Witham Cricket Club were delighted that their “massive gamble” paid off as they returned to winning ways in Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division one.

Having lost their previous two games and seen the leading pair open a gap at the top, third-placed Witham knew a win against struggling Hadleigh could prove crucial to their title hopes.

So having rain and bad light hit their chances of a positive result was not what they wanted and captain Jake Wakelin decided to gamble by calling an early finish to Witham’s innings.

Rather than batting out their full 50 overs, Wakelin called his men in with just 45 gone and their score on 223 for six and it was a move that paid off as it just about gave Witham the time they needed to get the game concluded with a victory that brought them an 18-point haul.

Wakelin said: “It’s pretty unusual to get a declaration in the Two Counties, but we felt we needed to do it.

“We had come off twice for rain and we weren’t sure we’d get the time to finish the game, but we felt 223 for six was competitive enough with the bowling attack that we have got.

“It was a slow outfield and a slow wicket and 223 was more like 250 or 260.

“I believed in our bowlers and was really pleased that it came off.

“It was touch and go, though, as we struggled with the light and didn’t finish until nearly nine o’clock.

“It was a massive gamble that we took, but if we hadn’t done it, I think the game would have been abandoned with five or six overs to go because it would have been too dark.”

Witham’s bowlers delivered the victory Hadleigh by getting through their overs quickly and bowling some tight spells that kept the visitors under pressure throughout and although they didn’t bowl them out, the visitors finished 45 runs short of the winning line.

“Some people might say that it was arrogant to declare like we did, but it paid off,” said Wakelin.

“It could have backfired and I’d have been left looking like a bit of an idiot, but I believe in our bowlers.

“We kept it very tight and took wickets at good times to keep Hadleigh on the back foot and the fielding was brilliant.

“It could be seen as arrogance, but I think it shows the confidence that is there in the team.

“I don’t think it would have happened two or three years ago and maybe not even last year, but with other teams around us winning, it was massively important to take the gamble to force a result and I’m glad it paid off.”

Witham will look to build on their result when they head to Haverhill today.

Wakelin said Michael Glynn and Jack Sambrook were likely to be unavailable, but he would have Richard Green returning.