Proud Halstead Cricket Club chairman Mark Surridge has reflected on a memorable season for the Star Stile club.

The club’s first team managed to secure their position in Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division one, while their second and third teams gained promotion as champions.

“The last day of the season was one of those unforgettably dramatic last days of the season,” said Surridge.

“It’ll live long in the memory and quickly become part of the club’s folklore.

“At the start of the day there was all to play for and our young first team - whose season objective was to secure their place in the first division for next year - had the threat of relegation still hanging over them.

“All came right in the end, but not before some tense and exciting cricket in all three of our matches.”

Surridge had praise for many of his players and not least first-team skipper Josh Wells.

“In his first year as club captain, Josh was the mainstay of our batting, amassing close to a 1,000 runs (978).

“Five others also made telling contributions with the bat - Dylan Verreynne (628), Charlie Douglas-Hughes (495), Mark Johnson (366) and Harry Veal (322).

“Leading wicket-takers were Josh Wells (27), Joe Morris (27), Charlie Douglas-Hughes (21) and Harry Veal (20).

“Newcomers Ollie Grayson and Wajahat Bukhari also impressed over the last month with bat and ball.”

Surridge said the second team’s title success in division four was largely down to fielding a consistent side.

Nine players played in 15 games or more and the batsmen achieved impressive tallies, either putting good totals on the board or chasing down targets.

The top six all made telling contributions - Ian Pont (711 runs), Justin Rose (553), Catherine Dalton (388), Gary Dicker (257), David Baalham (249) and Andy Rose (200).

Five bowlers also made telling contributions - Chris Roper (38 wickets), Mark Harris (40 wickets in all and 29 for the second team), Rob Harris (23), Justin Rose (22) and Ian Pont (21).

“The performances of some of our former colts getting us over the line was particularly impressive,” added the Star Stile chairman.

“Lewis Brennan shone in a last-wicket match-winning partnership for the second team, while Luke Robinson, Liam Jones and George Cook bowled so well for the third XI.

“Freddy Statham deserves credit for his all-round performance with bat and ball, Adam Morris for his amazing fielding and Callum Hansey for taking vital wickets, as he has done all season.”

Surridge himself also enjoyed a special milestone, passing 1,000 runs for Halstead.

He hit four centuries and six 50s for the third team as they gained promotion to division seven.

Surridge hit 921 league runs and was the second-highest run-scorer, with promising young colt Taylor Nicholson and stalwart Simon Rippingale weighing in with 321 and 298 respectively.

In the third team, impressive young leg-spinner Liam Jones captured most league wickets (31), followed by Hansey (27), George Cook (19) and Lewis Brennan (13).