RYAN Chamberlain’s brilliant 114 was not enough to see Clacton home, as Elmstead emerged eight-run winners in the sides' Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division two contest on Saturday.

Elmstead won the toss and elected to bat first on another good Vista Road wicket.

The opening pair of Butcher and O’Brien put on an opening stand of 58 as Clacton's bowlers struggled to make a breakthrough.

Young left-armer Jack Eastman found the under edge of Butcher’s bat to claim the first wicket after a good spell of swing bowling.

Elmstead skipper O’Brien added 38 with Nizami before he also nicked through to Lee behind the stumps for 50, with Kirk being well-rewarded for a persistent off-stump line.

Clacton turned to the spin of Imran Sheikh and Chamberlain, who picked up two wickets in quick succession.

First Chamberlain had Farid caught at long-on by Brad Turner and then Sheikh trapped White LBW as the Seasiders looked to peg the visitors back.

Chamberlain bowled Perrin and Nizami edged behind off Sheikh to leave Elmstead 162 for six.

Sheikh then picked up his third and fourth wickets of the day, having Elliott stumped and bowling Grimes with the score on 208.

The ninth-wicket pair of Gates and Webster added nine to get the visitors to 217 for eight off their 45 overs, leaving Clacton disappointed after some lapse moments in the field.

Clacton’s reply started badly when Scott Facey was caught and bowled with the score on 13.

Chamberlain and Sheikh pushed the score past 50 when the latter was adjudged LBW to Pushman for 19.

Turner started well with two early boundaries as the right/left-hand combination added 43, before Turner was caught behind off Nizami.

Mo Asghar fell to a good catch by Grimes in the deep while Kirk was also caught behind off Nizami, as Chamberlain moved towards his second hundred of the season.

Pitts joined Chamberlain at the crease and pushed Clacton past 200, including two massive sixes from the new man to the crease in a cameo of 26, before a mix up saw him run out with the home side still needing 13.

Chamberlain eventually fell for a fine 114 off the first ball of the last over, holing out to long on, needing 12 to win. O’Brien and Eastman managed to scamper three between them, but it was always a big ask once Chamberlain was dismissed.

Foley safely negotiated the last ball of the innings to deny Elmstead a last bonus point.

Chamberlain's superb hundred came off 127 deliveries and he was unlucky to be on the losing side.

Elmstead now go 14 points clear of Clacton in third.

Clacton travel to Ipswich and East Suffolk next week, looking to bounce back from only their third defeat (1pm start).