Wanstead & Snaresbrook extended their lead to 16 points at the summit of the Essex Premier Division thanks to a dramatic 12-run victory against Chelmsford.

A second consecutive success suggests that Wanstead’s title challenge is very much back on track after a win that owed much to the performance of Kishen Velani, who smashed a magnificent century.

Velani’s outstanding 110 included 18 boundaries but there was a noticeable lack of support at the other end.

Ben Waring’s 3-34 put the squeeze on Wanstead, who struggled to resurrect their innings once Velani fell with the score on 181, eventually subsiding to 228 all out.

In reply, Velani (1-58) got the early breakthrough of Robert Hayto for 12, before Dan Hagen (33) and Nick Prowting’s 70 rebuilt the Chelmsford response.

It was Jahansher Akbar, however, who starred with the ball, taking 4-39 as he ripped through the visitors’ middle order.

And the stage was then set for Velani to seal the win, superbly running out Tom Halsey for a duck.

Chingford missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Wanstead, slipping to fourth in the process, following a shock 172-run home defeat at the hands of Hadleigh & Thundersley.

It was the second big scalp in as many weeks for Hadleigh, thrashing Chingford a week after they stunted Brentwood’s own title aspirations.

Visiting openers Paul Tibbenham (40) and Brandon Jacobs (80) put on 136 for the first wicket.

Alfie Taylor took two wickets, but a further impressive partnership featuring a half-century from Sam Handley (63) and Adam Soilleux’s 31 left Chingford with a chase in excess of 280.

In reply they found themselves five down with just 16 runs on the board.

Soilleux (3-6) and Richard Revell (3-11) were the pick of the bowlers, with more than half of Chingford’s eventual 114 runs coming from the bat of Andrew MacGregor, who valiantly fought to make an unbeaten 77.

Ilford were also on the receiving end as they crashed to a five-wicket defeat at home to Billericay.

The hosts won the toss and batted first but found the going tough as Andy Smith (3-44) reduced them to 26-3.

However, that commenced a great knock of 128 from Syed Zaidi, a century that included 16 boundaries and four maximums.

Unfortunately for the east Londoners, Zaidi was playing a lone role as no other Ilford player reached double figures. They would finish on just 196 all out.

Billericay’s reply looked comfortable for the most part as Aaron Curtis (51) and Saurav Prabhakar (26) put on 79 for the first wicket.

Darren Ironside (46) would narrowly miss out on his half-century, before an unbeaten 42 from Lee Knight saw the Essex side home.

In Division One, Buckhurst Hill made it four wins on the spin with an 81-run success away at Orsett & Thurrock, a result that ensures they keep tabs with runaway leaders Hutton.

Batting first the Hill innings was constructed around Hendro Puchert (71), Ryan Karunakaran’s 33 and 55 from captain Prashant Chand-Bajpai.

A blistering 31 from Russell Beckett, and late runs in the form of a rapid half-century from wicket-keeper Jamie Allen (52 not out), helped take the visitors to 308-6.

Buckhurst shared the wickets between them with Usman Sahar and Irfan Sahar (both 2-31) leading the charge.

Thurrock’s Mark Pavitt was dismissed quickly after reaching his half-century for 52, and Nawaz Ahmad Jan fell two short of his 50.

Regular breakthroughs ensured Hill remained in control as the hosts collapsed from 193-5 to 227 all out.

Woodford Wells’ woes continued as they were undone by a rampant Connor Day-inspired Belhus, falling to a comprehensive eight-wicket defeat that leaves them rooted to the foot of the table.

Even late resistance from Farzand Shah (41) and an excellent 36 from number 10 George Ellis proved futile as they were skittled out for 135, with Day taking 6-26.

Belhus eased home with the minimum of fuss losing only Matt Doran (35) and Joe Joyce (48) en route to their victory target – a result that keeps them just two points off second place in fourth.

Loughton returned to winning ways in Division Two with a relatively comfortable five-wicket victory against Harlow Town.

