FRINTON cricketers Alex Price and Joe Fowler are celebrating a record-breaking feat.

The big-hitting duo shattered the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division one first-wicket partnership record during Saturday's victory against Mistley.

They put on a massive 312 runs before Fowler was eventually out for a remarkable 194.

Price remained unbeaten on 100 exactly as the openers joined forces to eclipse the previous record of 281, which had been set by Halstead against Braintree in 1995.

Fowler's mammoth knock included 24 fours and six sixes and came from 142 balls, before he was caught by Ian Morton off Tim Scott's bowling.

Frinton finished on 312 for one after their 50 overs - Ishmael Dar faced a couple of deliveries without scoring - and they went on to win by 94 runs.

Mistley finished on 218 for eight, with skipper Daniel Goff making 88.

He was one of two victims of Dar and there were also a couple of wickets apiece for Sam Brynes and John Hambrook.

It was a major success for Frinton, who had plummeted to second from bottom after being docked 36 points.

The coastal club were alleged to have fielded an ineligible player in their match against Maldon on July 1.

Australian Blake Reed was deemed to be in breach of Home Office Pathway Rules, having played for Western Australia Under-19s.

Elsewhere, it was a pivotal weekend at the top of the table, with leaders Elmstead winning at Haverhill and second-placed Wivenhoe losing at Woolpit.

Ryan Vickery (83) and Ashan Athurkoralage (four for 18 in 4.4 overs) were the heroes of Elmstead's 56-run win - their 13th success in 17 matches.

They now have an 18-point lead over Wivenhoe, who lost by 22 runs - despite three wickets apiece for James Butcher and Harry Burnett and a determined 47 from opener Matthew Durrell.

There was high drama in the all-Essex affair at Witham, as the hosts tied against Maldon.

Both sides were all out for 128 and collected 12 points.

Skipper Chris Harris (42) and Matt Wild (five for 34) were Maldon's main men, while Matt Anderson took three wickets for Witham.

Halstead won by 21 runs at Worlington.

Captain Joshua Wells scored 59 and Chris Rayner 47, while there were three wickets each for Sam Walter and Chris Huntington.

In the other first division fixture, Braintree lost by four wickets at Hadleigh, having tumbled to 24 to six at one point. Louis Cant was their standout performer, taking four for 30 in his 4.4 overs.

In division two, leaders Coggeshall - inspired by William Blackwell, who took a five-for - won by 75 runs against neighbours Kelvedon and Feering.

Clacton roared to a 171-run success at home to Dunmow, with Imran Sheikh scoring 63, Haydn Erfurth 57 and David Fitzpatrick an unbeaten 53.

All-rounder Sheikh then turned the screw with exceptional bowling figures of six for 30, in 11.2 overs.

Copford went down by 207 runs at Copdock and Old Ipswichian seconds.

Another record was broken as Great Bromley’s Ed Fairley - one of the club's under-15 players - took new division five best bowling figures of nine for 15 against Kelvedon and Feering seconds.

He removed Maldon’s Tim Bache from the record books, after he took eight for 24 in 2013.

Meanwhile, the first title of the season was sealed as Coggeshall's third team completed the division nine south honours, beating their counterparts from Witham by 53 runs.