Title hopefuls closing in on top spot

St Andrews claimed their first win over Canvey seconds in four attempts to maintain their Mid-Essex League Division Nine title hopes.

Put into bat on a wet pitch, they made a steady start until Andrew Girkin was caught in the fifth over.

Colin Yeomans and Alan Street (23) got the scoreboard ticking over, before the latter played onto his own stumps to leave them 55-2 at drinks.

But Yeomans was forced to retire hurt after the restart and Ben Greenwood picked out a fielder on the boundary.

Paul Street and Andrew Salmon began to take more risks, but it was 96-4 after 31 overs and Harry Hearn was run out after hitting a four and a six from successive balls.

Yeomans returned with limited mobility and started to hit out with Paul Street, who was also run out for 25 with a direct hit from long range after striking four boundaries.

And Graham Street helped Saints close on 169-7, with Yeomans (60 not out) hitting seven fours in his 67-ball innings as he recorded a third successive half-century.

With Yeomans and Rob Newman nursing slight injuries, the Saints bowling attack lost Graham Street after only four balls to a groin injury.

But Hearn took a catch at mid-wicket off the bowling of Newman and Alan Street held on to a steepling caught and bowled chance.

Newman and Hearn combined again for the third Canvey scalp, before Yeomans and Andrew Walker turned the screw in a double change.

Dave Newman completed a stumping off Walker, before Hearn pouched his third catch to give Yeomans a wicket and make it 70-5.

Newman and Walker combined again to stump the dangerous Canvey captain for 49, with Yeomans hitting the stumps for his second success soon after.

A third Newman-Walker stumping was then followed by a spectaculr one-handed catch at short cover from Alan Street off the bowling of Yeomans (3-15) as 10-man Canvey were dismissed for 89.

Walker finished with 3-13, while Newman (2-36) nabbed a brace to the delight of Paul Street, who said: “Conditions certainly weren’t batting friendly and the slower you bowled, the more success you had.

“Losing Graham Street so early on was a big blow but we had enough to cover him and the 6-28 return from the two spinners was ultimately what got us across the line.”

Saints host Havering thirds in their final home fixture of the season tomorrow (Saturday).