2008 Season 2nd XI Match Reports

10th May

Brentwood 2nd XI - 239-8
Ilford 2nd XI - 150 all out
Brentwood won by 89 runs

Report by Paul Larner

Chris Boon's second team began their title chase in the Premier League of the second team league with an away trip to Ilford who narrowly finished behind them last year in third place. With both teams facing each other in last year's last league game which finished with Brentwood getting the upper hand in a draw another close encounter could be expected. Ilford's captain Ali won the toss on a sunny day and after a team discussion inserted Brentwood on a decent looking wicket.

Captain Boon opened up with Steve Taylor whilst the rest of the team sat close to both their mobiles in case either had a call from their expectant other halves. The calls never came and despite Taylor offering an early chance the pair took the score past fifty. Taylor (18) was adjudged LBW by the home team's umpire. It turned out to be a familiar departure as both Boon and Paul Larner departed LBW to the same bowler Jalil; none of the batsmen were particularly impressed as they were given out. Richard Walford however, kept the ball away from his pads and made his way steadily towards a well constructed fifty. He put on a fifty partnership with Sonny Willis (30) when the Brentwood innings could have gone badly wrong. Walford was finally caught at mid wicket for 60 and Ben Holmes, Paul Degg and James Reilly all made useful contributions as Brentwood made their way to a substantial score of 239-8.

At tea Brentwood sensed that the first league game of the season could provide them with twenty points and set about getting the ten wickets needed. With the normal pairing of Paul Degg and Dave Balroop opening up the bowling Brentwood put early pressure on the Ilford openers. The nine million pound man Balroop took the opening wicket and quickly followed it up with two more as only Malik (28) provided any resistance. Newly acquired spinner Rajesh Bagtharia was brought on first change for Degg and put the Ilford batsmen under immediate pressure. He worked well in tandem with Balroop and picked up 3-32 from his first ten overs in second team cricket. Balroop (6-45) picked up yet another five wicket haul reducing Ilford to 72-9 before taking a well earned rest.

However, Ilford usually provide a few surprises and today was no exception as the tenth wicket decided that with 158 to win that they could do it. Jalil, who had bowled well in the Brentwood innings, and Gabbit whose erratic behaviour at the crease was at best odd, started finding all parts of Valentine's park nearly, at one point, taking a rather large chap's head of as he lay snoozing in the afternoon sun. With Ilford looking like they might achieve an unlikely draw Paul Degg found the edge of the bat and Holmes took the catch at gully.

Boon's second team, runners up last year to Chelmsford, have started the year in perfect fashion and Boon, who is unavailable for the next couple of weeks as he becomes a father for the first time was delighted with the start. "Today we did what we could not last year which was build partnerships when batting but we also picked up where we left off last year which was bowling well in partnerships." Boon's team face promoted Fives and Heronians at the OCG next week looking to build on the perfect start.

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24th May

Chingford 2nd XI - 156 all out
Brentwood 2nd XI - 157-3
Brentwood won by 7 wickets

Report by Paul Larner

Brentwood's second team maintained their early season title aspirations with a convincing victory at Chingford on Saturday. On a bright day with a slightly green looking pitch captain Chris Boon won the toss and inserted the home side. It was then down to Brentwood's bowlers to restrict the opposition as best they could on what looked a potentially high scoring wicket.

Opening pair Dave Balroop and Paul Degg put the Chingford openers under early pressure with Degg particularly impressing. He accounted for two of the Chingford top three after Balroop had bowled opener Whitfield. Despite intense pressure Chingford were recovering from 30-3 and looked set for a good score at 70-3 but the introduction of Rocky Barbone, who removed Piper, and Khan Sohail who removed Rhone triggered the demise of the Chingford innings. Barbone who then bowled a 15 over spell through to the end of the Chingford innings was excellent removing two more Chingford batsmen. Balroop returned and polished off the tail with the aid of a juggling Boon. Brentwood's bowling and fielding was exceptional and the pressure was on the batters to follow suit.

Despite losing new dad Boon for one Brentwood never looked in any real trouble and in form Richard Walford and Steve Taylor (72) put on 100 for the second wicket. Taylor was at his imperious best driving at ease and Walford (32) never looked in trouble until both were out LBW to the impressive McGregor (2-39). It was left to Paul Larner (18no) and Balroop (19no) to see Brentwood home to win by 7 wickets with 13 overs to go.

Captain Boon was in jubilant mood, "We have had an excellent start to the season with two wins in two playable games and have 38 points. We know we have tough games ahead starting at Colchester next week but we need to maintain our early season momentum."

