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10th May
Brentwood 2nd XI v Walthamstow 2nd XI
Walthamstow 2nd XI - 133-9
Brentwood 2nd XI - 203-9 dec
Match drawn
Brentwood travelled to Walthamstow, for their first league game since promotion from Division 2, comprehensively outplaying their opponents and narrowly missing out on a much deserved victory.
On winning the toss Brentwood skipper Stuart Townson elected to bat first, in an effort to ensure that the team were best placed to make a solid and positive start in the higher league. This view was also reinforced by recent history which had shown Walthamstow's wicket to be unreliable and a place where few teams chased successfully.
Brentwood's innings got off to a sluggish start due to some tight bowling from the Walthamstow opening attack, which resulted in Steve Taylor being caught behind with the score on 8, trying to force the pace a little more. Having survived a catch off a no ball Shane Surujbally began to open his considerable shoulders until he became the first of a number of Brentwood batsmen to lose their wickets to a lack of concentration and poor shot selection, being bowled for 23. Paul Larner batted steadily and sensibly to top score with 43, whilst others around him perished. When Larner was dismissed by the impressive leg spin of Shaikh, Brentwood were teetering at 149 - 7 with a full 13 overs to go. It was at this point that the experienced triumvirate of Ian Moore, Perry Lawless and Ash Patel rescued the innings with a combination of watchful defence and lusty blows ensuring that not only was the full allocation of overs used up, but also that maximum batting points were secured. This was primarily due to Moore, who equalled Larner's score of 43, enabling Townson to declare on 203-9.
This was always going to be a difficult total to chase (although the wicket was considerably better than in previous seasons) but Walthamstow were unable to stem the regular loss of wickets induced by Brentwood's tight bowling. Moore made the initial breakthrough, before Lawless took a couple of wickets, including that of the dangerous looking R Oram. With Walthamstow appearing to fall behind the run rate, Townson took the opportunity to give Kerry Branson, a 15 year old leg spinner his first bowl in 2nd XI league cricket. To his credit he grasped the chance well bowling a good line and length, offering little for the Walthamstow batsmen to get after. He was unlucky to remain wicketless.
However, the luck that evaded Branson appeared to rest with the more experienced Patel (old enough to be Branson's Grandfather !!) who promptly took a wicket with his first ball, a wide long hop, which the batsman, Khan, somehow managed to guide into the hands of cover when it deserved to be smashed to the boundary. This reduced Walthamstow to 90-4 and in effect extinguished any hope that they had of succeeding in their chase. Moore returned to claim three more wickets and with the stubborn opener D Oram being run out for 45, Walthamstow were left to hang on for the draw, denying Brentwood the deserved victory and the full 18 points.
Brentwood can be satisfied with their initial game back in division 1, as they proved to be vastly superior to the more established opposition, but must learn the lessons that the game offered. Most tellingly the top order batsmen cannot afford to give away their wickets through poor shot selection and must learn to make the opposition bowlers earn their reward. Lapses in concentration, that went unpunished last season, will more often than not lead to dismissal in the higher division.
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17th May
Brentwood 2nd XI v Woodford Wells 2nd XI
Woodford Wells 2nd XI 158 a.o.
Brentwood 2nd XI 160-3
Brentwood won by 7 wickets
Brentwood 2nd XI continued their positive start to the season with a victory over Woodford Wells which, given the recent weather and the forecast, even the biggest optimist would have thought unlikely at the start of play. With the forecast predicting heavy rain around tea time, skipper Stuart Townson was undecided until the coin was in the air what he was going to do on winning the toss. However, with a strong seam bowling attack, Townson decided to give them the opportunity on a damp wicket to bowl the opposition out cheaply.
The experienced Ian Moore and Perry Lawless opened the bowling but were faced with some doughty resistance from Tidyman and May, who appeared to be even more "mature" than the two bowlers !! Once Moore breached this resistance by removing Tidyman, Caban came to the wicket, who looked to be the only top order batsman capable of scoring runs on this wicket. Lawless took the next two wickets to maintain the pressure and the introduction of Keith Burgess's off spin caused Caban's downfall, after he had bashed a few bad balls to the boundary.
When Caban departed, Wells were teetering on the brink of collapse at 70-4 off 28 overs, but Brentwood's back up bowling was unable to maintain the tight control that had been evident early on. This allowed Wells to increase the scoring rate, which had it continued could have taken the game away from Brentwood. This problem was made more acute when Lawless's "experience" caught up with him and he strained a hamstring in the middle of his 17th over. His previous 16 had leaked a meagre 22 runs. Nigel McKay and Tom Davey both began to find their rhythm, as their spells progressed, to take a couple of wickets each reducing Wells to 118-8.
At this point Brentwood were confident of wrapping things up quickly, but poor catching allowed the last three batsman to add 40 runs before Lucev was run out off the last ball of the 52nd over to end the innings.
During tea a heavy downpour looked like it may scupper Brentwood's chances of victory but after a 45 minute delay the game resumed. Brentwood openers Steve Taylor and Shane Surujbally, started off in a circumspect manner in difficult, bowler friendly conditions to ensure that Woodford Wells were never going to be in with a chance of winning. This was continued by Davey who began to push the score along, but the real momentum came when McKay was promoted to no.4 to join Surujbally at the crease. Between them they began to take a toll on the bowling to the extent that 19 was smashed from the final over of Watkins' spell who had been the best bowler up to that point. When McKay eventually fell for a run a ball 29, Surujbally continued to hit the ball powerfully and to all parts of the ground. In conjunction with Tony Jones, who following a bad knee injury was playing his first 2nd XI league game in 3 years, Surujbally was able to steer Brentwood to an ultimately comfortable victory.
Brentwood can be pleased with this victory which was achieved despite the adverse weather conditions. The one learning point must be that when in the field, opponents need to be finished off when on the ropes. Although the additional 40 runs that Wells put on at the death proved academic in this match, on another day they could be the difference between victory and defeat. However, unlike the previous week, the batting cannot be faulted either for application or execution and was tailored exactly to suit the conditions. Although all who batted deserve credit, this was primarily due to Surujbally and his outstanding 82 not out.
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24th May
Brentwood 2nd XI v Upminster 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI 192-9 dec.
