The visitors batted first after winning the toss but were struggling at 64-4 before a partnership of 84 between Amit Gupta (46) and Alec Pyman (64) got the innings back on track.

Just as they were looking to accelerate in the final 10 overs wickets were lost, and in the end Halstead had to settle for a score of 191 all out in the 50th over, which was probably about 30 runs light.

The Coggeshall reply was floundering at 74-5 following some good bowling from the Halstead seam attack, with Simon Steel taking two for 40 and Matt Spatcher two for 27 before the hosts fought back with Rees and Stockton putting on 62 for the sixth wicket.

With the run rate rising due to some tight overs from Charlie Douglas-Hughes, a couple of quick wickets fell, one to an outstanding catch in the deep from Gupta, but Stockton remained firm, taking control and looked to be guiding his side to victory with six required from the final over.

Tom Philp then bowled him with the first ball of the 50th over before the tailenders managed to scramble five runs over the next four balls to level the scores. With the final ball Sykes edged behind to leave the match tied.

Halstead

M Spatcher lbw b Sykes27

C Barton c Rees b B Blackwell7

A Gupta st Rees b Jagger46

P Cooper c Rees b Sykes0

C Douglas-Hughes c Rees

b Sykes8

A Pyman c G Blackwell b Jagger64

S Steel b W Blackwell2

G Cook (jnr) lbw b B Blackwll2

J Owen st Rees b Jagger15

D Elsbury c S Blackwell b Jagger5

T Philp not out1

extras14

Total (all out)191

Bowling: R Jagger 10-0-40-4; W Blackwell 15-3-35-2; S Sykes 10-2-21-3; B Blackwell 6-0-32-1.

Coggeshall

R Cross c Pyman b Philp20

R Jagger lbw b Spatcher8

A Goding c Cooper b Spatcher16

O Blackwell c Pyman b Steel5

W Blackwell lbw b Steel7

J Rees c Douglas-Hughes b Phil30

A Stockton b Philp58

S Blackwell c Gupta

b Douglas-Hughes5

S Sykes c Pyman b Philp21

B Blackwell not out1

extras20

Total (for 9 wkts)191

Bowling: M Spatcher 10-2-27-2; C Douglas-Hughes 9-2-35-1; S Steel 12-2-40-2; T Philp 13-3-49-4.

Mark Surridge's second eleven lost their division 4 match against mid-table St Margaret's by 54 runs. St Margaret's batted first, opener Fitch anchoring the innings with 50 runs before Bobby Don trapped him lbw.

Other notable contributions came from Wilmington (32) and Mutton (43). St Margaret's eventually reached 178-7 with Don the most successful bowler, taking three for 24.

In the run chase seven Halstead batsmen reached double figures but were unable to kick on for bigger scores.

In the end eight catches, a run out and an LBW accounted for the rather meagre total of 125 runs, leaving them 53 short.