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21st June

Loughton 2nd XI - 257-4
Brentwood 2nd XI - 258-8
Brentwood won by 2 wickets

Report by Chris Boon

Brentwood travelled to Loughton on Saturday determined to continue their 100% winning start to the season. Having won 3 out of 3 with 3 matches lost to the weather, Brentwood found themselves mid-table, knowing that a win would throw them back in the mix at the top of the table.

The vain hope that the summer solstice would bring warm sunshine to proceedings was lost in low cloud and miserable drizzle; fortunately the drizzle relented and play commenced almost on time.

Brentwood skipper Chris Boon lost the toss but was delighted that his bowlers were asked to make first use of a damp but flat looking pitch. Loughton were without a win, and with the Brentwood opening attack of Degg and Balroop early inroads were expected. Things didn't quite go to plan, Degg was strangely out of sorts and Balroop was not extracting as much from the wicket as was hoped and the Loughton openers began to dominate, Khan with powerful straight drives and Wood with neat deflections. The Brentwood fielding became ragged, with the notable exception of 16-year-old debutant Ross Cant who also bowled a promising 6 over spell, and at the halfway stage Loughton were cruising at 145-0, looking set for a total of 300 plus.

Boon turned back to the ever reliable Balroop, who began to demonstrate excellent control and in off-spinner Rajesh Bagtharia he found a reliable partner and the boundries began to dry up, and finally the partnership was broken when Balroop found the edge of Wood's bat and Brooks held on to sharp chance and he was gone for a fine 91. Bagtharia followed this up in the next over by bowling Khan for 84 and the score was 185-2.

The same 2 bowlers continued to the end and both bowled 20 overs and picked up a wicket more apiece and the Loughton innings closed on 257-4.

The Brentwood reply began in fine style with new father Steve Taylor and Jabar Raja both finding the rope with ease until Taylor slapped a long-hop to point and departed for 19.

Raja was next to go, unable to contain his excitement at the introduction of the left arm spin of Coppeard and holing out to long-on for 34.

The Brentwood middle order continued to keep up with the 5 an over run rate with Willis and Balroop both making 26. They both fell to the spin of Coppeard and this brought Dave Smith and skipper Chris Boon to the wicket. These 2 continued to score at the required rate, Smith with some sumptuous sweep strokes and Boon with some more agricultural methods.

Smith was out for a classy 37 and next in was Ben Holmes. He and Boon took the score to 210 when Holmes was bowled by Wilden.

This brought Paul Degg to the crease and the pressure had obviously got to him as he smashed his first ball from Wilden over the longest boundry. The obligatory block came out next ball, which prompted a shout from a Loughton fielder of, "He's painting by numbers," cue the next ball is sent over the practise nets, "Yeah, that's 6 more numbers," was the witty riposte from Degg. Wilden was taken out of the firing line and replaced with Ramsden who bowled Degg comprehensively and then had Brooks adjudged leg before first ball.

With 25 still needed from 6 overs and only 2 wickets remaining Ross Cant joined his skipper and these two sensibly worked the ball into gaps for singles.

A high full toss was smashed over the short leg side boundry by Boon and the winning runs were hit by Cant with Brentwood achieving victory with an over and a half to spare.

This was an excellent run chase with all the top order chipping in and Boon finishing 69 not-out. However with games against Wanstead and champions Chelmsford to come Brentwood will have to up their fielding to maintain their title aspirations.

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28th June

Brentwood 2nd XI - 253 all out
Wanstead 2nd XI - 198-7
Match Drawn

Report by Paul Larner

Brentwood were thwarted by a strong batting performance from Wanstead in their attempt to win their 5th consecutive game. After Captain Chris Boon lost the toss Brentwood were asked to bat first on a good looking pitch and sunny day.

However, they lost opener Steve Taylor early on to the impressive Wanstead opener but Paul Larner (67) and Peter Morgan soon restored the normal service for 2008 as they took the attack to the opposition bowlers. They scored freely with Morgan (41) impressively pulling anything short of a length. The excellent partnership was flourishing, they'd put on over a hundred in less than 20 overs, before Larner ran out Morgan looking for a needless quick single.

The runs did not dry up immediately but the wickets started to fall as Larner was the first of six LBW decisions, in which some were closer than others. A number of batsmen came and went in quick succession and soon, a position from where 300 might have been possible, became a scramble for the 200 mark. It was left to Captain Boon and Paul Degg to get the innings back on track. From 170-8 Boon (45no) pushed and prodded early on whilst Degg did what Degg (40) does best, he smashed the ball over the trees. One hit over mid-wicket was particularly impressive in a partnership which saved the ailing innings.