Upminster 2nd XI 195-4
Upminster won by 6 wickets
Brentwood 2nd XI, with a much changed side, suffered their first loss since the 2001 season. Due to the weakened team caused by poor availability in the top two sides, skipper Stuart Townson won the toss and elected to bat. The makeshift opening pair of Townson and David Smith started steadily against the accurate opening attack, until with the score on 25 Townson was out attempting to force the pace a little more. New batsman Mark Donkin further consolidated with Smith until the latter's dismissal brought Nigel McKay to the wicket. Donkin, McKay and later Peter Morgan all began to score with greater pace but none were able to play the long commanding innings that Brentwood required, falling for 36, 24 and 44 respectively. The most pleasing aspect of this spell was the sight of Peter Morgan, a 17 year old batting in the top 6 in the 2nd XI for the first time, beginning to assert himself on the opposition bowling before being dismissed attempting to raise the scoring tempo late on in the innings.
Another youngster with a rosy future, 16 year old Kerry Branson, also performed admirably with the bat, making his top score in the 2's of 31. When he and Morgan were together at the wicket it was possible to imagine these two batting together in the 1st XI in the not too distant future.
Brentwood were well positioned to achieve a score of 200 plus but some accurate bowling tied down the innings at a crucial time, to the extent that only 8 runs were scored between the 42nd and 47th over. This placed tremendous pressure on the lower order to score quickly, immediately, which they were not able to do in the face of some tight bowling from the returning opener Curtis (5-42). Consequently Brentwood fell just short of achieving full batting points
As Upminster had bowled their overs extremely quickly, Brentwood were faced with the prospect of bowling for three hours in the second innings. This resulted in the Upminster batsmen being able to play patiently and wait for the bad ball to be bowled to score the necessary runs. Other than Keith Burgess who bowled superbly in his initial spell, for little reward, the Brentwood attack was unable to apply sufficient pressure, on a flat batting wicket, to force errors from the Upminster batsmen and they achieved the target with 6 overs to go.
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31st May
Brentwood 2nd XI v Wickford 2nd XI
Wickford 2nd XI 222-7 dec
Brentwood 2nd XI 226-8
Brentwood won by 2 wickets
Brentwood 2nd XI continued their strong start to the season with a victory against Wickford, which saw an outstanding all round performance from Tom Davey, who made 77 with the bat and took 4-63 with the ball. This win takes Brentwood to second place in the league.
Wickford skipper Parmenter won the toss and elected to bat first on a dry but green looking wicket. Tom Davey and Peter Bainbridge opened the bowling in a steady fashion, proving difficult to score off until Parmenter began to open up, taking three boundaries off one Bainbridge over. Revenge was swift as Bainbridge quickly bowled Wickford's captain with the score on 43.
Brentwood skipper Stuart Townson introduced Ash Patel, to replace Davey. Wickford continued to bat steadily in the face of some tight bowling to the extent that the next wicket fell in the 33rd over although the score had only crept just past 100. With the second wicket falling, Graham arrived at the crease who also began his innings in a circumspect fashion, this was in sharp contrast to how he finished his knock with a blaze of big hitting, including 21 runs in an over from the unfortunate Patel. Graham's knock of 67 in 53 balls ensured that Wickford reached a respectable total, but one which looked twenty or thirty short of what would be required with the small fast outfield. Brentwood assisted their chances of a successful chase by bowling their overs extremely quickly, with the result that they would be left three hours in which to score the necessary runs.
Brentwood's innings got off to the worst possible start with Shane Surujbally being caught behind off an injudicious slog before a run had been scored. Despite not having much of a break following his 17 overs with the ball, Davey started his innings in a positive fashion dispatching a succession of full tosses from the Wickford bowlers to the boundary and had scored most of the Brentwood runs when the innings wobbled when Chris Lawless and Peter Morgan both fell cheaply. At 58-3, the game was delicately poised when skipper Stuart Townson joined Davey at the crease. This proved to be the pivotal partnership with both players making half centuries and effectively making the game safe for Brentwood. With both batsmen looking safe at the crease and the required run rate kept at four an over it looked like these two would complete the job. This was not to be as they were parted with the score reached 168, when Townson was unluckily bowled for 56 by a delivery that crawled along the ground. This was a pleasing innings for the long standing skipper whose return to form after missing the majority of last season with a knee injury, could not have been better timed.
With Davey being dismissed two ball later it was left to the lower order to knock off the remaining 55 runs in the 14 overs left. The partnership of 15 year old Kerry Branson and Patel levelled the scores and after a couple of needless dismissals, which caused the tension to rise in the Brentwood camp, James Reilly was left to score the winning runs with three balls left.
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7th June
Brentwood 2nd XI v Hainault & Clayhall 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 195-8
Hainault & Clayhall - 194 all out
Brentwood won by 2 wickets
Despite having player resources stretched to the limit by unavailability and injuries, Brentwood 2's continued their good start to the season at the Old County Ground on Saturday against their fellow promotees from last season, Hainault and Clayhall. The two teams have begun life in Division 1 with differing fortunes, Brentwood going in to the game in second place, while their opponents found themselves at the foot of the table. However, with memories of last seasons exciting tied game between the two teams still fresh, this was sure to be no easy match for Brentwood. Adding to their problems was the absence of regular skipper Stuart Townson, which meant that Vice Captain Ian Moore took over the reigns for the first time this season. His afternoon began in exasperating fashion as, just 45 minutes before the start, he had to send batsman Chris Lawless to join the first eleven at Southend due to one of the first teamers not turning up! Thankfully, Moore's day was to improve markedly from that point.
Visiting skipper Bhardwaj called correctly and decided to make first use of an excellent batting strip. He would soon have been questioning his own wisdom though, as Moore and Peter Bainbridge set about strangling the life from the Hainault innings. With both bowlers beating the bat so regularly, the only surprise was that a wicket did not fall before Reilly's superb stumping of Nasib in Bainbridge's 5th over. After 15 overs, the Hainault score stood at 20 for 1 and when Bhatty attempted to breathe life into his team's innings he was quickly thwarted as Reilly plunged to his right to take an excellent one handed catch to give Moore his first wicket. Bainbridge's subtle swing and Moore's pace and accuracy both deserved further reward. However the experienced opener Tatum was joined by Sirpal and these two began to bring Hainault back into the game until Perry Lawless swung one back into Tatum's pads to leave the opposition at 62 for 3. Unfortunately, Lawless's recent hamstring injury was troubling him and he was able to complete just 4 overs before he was pulled out of the attack to avoid further damage.
Sirpal and Bhardwaj continued the recovery as the wily Ash Patel initially failed to make an impact on the batsmen. The run rate had risen to a respectable 3 an over when Moore swapped Patel to the far end and introduced precocious young all rounder Kerry Branson's leg spin at the pavilion end. Almost immediately Branson's flight persuaded Sirpal to hole out to Peter Morgan at deep square leg and then Patel lured Shah from the crease to allow Reilly to claim his second stumping. At 136 for 5, and with time running out, Bhardwaj and Svor began to chance their arms with some big hits combined with hard running between the wickets, which placed Brentwood under pressure for the first time. However with Hainault closing in on the 200 needed for maximum batting points, the experience of Moore and Patel again came to the fore. Moore bowled Svor for 20 and, in the next over, Reilly stumped Bhardwaj off Patel for a well made 50. Moore then hit the stumps twice more before Reilly completed a great display of wicket-keeping with another stumping from Patel's bowling to close the Hainault & Clayhall innings at 194. Normally this score would have been about 30 runs below par, but Brentwood's decimated batting line up was to prove a levelling factor in the course of the game.
