WITHAM moved a step closer to a return to Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship after victory in their top-of-the-table clash with Hadleigh.

The Suffolk side had moved into pole position in recent weeks, after Witham had led the Division Two table for the majority of the season.

But it is the Essex side who are now back on top thanks to a 47-run success at The Park on Saturday.

Alex Milnes returned figures of 13-0-52-6 as Witham were dismissed for 182, Jamie Rogers top-scoring with 55, but Hadleigh’s hopes dwindled as they dipped to 108 for seven.

They were eventually dismissed for 135, Greg Taylor and Jake Wakelin taking four wickets apiece, as Witham leapfrogged their opponents.

Witham now lead Hadleigh by just two points with two rounds of matches to come, with Worlington in third place 25 points behind Witham.

Wins for Witham (at Ipswich & East Suffolk) and Hadleigh (at Woodbridge & Old Woodbridgians) on Saturday should confirm their promotion.

However, if Witham slip up and Worlington defeat Mildenhall on the penultimate weekend, a final-day showdown is in store when Witham host Worlington on Saturday, September 15.

Woolpit now lead Division One by ten points from title rivals Mildenhall, after both won at the weekend.

Woolpit had Coggeshall back in the pavilion for 133, Andy Northcote running through the tail with 6.1-1-9-4.

Although Craig Rutterford top-scored with only 27, Woolpit won by four wickets despite Will Blackwell’s best efforts of 16-2-47-5, to ensure a 20-point maximum return.

Mildenhall lost ground, picking up 19 points, as they won by seven wickets at Maldon.

Ian Elliott made 53 for Maldon, who closed on 155 for nine to deny the Suffolk side full bowling points, but Fran Bester (61) and Ben Shepperson (50) put together an opening stand of 88 to calm any nerves.

Woolpit, with that ten-point advantage and matches at home to Maldon and away to Lakenheath remaining, know two wins will secure the title.

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship

DIVISION ONE

*Coggeshall 133 (A Northcote 4 for 9, J Allan 3 for 21). Woolpit 134 for 6 (C Rutterford 27, M Jones 23, D Spears 23no, W Blackwell 5 for 47). Woolpit (20pts) bt Coggeshall (5pts) by 4 wkts.

*Exning 151 (D Hayward 60, L Catlow 6 for 50). Ipswich 152 for 1 (J Alder 73, J Rusby 64no). Ipswich (20pts) bt Exning (3pts) by 9 wkts.

Haverhill 181. *Frinton 182 for 6. Frinton (20pts) bt Haverhill (7pts) by 4 wkts.

*Lakenheath 97. Wivenhoe 100 for 0. Wivenhoe (20pts) bt Lakenheath (0pts) by 10 wkts.

*Maldon 155 for 9 (I Elliott 53, N Bannister 20). Mildenhall 158 for 3 (F Bester 61, B Shepperson 50, A Ghumman 25). Mildenhall (19pts) bt Maldon (4pts) by 7 wkts.

Mistley 163 (B Allday 38, R Pineo 32, A Garnham 4 for 35). *Elmstead Grasshoppers 164 for 6 (D Harris 77no, J Elliott 31, K Kunarajah 31, K Young 5 for 24). Elmstead Grasshoppers (20pts) bt Mistley (6pts) by 4 wkts.

DIVISION TWO

Abberton 129 (M Johnson 36, S Swinn 28, D Sykes 54 for 16, J Brame 3 for 50). *Brockley 130 for 5 (B Jeffrey 44, I Boreham 25, D Cowley 20, M Johnson 3 for 43). Brockley (20pts) bt Abberton (4pts) by 5 wkts.

*Brightlingsea 90. Dunmow 91 for 1. Dunmow (20pts) bt Brightlingsea (0pts) by 9 wkts.

Ipswich & ES 132 (S Worne 55, M Kumar 25, K Mildenhall 21, P Akolade 4 for 32). *Mildenhall II 133 for 6 (L Turner 27, A Youngs 23no, S Grinling 23, G Driver 3 for 28). Mildenhall II (20pts) bt Ipswich & ES (5pts) by 4 wkts.

*Witham 182 (J Rodgers 55, R Green 25, P Bellehewe 21no, K Hawes 20, A Milnes 6 for 52). Hadleigh 135 for 9 (M Simmonds 35, J Davey 25, G Taylor 4 for 41, J Wakelin 4 for 51). Witham (19pts) by Hadleigh (7pts) by 47 runs.

*Woodbridge & OW 238 for 9. Braintree 240 for 3. Braintree (19pts) bt Woodbridge & OW (6pts) by 7 wkts.

Worlington 310 for 2 (G Ford 116no, J Watson 99, C Estlea 49no). *Easton 176 (G Mitchell 55, T Bosher 44, A Sarangan 28. N Twiddy 3 for 25, A Watson 3 for 27). Worlington (20pts) bt Easton (5pts) by 134 runs.

DIVISION THREE

Bury St Edmunds II 98. *Copford 101 for 2. Copford (20pts) by Bury St Edmunds II (1pt) by 8 wkts.

Coggeshall II 159. *Long Melford 163 for 7. Long Melford (20pts) bt Coggeshall II (6pts) by 3 wkts.

East Bergholt 225 for 8. *Yoxford 164. East Bergholt (20pts) bt Yoxford (7pts) by 61 runs.