After Tim Barbone was out first ball at the end of the 51st over Brentwood had recovered to 253AO. It was a position which looked par at 119-1 but looked unlikely at 170-8, Boon was happy at the half way stage. He was much happier when Joe Fryd clean bowled one of the Wanstead openers. When Neil Wicks caught the other behind the stumps Brentwood thought that they had their opponents two down, but apparently not as neither batsmen nor umpire agreed. He then went on to get vital runs and set Wanstead up for a good reply but not a winning reply. Brentwood's bowlers found a good line and length and the six an over required for victory never seemed likely. Degg found this weeks pitch to his liking as he picked up 2-37.

Captain Boon also had the midus touch in the field as every bowling change led to a wicket. All the bowlers contributed but it seemed that Brentwood would finish with just 10 points and Wanstead 8 (as they approached 200). However, a vital wicket with 3 overs to go gave Brentwood the extra point and some excellent bowling and good captaincy from Boon restricted Wanstead to just the 3 batting points as they fell short of 200.

Boon, although disappointed to not record a fifth consecutive victory, was pleased with the performance, "We showed a distinct improvement in the field taking some good catches and ground fielding was good. We continue to bowl superbly well and the batting, although at times threatening to fall apart, scores well."

Next week Brentwood face a top of the table clash against Chelmsford as the teams that finished first and second last year compete for the first time this year.

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5th July

Brentwood 2nd XI - 207 all out
Chelmsford 2nd XI - 97 all out
Brentwood won by 110 runs

Report by Paul Larner

Brentwood achieved what they hope will be a decisive victory in chase for the second team premier league title. They hammered their title rivals Chelmsford to replace them at the top of the league winning the game by 110 runs and restricting the top of the league team to just 4 points. It had started badly though as they lost the toss and were asked to bat on a green looking wicket. As it turned out it was a good toss to lose.

Captain Chris Boon opened with Steve Taylor who scored 39 despite pulling his hamstring and Peter Morgan who departed with the score at 31. Tight bowling particularly from Everard restricted Brentwood in the first half of their innings as they stumbled to 71-3 when Taylor and Paul Larner departed. This brought Jabber Raja together with Dave Balroop and together they took the game to the spinners that had been introduced. Raja was using his feet well and the two batted without any major scare. They had put on nearly 100 when Raja (62) was caught at long-on. Balroop too was superbly caught on 42 when looking set for another big score.

Unfortunately for Brentwood this slowed their scoring rate as wickets including a poor run out of Paul Degg threatened to stop them getting past 200 within their allotted 52 overs. With captain Boon one of the wickets to go looking to take the scoring rate on with a particularly ugly shot. Brentwood were out in the last over for 207. A credible score on a difficult wicket but Chelmsford had bowled their overs very quickly and were likely to get at least the same number of overs back.

Brentwood's bowling attack was quickly into its rhythm with Degg and Balroop swinging and seaming the ball. The Chelmsford openers were finding scoring difficult and, after Eddie Allen's good catch from Balroop's bowling, the home team were under pressure. It was pressure that was too much to handle as Degg picked up two wickets to catches from stand-in wicket keeper Larner.

The scoring was below two an over and the league leaders were 30-3. There was some middle order resistance most notably from Daniels and Boon decided to give Degg a rest. Debutant James Boon (no relation) made an instant impression. The youngster had been given a surprise call up from captain Boon, but the skipper's instinct was a good one as Boon struck in his first over, then his second, then his third and before Chelmsford could say "bat for the draw" the debutant had taken 6 wickets for just 9 runs to bowl the home team out for just 97. It was a remarkable performance as the youngster bowled his first three overs without conceding a run.

Captain Boon was also delighted with the fielding with Raja and Greg Holmes excellent in the covers. His second team also took nine catches, six of which were taken by Larner in an impeccable display behind the stumps, before Boon junior bowled the Chelmsford number 11. It was clearly their best performance of the season and it may prove to be vital as it provided a 16 point swing against their main title rivals. Boon senior was ecstatic, "It was an outstanding performance, all the bowlers were on the mark but obviously I'm delighted to see James be successful on his debut. If we play like this every week we'll win the league comfortably."

Brentwood continue their title aspirations at home against Chingford next Saturday hoping that the team leading the league at the end of the first half of the season will be the same team at the end of the season.

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12th July

Brentwood 2nd XI - 186-8 declared (10 points)
Chingford 2nd XI - 167-9 (5 points)
Match Drawn

Report by Paul Larner

Brentwood's second team ended the day frustrated as they failed to bowl out Chingford to win the game at the OCG on Saturday. However, at some stages of the game it was looking like a first defeat so Captain Chris Boon was probably content with the result.