Clinical bowling meant that just three Harlow players made it into double figures, with only Jibran Azam’s 31-ball 56 troubling the scorers.

Abdul Nazir (3-35) and 2-9 from Osman Choudhry combined to leave a target of 138.

Umar Choudhry (46) then starred with the bat to help guide Loughton to a victory that strengthens their grip on second.

Fives and Heronians made it four wins in five with a comprehensive six-wicket victory away at Wickford.

The hosts got off to a steady start bringing up their 100 for the loss of just one wicket thanks to an excellent partnership of 83 between Jack Cubitt (31) and Chris Westwood.

The latter would pass 50, making a quick-fire 61 off just 42 balls, before being beaten all ends up by Michael Batt.

Then, the dismissal of Liam Rouse for 40, one of Sarfaraz Ahmed’s two wickets, tipped the innings back into the balance, only for Dean Etchells to smash an unbeaten 77 that took Wickford to 294-7.

In reply, it was the Shawn Tuitt show as the opener pummelled an unbeaten 173 to spearhead Fives’ victory charge.

It was an innings that included 28 boundaries, receiving useful support from captain Jake Poulter (45), as Fives continued their recent good form.

South Woodford were unable to get the better of league leaders Oakfield Parkonians despite home advantage.

Oakfield recovered from 72-4 thanks in large part to an unbeaten century from Ravi Bhadmidipati (114) and 67 from Aman Ali that helped take them to a respectable 272-7.

Their hopes in reply rested with opener Harry Blackwell (73) and 71 from Harry Neicho, but three wickets each for Selvam Ramasamy (3-33) and Abdul Razzaq (3-37) proved decisive with Woodford collapsing to 245 all out.

Walthamstow responded from defeat last time out to dispense with Basildon & Pitsea by seven wickets in Division Three.

Dipesh Patel (3-25) and Nizikat Ali (3-47) were the pick of the Walthamstow bowling attack, with only Phillip Tooke (22) threatening the scorers, as Basildon collapsed to 137 all out.

In response, Walthamstow made light work of their opponents. Christian Moffat (44), Asif Bala’s unbeaten 30, and 23 from opener Richard Baughen helped them reach their victory target inside 25 overs.

Woodford Green had contrasting fortunes, however, crumbling to a 163-run thrashing at the hands of Benfleet.

The Fleet innings was constructed chiefly around contributions of 76 from Sam Rowe and 75 by Ben Munday.

Two wickets from Anthony Palmer (2-29) and 2-55 from Jack Cossey prevented further damage as Benfleet reached 254-7 from their 50 overs.

In truth though, it was a score Woodford Green never looked capable of chasing down. Munday (4-28) and a five-fer from Paul Frensham (5-36) left them staring down the barrel of a 200-plus run defeat.

Some respectability was restored by tail-enders Christian Copping (20 not out) and 41 from number 11 Paul Richardson, but Green were leapfrogged into second by Benfleet after being bowled out for just 91.

Epping remain second bottom after slipping to a six-wicket defeat at home to Westcliff-On-Sea.

Sachin Nawa (44) top-scored for Epping although regular wickets disrupted their rhythm. Anish Lukrose (3-36) and Peter Barnes (3-37) were the pick of the bowlers for Westcliff, dismissing the hosts for just 188.

Defending a small total was likely to prove a challenge too far, yet Epping started strongly to remove four Westcliff batsmen cheaply.

However, an unbeaten 109 from Lewis Groves saw them home with six wickets and nine overs to spare.

West Essex remain cut adrift at the bottom of Division Three after falling to a crushing 227-run defeat at Ardleigh Green.

The hosts racked up a mammoth 436-7 from their 50 overs thanks to 150 from Choudhry Mahboob, 101 from Chris Cook and 79 from Alex Cason.

Murad Ali (45) and Waqar Butt (37), the Essex openers, got things off to a solid start in response but they never threatened the victory target to finish on 209-9.