Openers Taylor and Surujbally endured a testing time against Makodia and Nawaz, the latter having the out of form Surujbally caught for 17 with the score on 25. Enter another of Brentwood's impressive youngsters, Peter Morgan, who was to bat with maturity and panache as he and Taylor eased the home side's total past the hundred mark. With a minimum of 20 overs remaining and Brentwood requiring 4.5 runs an over, the experienced Tatum was introduced into the Hainault attack. Immediately his great height and accuracy began to change the complexion of the game. Morgan was stumped for 40 and with Taylor and Donkin temporarily unable to steal runs against an athletic fielding side, the asking rate edged over a run per ball. Once the batsmen regained a rhythm, however, Brentwood again appeared to be in control and, despite the loss of Donkin for 25, Taylor and Branson took the score to 177 before Taylor fell to a catch off of Tatum's bowling. Taylor's was a pivotal, match winning innings, beautifully paced as he added an increasing array of attacking strokes to his sound defensive technique. His innings is enhanced by the fact that he had fallen victim to a mystery virus the night before the game and, upon dismissal, he left the field totally drained of energy.
The game should still have been a formality when Branson was out with just 13 runs needed from 4 overs. Jason Swan, who had earlier saved numerous runs with an excellent fielding display, was joined by Moore and these two edged the score upwards until a dead-eyed throw saw the latter run out. Patel pierced the field for 2 but then Swan was stumped with 7 still required. Reilly went the aerial route for two more valuable runs and the final over arrived with 5 runs still needed. Patel nudged the total onwards, helped by a careless no-ball, but Reilly perished, bowled with one run needed. Enter Peter Bainbridge to a claustrophobic field intent upon denying Brentwood the single they needed for victory. Leg spinner Bhardwaj speared the penultimate delivery in at leg stump. Bainbridge moved back and across trying to glance the ball away but missed; thankfully however, so did the Hainault stumper and victory was Brentwood's with a ball to spare!
Despite causing frayed nerves for the second week in succession, this was another excellent team performance from a determined Brentwood side. However, the ability to maintain a serious promotion challenge is likely to depend on the return of a number of established players to the club's top two teams in coming weeks.
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14th June
Brentwood 2nd XI v Leigh-on-Sea 2nd XI
Leigh-on-Sea 2nd XI - 118 all out
Brentwood 2nd XI - 174-9
Brentwood won by 56 runs
Brentwood's second eleven remained hot on the heels of divisional leaders Upminster, with an excellent win at 4th placed Leigh-on-Sea, on Saturday.
Still missing skipper Stuart Townson, amongst others, the 2's were further rocked by a last minute team change for the second week running. Vice Captain Ian Moore's mood was hardly improved when he lost the toss on a pitch which was clearly of a somewhat sporting nature and was invited to bat first.
Sure enough, Brentwood were soon in trouble as a combination of good medium pace swing bowling and the variable bounce accounted for David Smith, Shane Surujbally and Steve Taylor. Nigel McKay immediately took the fight to the bowlers, cutting powerfully when given the opportunity and with Chris Lawless fighting bravely the score progressed to 40 before Lawless was the 4th wicket to fall.
McKay followed soon after for 20 and when Ash Patel was also out, Brentwood were staring disaster in the face at 66 for 6. However the experienced pair of Moore and Keith Burgess then embarked upon the pivotal partnership of the game.
On a wicket where the requirement for a sound defensive batting technique was matched only by the need for generous portions of luck, both were initially watchful until Moore began to punish some loose overs. The score moved past the hundred mark as the pair kept the board ticking over with sensible running between the wickets while awaiting the rare bad ball. Slowly the tide was turning and as Moore passed his 50, Burgess began to take the bowlers on with a series of powerful drives.
However Braithwaite reasserted some pressure for Leigh on Sea with a tight spell and Burgess was eventually bowled for a well made 34, trying to force the pace. James Reilly was soon LBW but Peter Bainbridge joined Moore in the middle and the pair moved the score towards the 170 mark before Moore was caught on the boundary for an excellent 73, in the last over.
Although Bainbridge and James Apicella fell one run short of the 6th batting point, the Brentwood total of 174 for 9 had clearly swung the game in their favour, a fact echoed by the home team's body language at tea time.
Leigh on Sea's newly acquired pessimism proved to be well founded as Moore and Bainbridge immediately reduced them to 0 for two with a wicket apiece. Elliott and skipper Stubbington sought to counter-attack but Moore quickly bowled the former and when Bainbridge held a sharp caught and bowled to remove Stubbington, Leigh were firmly on the ropes.
Despite dogged resistance, Moore deceived Hewitt with a slower ball that gave Surujbally an easy catch at cover and then McKay bowled Catchpole to leave the home side matching Brentwood's earlier low point of 66 for 6. For a few minutes Elliott looked as though he might lead a recovery especially when he launched Burgess for a six that was nearly the undoing of a passing motorcyclist on the adjoining A13! However, with the very next ball, Burgess tempted him into an injudicious cut shot and Reilly, once again keeping brilliantly, held the resulting snick.
Although the score crept over the hundred mark, the end was not long in coming as Patel and Burgess grabbed a wicket apiece before last man McGuire was run out with the score on 118, giving Brentwood a well deserved victory by 56 runs.
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21st June
Brentwood 2nd XI v Ardleigh Green 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 208-7
Ardleigh Green 2nd XI - 244-4
Match drawn
Brentwood's winning momentum ground to a halt with a lacklustre performance against Ardleigh Green on Saturday. In a match which pitched 2nd place against 3rd in Division 1, home skipper Ian Moore won the toss and invited Ardleigh Green to make first use of a superb batting strip at the Old County Ground.
As in recent weeks, Brentwood's opening bowlers made early in-roads as Peter Bainbridge had Brown held at slip by Kerry Branson and then Moore removed Aymes courtesy of a fine catch by wicketkeeper James Reilly to reduce the visitors to 26 for 2.
Both bowlers continued to trouble the batsmen and, with a little more luck, several edges could easily have gone to hand. When Moore rolled back the years to produce one particularly nasty delivery that spat on to the gloves of Drake, causing him to retire hurt shortly afterwards, things seemed bright for Brentwood. However the same bowler then delivered several uncharacteristically inconsistent overs and with Perry Lawless struggling for full fitness, the visitors began to take control.
