowton (20pts) bt Haverhill III (4pts) by 4 wkts.

Lakenheath II 162 for 7. *Battisford 157. Lakenheath II (20pts) bt Battisford (6pts) by 5 wkts.

*Worlington II 223 for 8. Elveden 169 for 8. Worlington II (19pts) bt Elveden (7pts) by 54 runs.

DIVISION C CUP

Clacton 153 for 9 v *Ipswich - match abandoned - Ipswich (1pt), Clacton (1pt),

Felixstowe v Battisford. Felixstowe (20pts) bt Battisford (0pts) by concession.

*Mistley 201 for 8. Coggeshall 204 for 6. Coggeshall (2pts) bt Mistley (0pts) by 4 wkts.

Wivenhoe 220 for 2. *Mistley 2 for 0 - match abandoned - Mistley (1pt), Wivenhoe (1pt).

DIVISION C

Kelvedon & Feering 178. *Coggeshall 181 for 4. Coggeshall (20pts) bt Kelvedon & Feering (6pts) by 6 wkts.

LADIES’ CHALLENGE

Copdock & OI v Easton. Easton (20pts) bt Copdock & OI (0pts) by concession.

Ipswich 140 for 1 v *Mildenhall - match abandoned.

LADIES T20

Felixstowe 85 for 7. *Maldon 88 for 3. Maldon (18pts) bt Felixstowe (4pts) by 7 wkts.

*Denotes home team