WITH the first team matching their highest ever Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship finish and the seconds winning division five, Jake Wakelin has quite rightly branded this season as "superb" for Witham Cricket Club.

The first-team skipper led his side, who had already secured second place in division one, to a 55-run victory against Ipswich as they closed their campaign with an 11th straight victory, while Witham twos signed off as division five champions despite an eight-wicket defeat by Ipswich seconds on the last day.

Wakelin said promotion for the seconds was important to help player development within the club and felt they could head into the winter feeling very satisfied with a job well done.

"Without a doubt it has been a great season," said the Witham captain.

"To finish second in one of the strongest leagues in this part of the country is a fantastic achievement.

"We finished comfortably second as well and to beat everyone in the division in the second half of the season in a run of 11 straight wins is special.

"We won ten of those 11 convincingly and it was only the game against Mistley - that started the run - that was close.

"We have to look back on that run with pride.

"The confidence is very high and it's been a great year for the club.

"Aside from what we've done in the firsts, the seconds have also won their league and the thirds were comfortably in mid-table (in division nine south) so I think you have to say it's been a superb year as a club.

"It's important that the seconds have got promoted into division four as it closes the gap to where the firsts are and that will only help players progress.

"We'll all enjoy a break now and look forward to press on again next year."

The firsts closed out their excellent campaign with a 55-run win against Ipswich.

James Smith top scored with 59 as Witham made 234 for nine from their 50 overs and they restricted their hosts to 179 for seven in their reply, with Greg Stephens taking three for 27 and Carl Bragg and Wakelin claiming two wickets apiece.

Wakelin added: "To be honest, we won by 55 runs and it was quite comfortable.

"We took it very seriously, but we had a bit of fun where we changed the order around a bit with Greg Stephens opening and myself and Jim Suett dropping down the order, but the way that we won just shows how we haven't relied on one person to get us to where we are.

"Ipswich never really looked like winning so we were always pretty comfortable and an 11th win in a row and equalling the best ever finish in the league for the club is rather special.

"To have gone through the entire second half of the season without being beaten is something that I haven't heard being done before.

"It was disappointing that we weren't able to get a couple of games over the line earlier in the season, but on the other hand, I'm delighted with how we finished up because we were down in sixth or seventh at the halfway point in the season and still finished quite comfortably in second."