As the ball began to wear, Cason and Uddin made full use of the batting surface as they attacked the bowling which struggled to keep the scoring rate in check never mind take a wicket. The 200 mark was passed with time in hand and it seemed that the visitors might reach a score well in excess of 250 despite an admirable effort by Bainbridge who reeled off 19 controlled overs.
Just 6 runs short of a double century partnership, Uddin drove off spinner Keith Burgess hard to Bainbridge at cover to depart for 95. Burgess then had Cook LBW for 8 and together with Moore, he ensured that there was no run riot in the closing stages of the Ardleigh Green innings which was finally declared at 244 for 4 with Cason stranded on 95 not out.
Faced with a large, but not impossible target to chase, Shane Surujbally and the promising David Smith opened the Brentwood reply in positive fashion. Keeping pace with the required scoring rate, their contrasting styles of power and placement saw the total to 72 before left arm spinner Uddin speared a quicker delivery through the advancing Smith and bowled him for 26.
Showing a welcome return to form, Surujbally ensured the tempo barely dropped until he too was bowled by Uddin for 72. With the run rate now rising to 7 an over against tight bowling and fielding, big hitting Nigel McKay was promoted to number 4 in an effort to find quick runs. Alas, after one typically huge 6, he was bowled by the spin of Lock and from that point the Brentwood challenge ebbed.
Steve Taylor (26) also fell victim to Lock, with the score on 153, and despite a good partnership between Chris Lawless and Branson, who both scored 21, the run rate was now firmly against Brentwood. Branson, Moore and finally Lawless all fell in a final vain attempt at glory, and it was left to Burgess and Reilly to see out the final few balls with the score still some 36 runs short of the required target.
Whilst this was a slightly disappointing performance, inspirational skipper Stuart Townson will return to duty next week to find his side occupying a healthy third position in the league. Given the need to rebuild last years promoted side following the loss of a number of established players through retirement and injury, the ability of both the individuals and team as a whole, to adjust to the demands of the higher division continues to give much encouragement for the future.
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28th June
Brentwood 2nd XI v Westcliff-on-Sea 2nd XI
Westcliff on Sea 2nd XI - 109 all out
Brentwood 2nd XI - 248-8
Brentwood won by 139 runs
Following the previous weeks draw with Ardleigh Green, Brentwood travelled to Chalkwell Park aiming to resume their winning ways. This they were able to do in a thumping win over Westcliff which saw a fine team performance and two outstanding individual contributions from Shane Surujbally and Ian Moore.
Returning skipper Stuart Townson failed in his first duty in losing the toss. His Westcliff counterpart had no hesitation in asking Brentwood to bat first on a dry pitch. Surujbally and Steve Taylor got Brentwood off to a good start before the latter was given out LBW with the score on 64. Tony Jones soon followed in the same fashion, bringing Townson to the wicket for his first knock in 4 weeks. Townson provided solid support as Surujbally began to take a heavy toll on the Westcliff attack and began to take advantage of the fast outfield and small boundaries to complete his second successive half century. Surujbally continued to score apace until he was finally out caught at square leg for a superb 83, which until his dismissal had been chanceless.
This dismissal was the cue for Townson to begin to play more expansively until he fell to the undeserving Griffen, for 29, in a soft dismissal that saw the Brentwood skipper guide a long hop into the outstretched hand of the point fielder. At this point Nigel McKay and Kerry Branson both made steady contributions to the total until they were out in the pursuit of swift runs. A few lusty blows at the end of the innings from the experienced triumvirate of Keith Burgess, Ash Patel and Ian Moore ensured that Brentwood reached a total that was going to prove beyond the reach of the opponents.
How far beyond the reach of Westcliff, the target was, soon became clear when 17 year old Kevin Bradford, making his 2nd XI league debut had the Westcliff opening bat caught by Townson at 2nd slip off his fourth ball. Bradford's final analysis of 7 overs, 1 maiden, 3-17 was particularly pleasing as all three wickets fell to catches behind the wicket induced by an impressive spell of swing bowling, and did much to break the resistance of the Westcliff batting line up. Once this resistance had been broken Moore produced a fine spell of hostile seam bowling to record figures of 14 overs, 3 maidens, 6-44, his best analysis of the season. Only Hurley and Mather appeared to offer any real resistance, but at 78-8 this was always likely to be futile. Once this was finally broken by Branson who induced Hurley into a poor shot it allowed Moore to deliver the executioners blow, trapping Mather plumb in front of the stumps.
This was a fine all round performance from a Brentwood side that totally outplayed their opponents with bat, ball and in the field. With the halfway point of the season approaching, and with inspirational captain Townson back at the helm, Brentwood are well placed in second spot, a mere three points behind leaders Upminster to launch a promotion bid in the second half of the summer.
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5th July
Brentwood 2nd XI v Horndon-on-the-Hill 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 194-6
Horndon on the Hill 2nd XI - 253-9
Match drawn
An inexperienced Brentwood side were unable to maintain their winning momentum and were forced to settle for a draw against Horndon on the Hill. Brentwood won the toss, asked Horndon to bat and got off to a flying start when 17 year old Kevin Bradford followed up last weekends successful debut by bowling Ray for 9. Unfortunately the youthful Brentwood attack was unable to exert any sustained pressure and the Horndon scoring rate began to increase rapidly. The introduction of the old warhorse Ash Patel (who is certainly not youthful) pegged back Horndon from one end, but Brentwood continued to leak runs at the other. However, Brentwood continued to take wickets despite the quick scoring and reduced Horndon to 170 - 6, but this brought T Hills Jnr to the crease who proceeded to smash a tiring attack for a rapid, if a little streaky, 62. Had Brentwood taken either of the chances that he offered early in his innings it is quite possible that Horndon could have been bowled out for less than 200. As it was they were able to declare after 47 overs with the score on 253-9.
Brentwood's reply got off to an excellent start with Barry Brooks and David Smith putting on a stand of 104. The most pleasing aspect was 18 year old Smith's first league fifty of the season and the proof that he is maturing into an excellent batsman. With a wider range of attacking shots and greater self confidence than in previous years he now looks set for a regular run in the team and has the technique and opportunity to push for a 1st XI place.
Whilst these two were at the crease Brentwood looked capable of winning the game but the introduction of Allan, comfortably the quickest bowler in the match, with the new ball slowed the scoring up considerably. Both batsmen perished against the new ball. Requiring over 120 from the final fifteen overs, Brentwood skipper Stuart Townson called off the run chase and set a new target of two hundred to secure maximum batting points. However, despite solid contributions from himself, Peter Morgan and Kerry Branson, Brentwood fell just short of the revised target.
