CricketTATTINGSTONE have thrown down the gauntlet to teams in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship – catch us if you can!The last unbeaten team wiped aside the challenge of Braintree on Saturday to stay clear of Copdock & Old Ipswichians, who beat Halstead, and Sudbury, who down defending champions Exning.

TATTINGSTONE have thrown down the gauntlet to teams in Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship – catch us if you can!

The last unbeaten team wiped aside the challenge of Braintree on Saturday to stay clear of Copdock & Old Ipswichians, who beat Halstead, and Sudbury, who down defending champions Exning.

Tattingstone captain Chris Bell was delighted by his team's latest performance. The four-pronged bowling attack of himself, his brother Steve, Gavin Driver and Stuart Hammond took wickets regularly to work through the Braintree innings for 158 and then, on another very good wicket at Tattingstone, Ian Connell (71 not out) and Hammond (86 not out) knocked off the runs in 23 overs.

"It was the first time we have had our full-strength team out," said Chris Bell. To add to the skipper's good humour they have just been joined by overseas player Darshan Silvalkar, an off-spinner and left-handed batsman who plays for Mumbai in India.

"He arrived on Friday night and we had hoped to see him play against Colchester & East Essex in the Sunday Challenge – but they didn't turn up."

Three of the four Sunday Challenge Division One games were conceded at the weekend – surely not due to England playing football at 10.30?

Sudbury also pulled off an impressive win.

They followed up their victory over Copdock, who were last year's runners-up, by winning at Exning Park against the champions.

It was an emphatic win as Exning suffered from the absence of the Catley brothers.

Put in on a damp wicket the home side never really got going. Opening bowler Paul Rutherford, aged 17, made a sound start along with Grant Rowley and Guy Robins brought matters to a swift conclusion with five for 14.

Then Rowley produced the patience and class needed to bat on a low, slow wicket and guided Sudbury to victory with 96 not out.

Copdock kept their momentum going by rattling up 238 for nine on the way to a 83-run win over Halstead, with Mistley had one of the individual performances of the year in their win over Bury 2nds.

Australian John Douvlos led a recovery from 33 for three with eight sixes in a superb 141 out of a total of 254 for eight. He then whipped out the first four Bury batsmen with just seven runs on the board, and after Mike Skelton's 64 had hoisted the total to respectability, Douvlos returned to finish things off with figures of eight for 41 in 9.5 overs.

Two teams without a win met at Rushmere, but after a fine match the victory went with the visitors from Wivenhoe. The reliable trio of John Manning, Brendan Meagher and Charlie Sadler combined to dismiss the visitors for 127, and Browns looked to be strolling to victory at 70 for two. Then Matt Perry was dismissed lbw and Simon Greyvenstein, who played for Frinton last season, snapped up seven wickets and secured victory by just 17 runs.

Browns captain Martyn Kidd said: "Every week there's a chance. We were on top for 90% of the game, but didn't finish it off. We don't fear anybody, but it's just not happening for us at the moment."

In Division Two Ipswich & East Suffolk wonthe top-of-the-table clash with Coggeshall. They held their visitors to 141 for nine, and secured a seven-wicket win in style to keep up their unbeaten record, while giving Coggeshall a first taste of defeat.

Worlington, who will badly miss the free-scoring Andy Ford while he recovers from a snapped Achilles tendon, were bowled out for 131 at Frinton and lost by four wickets.

Another west Suffolk side, Lakenheath, successfully chased Elmstead Grasshoppers' total of 201 thanks to R Horrex (88), Andy Leech (52) and Paul Pallant (56 not out).

Mildenhall II are left adrift at the foot of the table still seeking their first win after losing by two wickets in a close finish at Witham.

The top two met in Division Three and Harwich saw off Woolpit by just 22 runs. It was M Alexander who came up with the match-winning innings, his 66 helping to lift the home side to 143 as Adrian Starling took six for 45.

Tim Parker replied with 44 before being run out, but apart from Adie Bullett (26) and Barry Aldous (14 not out) no other batsman reached double figures as the visitors slumped from 90 for two to 121 all out, C Semple taking six for 57.

Haverhill and St Margarets both lost to slip down the table. Haverhill's total of 182 for nine looked useful, but J Wrigley (70 not out) paced the Halstead II reply and R Last cracked 90 to set up a five-wicket win.

Dunmow beat St Margarets by three wickets to move above their Ipswich opponents.

Boxted also moved up as they dismissed Brightlingsea for 114 to win by 26 runs. R Llewellyn, with four for 27, did most of the damage.