*Halstead II 134. Little Bardfield Village 135 for 3. Little Bardfield Village (20pts) bt Halstead II (3pts) by 7 wkts.

Stowmarket 131. *Felixstowe 135 for 3. Felixstowe (20pts) bt Stowmarket (3pts) by 7 wkts.

*Kelvedon & Feering 164 for 9. Sudbury II 143. Kelvedon & Feering (20pts) bt Sudbury II (6pts) by 21 runs.

DIVISION FOUR

Clacton II 184 for 8. *Earl Stonham 118. Clacton II (20pts) bt Earl Stonham (5pts) by 66 runs.

Copdock & OI II 156. *Ipswich II 157 for 2. Ipswich II (20pts) bt Copdock & OI II (4pts) by 8 wkts.

*Hadleigh II 156 for 8. Frinton II 157 for 7. Frinton II (19pts) bt Hadleigh II (6pts) by 3 wkts.

*Ipswich & ES II 41. Needham Market 42 for 1. Needham Market (20pts) bt Ipswich & ES II (0pts) by 9 wkts.

Witham II 166. *Mistley II 124. Witham II (20pts) bt Mistley II (6pts) by 42 runs.

DIVISION FIVE

*Abberton II 209 for 8. Harwich & Dovercourt 99. Abberton II (20pts) bt Harwich & Dovercourt (4pts) by 110 runs.

Boxted 176 for 7. *Wivenhoe II 177 for 6. Wivenhoe II (18pts) bt Boxted (7pts) by 4 wkts.

*Bury St Edmunds III 196. Kelvedon & Feering II 197 for 7. Kelvedon & Feering II (20pts) bt Bury St Edmunds III (7pts) by 3 wkts.

*Great Bromley 280 for 5. Elmstead Grasshoppers II 178 for 6. Great Bromley (18pts) bt Elmstead Grasshoppers II (6pts) bt 102 runs.

*Mildenhall III 197. St Margarets 199 for 1. St Margarets (20pts) bt Mildenhall III (4pts) by 9 wkts.

*Tuddenham 183 for 6. Maldon II 134. Tuddenham (20pts) bt Maldon II (5pts) by 49 runs.

DIVISION SIX

Earls Colne v Long Melford II. Long Melford II (20pts) bt Earls Colne (-20pts) by concession.

Felixstowe Corinthians 208 for 7. *Braintree II 210 for 6. Braintree II (18pts) bt Felixstowe Corinthians (8pts) by 4 wkts.

Melton St Audrys 118 for 6. *Haverhill II 119 for 6. Haverhill II (18pts) bt Melton St Audrys (4pts) by 4 wkts.

Mildenhall IV 150 for 9. *Ipswich III 151 for 4. Ipswich III (19pts) bt Mildenhall IV (5pts) by 6 wkts.

DIVISION SEVEN

*Coggeshall III 215 for 6. Felixstowe II 100. Coggeshall III (20pts) bt Felixstowe II (4pts) by 115 runs.

*East Bergholt II 173. St Osyth 105. East Bergholt II (20pts) bt St Osyth (6pts) by 68 runs.

Sudbury III 151 for 8. *Halstead III 155 for 2. Halstead III (19pts) bt Sudbury III (4pts) by 8 wkts.

*Stowmarket II 89. Copford II 91 for 2. Copford II (20pts) bt Stowmarket II (1pt) by 8 wkts.

DIVISION EIGHT EAST

*Eye & District 243 for 4. Sudbourne Hall 136 for 8. Eye & District (19pts) bt Sudbourne Hall (4pts) by 107 runs.

Stradbroke 194 for 4. *St Margarets II 176. Stradbroke (20pts) bt St Margarets II (6pts) by 18 runs.

DIVISION EIGHT SOUTH

Harwich & Dovercourt II v Coggeshall IV. Coggeshall IV (20pts) bt Harwich & Dovercourt II (-20pts) by concession.

*Tendring 191 for 8. Eight Ash Green 194 for 3. Eight Ash Green (19pts) bt Tendring (5pts) by 7 wkts.

*West Bergholt 218 for 5. Kelvedon & Feering III 116. West Bergholt (20pts) bt Kelvedon & Feering III (3pts) by 102 runs.

DIVISION EIGHT WEST

Elveden 136. *Walsham-le-Willows 138 for 0. Walsham-le-Willows (20pts) by Elveden (2pts) by 10 wkts.

Haverhill III v Lakenheath II. Haverhill III (20pts) bt Lakenheath II (0pts) by concession.

*Nowton 314 for 5. Brockley II 52. Nowton (20pts) bt Brockley II (2pts) by 262 runs.

*Worlington II 208. Battisford 112. Worlington II (20pts) bt Battisford (6pts) by 96 runs.

DIVISION C

Brightlingsea v Ipswich - result not received.

Frinton 251-6, *Mistley 209-4 Frinton (17pts) bt Mistley (8pts) by 42 runs.

Wivenhoe 95. *Coggeshall 97 for 0. Coggeshall (20pts) bt Wivenhoe (0pts) by 10 wkts

LADIES’ CHALLENGE

*Ipswich 192 for 4. Copdock & OI 124 for 6. Ipswich (18pts) bt Copdock & OI (6pts) by 68 runs.

LADIES’ T20

Bury St Edmunds v Frinton. Bury St Edmunds (20pts) bt Frinton (0pts) by concession.

*Denotes home team