Despite being out-played for most of the game Brentwood can take heart from the fact that with such a youthful side (eight of the team were aged 20 or under) they were able to compete with a mature Horndon side. This clearly augurs well for the future. This result still leaves Brentwood in 2nd place in the league and with improving availability as the season enters its second half, well placed to mount a serious promotion challenge.
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12th July
Brentwood 2nd XI v Walthamstow 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 240-7 declared
Walthamstow 2nd XI - 244-7
Walthamstow won by 3 wickets
Brentwood suffered their second loss of the season in a remarkable game of cricket that saw the fortunes of both teams rise and fall until the result was settled off the penultimate ball. On a baking hot day Walthamstow elected to field first and young Brentwood opener David Smith confirmed his growing talent by compiling his second consecutive half century. Brentwood always looked capable of compiling a large total as once the Morgan brothers had both fallen to catches behind the wicket, skipper Stuart Townson shared a stand of sixty with Smith. With the score on 130 for 2 Smith was unlucky to be caught at slip, following a rebound from the wicketkeepers pads, for 53. This was doubly unlucky as it was the first false shot he had played. 15 year old Kerry Branson also showed his burgeoning ability by providing excellent support to his captain Townson, who completed his half century with 10 overs to go. Townson perished for 56 in the pursuit of quick runs, with the score on 184 at which point the scoring rate dipped slightly. Whilst Branson continued to make a useful 33 it took some lusty blows in the last three overs from Keith Burgess to post a total of 240 which looked competitive although twenty short of what should have been set, given the conditions.
Walthamstow's reply got off to a reasonable start with Bloch and Crane scoring quite freely, however, once Peter Bainbridge had taken his first wicket the brakes were immediately applied. Bainbridge's initial spell of 11-3-16-3 was the man reason why Walthamstow were reduced to 79-4. At this point a Walthamstow victory looked to be the least likely outcome but sensible batting from Khan and Charles, produced a century stand keeping them in the hunt. Burgess who had bowled a long tight spell of off spin broke the partnership by bowling Khan and when Charles was run out leaving Walthamstow at 186-6 a Brentwood victory once again looked on the cards. This view was further reinforced when Burgess bowled Brace in the next over. This brought together Johnson and Billinghurst who ensured that Walthamstow passed 200 before launching an assault on the Brentwood bowling in the last four overs in an attempt to win the game. Unfortunately for Brentwood both Burgess and Bainbridge who had both bowled economically up to this point were unable to answer the clean hitting of the batsmen and Walthamstow were able to score over 40 runs off the last four overs to seal an improbable win.
Nevertheless Brentwood were able to pick up 11 points which keeps them a mere 4 points behind league leaders Woodford Wells, who they play next week.
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19th July
Brentwood 2nd XI v Woodford Wells 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 181 all out
Woodford Wells 2nd XI - 182-6
Woodford Wells won by 4 wickets
Brentwood 2nd XI continued their recent run of poor form, by losing to top of the table Woodford Wells. Poor availability meant that Brentwood skipper Stuart Townson was forced to select an inexperienced batting line up, that collectively proved to be unequal to the challenge of posting a competitive score on a good wicket, with a fast outfield and short boundaries on two sides of the ground.
On winning the toss the Wells had no hesitation in asking Brentwood to bat and soon made early inroads when David Smith, unable to continue his recent good form, was caught in the gully leaving his team 13-1. 15 year old Kerry Branson, promoted up the order to no.3 joined the more experienced Jason Swan in the middle, but both struggled to get the ball off the square against some accurate bowling from Lucev and Lenihan. When Branson was bowled for 13, Peter Morgan also looked uncomfortable and soon succumbed himself. Skipper Townson was next to the crease and was the first batsman to look at ease at the crease as he began to dispatch the poor balls to the boundary. However when Swan finally fell for 14, made in 20 overs Brentwood were in serious trouble at 51-4. Dean Goddard playing his first game in the 2's for over a year, joined his Captain and these two began to pull the innings round, for the first time the Woodford Wells skipper had something to think about and seemed powerless to prevent the ever increasing run rate until the batsmen gifted the wicket of Townson, run out for 35, in a brainless piece of cricket, to leave themselves 105-5.
This lifted the Wells' spirits, which rose even further at the sight of Keith Burgess, normally an accomplished lower order batsman, mesmerised by the slow bowling of Banerjee, to the extent that he failed to lay a bat on 12 consecutive balls. It was a mercy killing when Burgess was eventually bowled by his tormentor and put out of his misery. Brentwood's lower order failed to muster many runs between them and with Goddard falling for a fine 60, Brentwood's total looked to be at least 50 below par given the conditions.
Brentwood gave themselves hope of an improbable victory when Ian Moore and Peter Bainbridge both took early wickets, but this proved to be a false dawn as sensible batting from the rest of the Wells' line up ensured that they were never under pressure to score quickly. Burgess went some way towards making up for his abysmal batting by taking wickets at regular intervals, in a spell of 3-42 to keep Brentwood in the game, but with runs coming freely at the other end the eventual outcome was inevitable.
This result leaves Brentwood in third place, but has allowed, the pursuing pack to considerably close the gap. If the Brentwood members are serious about fulfilling the clubs aims of achieving promotion for both the 1st and 2nd XI's then they must begin to show more commitment by making themselves available to play cricket.
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26th July
Brentwood 2nd XI v Upminster 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 228-6 declared
Upminster 2nd XI - 97-3
Match drawn
Brentwood travelled to Upminster Park to take on the side 2 points above them in second place. Despite the bad weather an inspirational performance from the skipper Stuart Townson saw them take nine points from the game, enough to overhaul Upminster and reclaim the second promotion slot.
Given the forecast for inclement weather to arrive during the second half of the game Townson was surprised to be asked to bat first, on losing the toss, despite the fact that the wicket looked uneven, green and had a number of wet patches. This decision, however, looked to be vindicated as Brentwood were soon in trouble at 6 for 2 after 5 overs. This brought Townson to the wicket who was looking to maintain his good form of recent weeks.
Batting was not easy against the accurate opening attack of O'Dell and Ryan who both exploited the bowler friendly conditions well but Barry Brooks and Townson batted circumspectly and began to rebuild the innings. This was clearly to the frustration of the Upminster fielders, one or two of whom were swift to point out the slow scoring rate to the two batsmen. This did not worry the experienced pair although Brooks was shortly undone by a ball that stopped in the wicket to be caught at mid off for a patient 31. Ryan had taken all three wickets at this point and soon grabbed his fourth when Kerry Branson could only fend a short ball into the hands of short leg. Upminster gained a fifth wicket when Dean Goddard was bowled by Mack.
