Upminster captain Alan Ison was delighted to see his side complete a thrilling run chase to beat Buckhurst Hill in Hamro Foundation Essex League Division One.
The visitors slipped to 12-2 after choosing to bat, as Ellis Pickering bagged an early brace, but recovered to post 276-9 from their 50 overs, with Ryan Karunakaran hitting 113.
And Ison admitted the dismissal of the dangerous Sandun Dias, for 49, was vital in keeping the target down.
He said: "Ellis bowled really well, it was fantastic to see, and Nehal [Butt] also kept it tight at the start. We've not been doing that this year so it was good to see that.
"Ryan played really well for his hundred, so fair play to him. But getting Dias, after his double hundred the week before, was a massive wicket for us.
"They were set up to get a big score, but Billy [Wright] nipped it back through the gate to bowl him.
"JJ [Smuts] also bowled well without getting a wicket, but 0-27 from 10 overs on that pitch was remarkable really."
Ison finished with 3-47, as Butt nabbed 2-50 and John Curtis also had success, but Upminster lost South African Smuts and Tom Daniels cheaply in reply to fall to 35-2.
Pulkit Gupta held firm at the top of the order, though, and had good support from Ison (56) and Butt (42) as he finished unbeaten on 124 as debutant Oliver White hit a boundary to complete a five-wicket win with 14 balls to spare.
"The pitch got better. It was a bit wet on top and did a bit early on, but it got flatter as the sun baked it," added Ison.
"We lost JJ and Tom early and Nehal got cramp in his hamstring, but me and Pulkit put on a big partnership.
"It's lovely to see him batting so well, he's a brilliant lad and really thriving at opening the innings and getting runs. I really enjoyed batting with him."
Gupta hit a six and 11 fours in his 144-ball innings, having also reached three figures against Gidea Park & Romford on the opening day of the campaign.
And having bounced back from successive losses aganist Loughton and Harold Wood, Ison says the mood in the camp is good going into their fixture with Billericay, who lie three points behind them in fourth place, on Saturday.
"It's It's all positive. We're looking forward to Billericay on Saturday," he added.
"They've got their South African (Grant Roelofsen) but they've got other good players as well and came down from the Premier, but we will be full strength."
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