With just one round of matches remaining in the HECL season there are still promotion and relegation issues to be decided in every division bar Div 6. So here is the current state of play.
Congratulations go to Matching Green Is, who are league champions after their 9 wicket win over Nazeing Common Is. Ilford Catholic Is are runners up for the second year in succession. At the bottom the picture is far less certain. Hockerill Is have made it to safety by defeating Hatfield Heath by 90 runs. This leaves South Loughton Is on 181, Molehill Green on 178 and Theydon Bois also on 178. Theydon are away to Hatfield Heath this week, Molehill Green are home to Stansted Is and South Loughton will be hoping that Matching are still celebrating the title when they entertain the league champions. A win for Loughton will keep them up, Molehill and Theydon will be hoping the form book wins out.
The promotion berths in Division 2 are decided. Asps (357) and Three Caps Is (348) have completed their rise up the divisions to book a seat at the top table next year. Asps will clinch the title if they beat Takeley Is on Saturday or Three Caps fail to pick up 10 points or more at home to Farnham. If both lose a solitary bonus point for Asps will win them the title. At the bottom the picture is muddied by a missing result from the Farnham/Cloghams match. Cloghams are currently bottom on 129, with Willingale in 9th on 152 after they lost to Epping Foresters. They did however gain a little ground on Roding Valley Is who lost by 10 wickets away to Bengeo. Willingale will be hoping they do not suffer a similar fate when they play Bengeo on Saturday. Roding Valley play Stortford IIIs at home. Cloghams are at home to Epping Foresters Is
Defeat for Dunmow IIs at Braughing saw them join Potter Street in Division 4 next season and ensured the safety of Abridge. The champagne was put back on ice in Ilford as the Catholics IIs slipped to only their second defeat of the season at home to second placed Stansted Hall and Elsenham Is. 7 points from their final game away to Thorley Is will give them the title. As would anything less than a win for the Hall at home to Braughing. A win for Braughing will take them up, it could also give the title in the unlikely event that Ilford only pick up a point next weekend.
In Division 4 High Beach put up a valiant fight against top side Roding Valley IIs. However the 3 wicket reverse sadly confirmed their relegation as their second half of season slide continued. Valley’s win leaves them on 369, just seven ahead of Thaxted on 362, which sets up a winner takes all match between the top two at Thaxted next week. Nazeing Common IIs on 353 in third play Theydon Bois IIs at Theydon. A win for Nazeing will see them promoted if either Valley win or tie, Thaxted win and Valley fail to pick up 10 bonus points. Nazeing could still lose and pip Thaxted if they pick up 10 bonus points and Thaxted get nowt, unlikely. (Thanks to Mike Plume for his help with the permutations!).
In Division 5 Little Hallingbury marched on, but the interest lies in the other promotion spot. Hockerill IIs are currently second with 343 giving them an 18 point cushion over Matching Green IIs. Hockerill face a tricky home fixture against South Loughton IIs whilst Matching host relegated Albury. Anthony Challis’ men need 8 points for promotion given that they have picked up more points in head to head matches with Matching this season.
I would just like to wish everyone the best of luck in the last round of fixtures and thank the League Committee, especially Bob Mills of Thorley CC for all his hard work organising the fixture list and compiling the tables. The attitude of all the sides we have played in Division 5 has been exemplary and made for a thoroughly enjoyable season on and off the field.