Whilst these quick wickets were falling Townson continued to bat sensibly in the conditions and began accumulating runs. Nigel McKay joined his skipper and the two produced the 2nd XI's best partnership of the season. Together they crushed the optimism of the Upminster bowlers and fielders whose heads began to drop as the pair milked 5 runs an over through a combination of sensible singles and boundaries from the bad balls. Mack in particular, started to regret his earlier comments about slow run rates as his bowling was taken apart by the Brentwood pair and all of the five sixes struck during the innings came at his end. Ryan was eventually removed from the attack after 17 tidy overs and was replaced by Hogg who the batsmen found easier to nudge around the ground for quick runs. During this partnership Townson reached his fifty and moved relentlessly towards a first century of the season. McKay also passed his fifty and watched in admiration as Townson pulled Hogg to the boundary to complete his first, chanceless, century of the season. The partnership of 137 was eventually in the final over when McKay was caught for a fine 58. Townson's knock was all the more worthy due to the difficult batting conditions and the fact that his side were in serious danger of collapsing and losing before his intervention. However, with the solid support of McKay he manoeuvred his team into a winning position and demoralised the opponents.
Brentwood never got the chance to exploit this winning position as the weather closed in during the tea interval to take a vital 45 minutes out of the game. Brentwood got through their overs quickly and having bowled 25 and taken 3 wickets the Umpires decided that conditions had become dangerous and the rain too heavy to continue. The speed that Brentwood got through their overs ensured that sufficient had been bowled so that the game stood as a draw, rather than abandoned, and Brentwood walked away with nine points to their opponents two.
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2nd August
Brentwood 2nd XI v Wickford 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 231-4
Wickford 2nd XI - 230-2 dec
Brentwood won by 6 wickets
Brentwood returned to winning ways with a comprehensive victory over Wickford. With their closest rivals both stumbling to defeat they tightened their grip on second place, extending the gap between themselves and third place to 16 points.
Brentwood skipper Stuart Townson won the toss and had no hesitation in asking the opposition to bat. The pitch looked to be flat and the outfield fast making for excellent conditions in which to chase a total.
Brentwood's opening attack of Peter Bainbridge and Kevin Bradford both used the new ball well giving the Wickford father and son opening partnership very little to hit. With Bradford bowling a parsimonious 7 over spell, conceding a mere 8 runs, Phil Parmenter tried to force the pace against Bainbridge. However, the wily Lancastrian teased the batsman with his away swing, beating the outside edge with monotonous regularity. The luck was running with the Wickford captain, as he began to pick up runs through a series of false shots. On another day Bainbridge would have completed his spell with 5 wickets!
Keith Burgess removed both Parmenters, when he forced Phil to edge into the safe hands of Townson at slip and bowled Keith . With the score 79 for 2 and Wickford into their 29th over, Brentwood sensed that the game was swinging in their favour but Lawrence and Deller both set out to bat for the remainder of the innings. Deller in particular began to exact a heavy toll on any bowling that was off line and length and despite useful spells from Nigel McKay and Bradford, supporting Burgess, Wickford began to push the score along. Having only lost 2 wickets Wickford appeared to be in an ideal position to push for a very large score, but despite having two batsmen well set they seemed content to settle for a score of about 210. It was only in the last couple of overs that Deller really began to take the attack to the bowling and pushed the score up to 230, completing his century in the process. Had this approach been adopted a few overs earlier Brentwood may have been facing a huge total.
As it was Brentwood were set 230 which looked to be at least 30 below par for the wicket and conditions. This proved to be the case as the total was passed with ease. 18 year old David Smith again demonstrated that he is rapidly developing into a class batsman, by providing the bedrock on which the innings was built. He continued his fine season by compiling his highest score in 2nd XI cricket of 84. In conjunction with another promising youngster, Peter Morgan, he got the innings off to a solid start putting on 67 before their inexperience gifted Wickford a wicket through an unfortunate run out. Unfortunately for Wickford once Deller and Iqbal were removed from their attack, their support bowling proved to be poor as Townson began to increase the run rate. He was able to cash in on a stream of loose deliveries to score a quick fire 38 before another lapse in concentration presented his wicket to the undeserving Roche.
Whilst Smith continued to bat with patience and technique Nigel McKay effectively settled the contest, maintaining his good form from the previous week with another half century. He bludgeoned a dispirited attack to the furthest parts of the ground and despite losing another couple of wickets (including that of Smith) Brentwood cruised past the total with five overs to spare. Losing these wickets allowed Oli Gant, who had kept wicket tidily on his 2nd XI debut, the opportunity to play a little cameo at the end. It was fitting that McKay finished the game with a six to walk off the pitch 68 not out. After a poor first half of the season his return to form is as welcome as his continued social development. Much to the amazement of his team mates, McKay, renowned for his deep pockets and short arms, bought his second consecutive jug!!
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9th August
Brentwood 2nd XI v Hainault & Clayhall 2nd XI
Hainault & Clayhall 2nd XI - 314-1
Brentwood 2nd XI - 226 all out
Hainault & Clayhall won by 86 runs
Brentwood stand-in captain for the day Ash Patel lost the toss on what was the hottest day of the year to play cricket but Hainault captain Bagwarni did not know what to do so he had a team meeting for 10 minutes before eventually deciding to bat on a very good looking batting pitch.
Brentwood knew they were in for a hard afternoon but started off quite well when after 8 overs with the new ball Hainault were 32 for 1 when young prospect Kevin Bradford dismissed Bagwarni, well caught at 2nd slip by Kerry Branson. This was the only successful period in the field for Brentwood as ex 1st teamers French (175 not out) and McEwan (101 not out) plundered the bowing for the rest of the afternoon allowing Hainault to declare after just 46 overs on a massive 314-1. French did give some chances as there were several dropped catches during his innings with Brentwood failing to maintain 100% concentration in the heat.
Although the 314 target seemed daunting it was a gettable score with the pitch still advantageous for the batsmen, a smallish ground with lightning fast outfield, the conditions just as hot for the Hainault fielders and 50+ over to get the runs.
Brentwood had to score at run a ball and they did just that throughout their innings but unfortunately kept losing wickets at regular intervals, mainly due to the excellent leg spin bowling of Bagwarni (7-92 off 21 overs )who was turning the ball more and more as the game went on. Brentwood managed 226 all out in 42 overs, ending up with just 4 points in the match therefore denting their hopes for promotion and allowing the chasing pack to close the gap.
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16th August
Brentwood 2nd XI v Leigh-on-Sea 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 195-2
Leigh-on-Sea 2nd XI - 194-7 declared
Brentwood won by 8 wickets
Brentwood returned to winning ways at the OCG on Saturday, with an emphatic victory over Leigh on Sea.
With regular Captain Stuart Townson remaining in the 1st XI it was down to the experienced Keith Burgess to lead the side. Upon winning the toss Burgess had no hesitation in inviting Leigh to bat. As Brentwood opened the bowling with Peter Bainbridge and Perry Lawless the Leigh batsmen struggled to find runs. This pressure bought the first wicket as Lawless had the opener caught driving at mid off. Bainbridge and Lawless completed the first twenty overs for just 46 runs in a shade over the hour mark.
Lawless was taken out of the attack with figures of 10 overs 1-24, a fine return after injury. The introduction of Tom Davey allowed the Leigh batsmen the rare opportunity to score freely. Unfortunately for Davey it was not only his bowling that was somewhat loose, as he had to leave the field of play feeling unwell. At this stage off-spinner Burgess introduced himself into the attack with Bainbridge taking what was if only a very short respite. Leigh's left-handed Brown completed a fine half century before pulling Bainbridge, now bowling from the other end, to David Smith as he tried to increase the tempo. Wickets fell regularly as Leigh struggled to force the pace. It was left to the experienced Monk to post a target for Brentwood to chase. Monk finished the innings with a few lusty blows raising the score to 194-7. However on the Brentwood 'road' this was a total well below par. Burgess returning the last 12 overs for 2-30 was only a supporting role to Bainbridge who returned figures of 26 overs 2 for 101. A fine effort which on another day would have seen more wickets in those figures had all the chances in the field been taken.
In reply to the Leigh total Smith and Steve Taylor set about their duties to post a good start, this indeed they did. Leigh tried various options in their attack however failing to make any impact to the wickets column. Once again Smith completed another fifty for the season and brought up the hundred partnership with Taylor before a moments lapse in concentration cost him his wicket. The wicket was then graced with the newly wed Chris Boon. Not only did Boon learn Thai on his honeymoon he also rediscovered the middle of the bat. Taylor completed his fifty as the Brentwood reply cantered towards the total and a nine wicket victory was on the cards until a wreckless moment from Boon. With a ticket to the 'V' concert burning a hole in his pocket he again charged the bowler however forgetting to play anything that resembled a cricket shot and was stumped by a distance. Davey then joined Smith in completing the handful of runs required as Brentwood reached 195-2, Taylor finishing on 69 not out.
Brentwood therefore claimed victory and 18 points and increased the gap between themselves and Leigh who had come into the game in third place just four points adrift.
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23rd August
Brentwood 2nd XI v Ardleigh Green 2nd XI
Ardleigh Green 2nd XI - 185-8 declared
Brentwood 2nd XI - 186-9
Brentwood won by 1 wicket
Despite almost snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, Brentwood 2's tightened their grip on the second promotion spot in Division 1 with a last gasp victory at Ardleigh Green on Saturday.
Winning the toss vice-captain Ian Moore risked batting second on an already worn pitch, knowing that Brentwood had to force a victory to keep their promotion rivals at bay. The skipper's aggressive new ball bowling, combined with Peter Bainbridge's subtle swing immediately had the Ardleigh Green openers under the cosh. Both bowlers frequently beat the bat and several strong appeals for catches were refused as the score crawled along at barely one run per over.
Having completed 5 overs for just 4 runs, Moore handed the ball to Perry Lawless in the hope that his medium pace would thrive in the humid conditions. The batsmen tried to counter this move with some risky lofted shots but with Bainbridge striking the first blow, the score had still only progressed to 47 for 1 after 20 overs.
Lawless then took his sole wicket of the afternoon before Cook and Casson launched a short-lived counter-attack. Bainbridge earned the wickets of both batsmen, seeing Kerry Branson dive superbly to pluck a Cook drive from mid-air, and then holding his nerve as Casson struck him for three consecutive fours before unwisely attempting a fourth and slicing an away swinger to Peter Morgan at cover.
With two new batsmen at the crease, the score again stagnated and, in an effort to stimulate proceedings, Moore called up 14 year old leg spinner, Dayan Gulrajani for his first ever bowl in second team cricket. Almost immediately he began to extract prodigious spin from the pitch while maintaining outstanding control for one of such tender years. Gulrajani quickly persuaded 2 perplexed batsmen to place gentle catches in the safe hands of Morgan at cover while another was lured from his crease, whereupon wicketkeeper James Reilly delivered the coup de grace.
With the batsmen now concentrating solely on survival, Moore oversaw the novel and welcome scenario of two teenage leg spinners bowling in tandem, by introducing Branson to the fray. Both youngsters were unlucky not to make further in-roads, however Moore's over-eager attempts to close the Ardleigh Green innings backfired as the lower order batsmen finally found their range against the pair and managed to take the score to 185 for 8 before declaring after 52 overs.
Although this score was higher than it should have been, David Smith and Steve Taylor began the Brentwood response in confident style and it was a surprise when Smith and number 3 Chris Boon were out in quick succession with the score at 37. As feared, the pitch was now deteriorating noticeably but, batting sensibly, Taylor and Morgan added exactly 100 for the next wicket. With the required run rate below 5 per over Brentwood sat in pole position and even when Morgan was out for 54 there was no hint of the chaos that was to follow as Taylor continued grittily and Nigel McKay moved into double figures with ominous power.
With just 26 runs required from 7 overs, McKay was bowled playing a loose shot. When Taylor followed him for 62, the alarm bells suddenly began to peal. The Ardleigh Green bowlers now believed in themselves and were backed up by fielders who were suddenly sprinting and throwing themselves after every ball. Branson, Moore and Gulrajani edged the score upwards but all perished for single figures and when Lawless was out first ball, all hopes rested with Reilly and Bainbridge finding the 10 runs needed.
With cool heads, both men rose to the challenge magnificently, combining to take 7 from the penultimate over. However with no room for a single error, the Brentwood dressing room held its collective breath before erupting with relief as Reilly pierced the mesh of close fielders to record the winning runs with 3 balls remaining.
Having been in a dominant position, the inability to win the game ruthlessly, presents the Brentwood team with a lesson that must be learned quickly. However, the win now places Brentwood's promotion fate firmly in their own hands with just two games to play.
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30th August
Brentwood 2nd XI v Westcliff-on-Sea 2nd XI
Brentwood 2nd XI - 202-9
Westcliff-on-Sea 2nd XI - 210 all out
Match drawn
The Brentwood 2nd XI was frustrated in their attempt to seal promotion to the premier division, by a keen Westcliff side themselves anxious to stave off the lingering threat of relegation.
With regular skipper Stuart Townson still on 1st team duty, his vice, Ian Moore won the toss and inserted the opposition with the aim of inflicting early damage upon the Westcliff innings. Perhaps over-eager, the usually reliable Moore and Peter Bainbridge produced an inconsistent opening salvo, troubling both openers on occasion but also supplying them with boundary balls in equal measure. Waddingham, down from Westcliff's 1st team for the day, was particularly severe on anything short and, at 85 for 0 after 19 overs, Moore turned to 14 year old leg-spinner, Dayan Gulrajani and ageless off-spinner Keith Burgess, to stem the tide.
A mis-hit pull shot into the hands of Peter Morgan on the square leg boundary was not a text book way of dismissing Waddingham one short of his half century, but with the Westcliff danger man back in the pavilion, Gulrajani had done the trick.
Then, in a fascinating passage of play, the two Brentwood spinners held their nerve, pitting their flight and control against the Westcliff top order which was still intent on attack. A run out, a good catch by wicketkeeper James Reilly, and a superb diving effort by Morgan in the deep, all from Gulrajani's bowling, began to turn the tide.
At the other end, Burgess's turn and lift were helping to re-focus the visitor's thoughts from aggression to survival. However with a maximum 8 overs of the innings remaining, Westcliff, at 192 for 6, were still poised for a big total. However Burgess mesmerised the latter order, including the threatening McElwee, to finish with 4 for 47 and when Moore returned to finish off the innings at 210, Brentwood felt they would be chasing a total that was well within their reach.
With the home side's regular opening pair also on 1's duty, Chris Lawless returned to the 2nd team to open with Chris Boon and immediately began to show renewed confidence after several good scores in the third team. Although he took every opportunity to attack the oppressive Westcliff bowling, the away side's excellent fielding was ensuring that the run rate crept ever upwards and Boon, Morgan and then Davey departed with only minor contributions to their names.
At 88 for 3, Nigel McKay joined Lawless and the pair solidified the Brentwood innings with a 53 run stand that was just beginning to take on real significance, when Lawless was bowled for a fine 75.
Shortly after, Moore was run-out, but Burgess then came in to support McKay as the latter began to open his broad shoulders in characteristic fashion. Although having risen to nearly 8 an over, the run rate was now being overhauled and when McKay was out for an intelligent 46, Burgess picked up the challenge.
With 21 needed from 15 balls, an unlikely victory was back on the cards, so long as Burgess remained at the crease. Alas, that was not to be and his dismissal left the last three batsmen with no alternative but to settle for gathering a final batting point as the innings closed at 202 for 9.
Having missed one opportunity, Brentwood now travel to bottom club Horndon-on-the-Hill, on the final weekend of the season, holding a 10 point advantage over local rivals Upminster for the right to join champions Woodford Wells in the top division next season. A tense afternoon is assured but, once again, Brentwood's fate remains in their own hands.
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6th September
Brentwood 2nd XI v Horndon-on-the-Hill 2nd XI
Horndon-on-the-Hill 2nd XI - 204-3
Brentwood 2nd XI - 201-6 dec
Horndon won by 7 wickets
Brentwood 2nd XI travelled to relegated Horndon-on-the-Hill knowing that securing 9 points from the game would seal a second successive promotion and nail down their place in next season's Premier Division. However, rather than finishing the season with a flourish, the lacklustre performance which at times had skipper Stuart Townson tearing his hair out in exasperation, saw Brentwood stagger rather than sprint over the finishing line.
Horndon won the toss and inserted Brentwood which suited the away side's game plan. Facing a father and son opening attack, Brentwood's innings began in a circumspect fashion against the accurate away swing bowling of Terry Hills. His son Tom provided a few loose deliveries to score from but Chris Boon failed to realise he had an excellent throwing arm and stupidly ran himself out with the score on 16. Hills Snr continued to cause the batsmen problems and he claimed the wicket of Chris Lawless for 20. Having seen off the opening attack Peter Morgan and Steve Taylor began to repair the damage and were both looking well set before Taylor chased a wider delivery from the new bowler Benson and was caught behind for a patient 23. Townson joined Morgan at the crease and the scoring rate began to increase as both batsmen began to cash in against the second string attack. However, Brentwood were in danger of failing to achieve their 8 batting points when Morgan was bowled for 35 and Townson for 18 to leave the innings rocking slightly at 129-5.
At this point Nigel McKay was joined by the experienced Keith Burgess and the pair took responsibility for getting their side to the target of 200. Whilst Burgess played a sensible supporting role, McKay began to play more expansively and struck three sixes, clearing the Horndon pavilion with one, as Brentwood eventually achieved their target with 3 and a half overs to spare. McKay's knock of 61 not out was exactly what his team required and his big hitting attracted favourable comparisons with the new England hero Andrew Flintoff. However, Flintoff's recent success has been built on losing weight and a new found fitness, it is at this point that the comparisons with McKay have to stop!!!
Brentwood emerged for the second half of the game in a jocular manner, probably believing that the job had been done. This belief was given a rude awakening as the normally reliable Ian Moore and Peter Bainbridge failed to locate a consistent line and length. With Townson setting attacking fields, in a bid to win the game, the scoring rate began to rise at an alarming rate and a sense of unease spread throughout the Brentwood team. Nevertheless the bowling and fielding continued in a poor fashion with half the team seeming more concerned about the England football match than the game in which they were playing.
Brentwood enjoyed their first piece of luck when the Horndon opener hit a full toss from 14 year old Dayan Gulrajani to mid on, but they then had to wait for another fifty runs, with the score on 125 before Crooks was dismissed in a similar fashion by the persevering Burgess. Luckily Brentwood did not have to wait long for the third wicket as Burgess soon dismissed Newton for 60, to ensure Brentwood's ninth point. Once promotion was secured there was a sense of anti-climax as the Horndon batsmen continued to punish some wayward bowling and cruised to a 7 wicket victory. West in particular took a heavy toll reaching 54 not out.
Credit must go to Horndon for ensuring that what could have been an end of season stroll, was anything but and comprehensively outplaying their visitors. With a number of players coming up from the third eleven they showed far more tenacity, grit and hunger for the game than their opponents, which given what was at stake for Brentwood is quite inexplicable. Nevertheless securing second place in the league does not come about as a consequence of a single performance and over the course of the season Brentwood have certainly earned the chance to play in the highest league next year. It has been a season that has seen the strength in depth at the top end of the club severely tested, with the loss of a number of established 1st XI players. With promotion being secured by the top two sides it will go down as one of the most successful in the clubs history. Credit must go to all involved during the season and who can now relax and bask in the warm glow of success.
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