It was Boon who lost his third consecutive toss and Brentwood were asked to bat on a green wicket in over cast conditions. They lost stand in openers Paul Larner and Ben Holmes early before Richard Walford gave the innings momentum and at 50-2 after twelve overs in difficult conditions Brentwood were looking set for an imposing total. However, some injudicious shot selection led to quick wickets falling and Brentwood's captain was at the crease with Greg Holmes with the score at 71-5.

Holmes and Boon dug in and although Holmes played and missed at the odd delivery and Boon may have been dropped the odd time they battled hard to move the score to respectability. After Boon had reached 50, and after running three three's in an over, he was stumped. Unfortunately his plan of giving his wicket away so that Paul Degg could come in and smash it did not materialise as Holmes attempted a perfectly safe quick single that Degg somehow failed to make; maybe the personal trainer needs a bit of speed work.

The up and down Brentwood innings which threatened to score big before looking like ending before 100 finally finished on a respectable 186-8 in bowler friendly conditions. Brentwood had bowled Chingford out for less in the away fixture so felt confident of victory. It started according to plan as Degg fired up from his lack of running pace proved that he had some pace with the ball as he reduced Chingford to 2-2. Chingford on this occasion recovered however and at 30-2 were looking like they might pressure the Brentwood score.

Dave Balroop finally struck and the scoring rate was reduced even lower with Rocky Barbone's bowling which was proving to be tighter than Ben Holmes' jumper. The run rate was rising gradually as Brentwood again fielded well. Richard Alston stood firm though and the opener was single handedly trying to win the game for Chingford. This however stopped when, slightly to the bemusement of his team Boon brought himself back on, and Alston attempting to put the 'flighted' Boon delivery into the car park (Sainsbury's), only proceeded to get himself stumped by James Reilly. After a farcical run out the Chingford run chase ended and they attempted to see out the remaining 3 overs. However, Balroop struck again with 3 balls to go and Brentwood had two deliveries to win the game. Balroop, the £9m man took the edge with the last delivery but it fell well short of the six man slip cordon.

Boon was pleased with the effort in the field, "It was another very good performance, we did not get the best of the conditions but made the best of what we had, Greg Holmes batted very well and all the bowlers contributed at vital times."

The second team travel to Fives & Heronians next week as they seek to get their title challenge back on course; they are as desperate for Boon to win the toss as they are for the weather to hold.

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19th July

Brentwood 2nd XI - 126 all out (3 points)
Fives & Heronians 2nd XI - 128-3 (18 points)
Fives & Heronians won by 7 wickets

Report by Paul Larner

Brentwood Cricket Club suffered a black Saturday and the second team, flying high at the top of the league, were part of it as they suffered their first defeat of the season away at Fives & Heronians. The game started as all games seem to at the moment, with Chris Boon losing the toss and Brentwood being asked to bat first but it looked like a good batting wicket.

The opening pair of Paul Larner (28) and Peter Morgan (21) started well and there was no sign of an impending collapse as they put on 50 for the first wicket. However, they both departed caught behind and Jabber Raja soon followed slashing at a wide delivery. Richard Walford and Dave Balroop seemed to steady the ship before Balroop was the fourth man out caught attempting an unnecessary scoring shot. Brentwood's inept batting was met with some excellent fielding and bowling from the home team as every chance was taken including a brilliant caught and bowled that removed Walford (27).

Brentwood's tail were removed equally quickly but they had scraped 2 batting points before the last two batsmen were adjudged caught behind. The Fives innings started before the tea break and Balroop had clean bowled one of the openers early as Brentwood threatened an unlikely victory. In the game's only moment of controversy Neil Braithwaite, the prolific scoring Fives opener, stood his ground when caught, off of the glove, down the leg side by stand in 'keeper Larner. The umpire thought that the ball had clipped his wrist rather than the glove and the batsmen decided the only walk back to the boundary he was going to take was as a result of the tea being ready.

After tea Paul Degg bowled superbly well somehow managing not to pick up a wicket despite beating Braithwaite's edge more times than he managed to hit the ball. In one over Degg passed the outside edge five times. However, slowly, the home side acquired the runs to secure the victory that had looked likely from the point the Brentwood innings went from 50-0 to 50-3.

Brentwood suffered their first defeat but disappointingly they scored just 3 points and probably deserved less than that judging them on their batting alone. On the plus side it may have been much closer should justice have prevailed with Braithwaite, but victory is very unlikely when you score just 126. Boon's men are now 11 points off of the top spot that they had been in at the start of the game. They also, next week, have a vital clash against Ilford who have taken their top spot. Boon was scathing, "It doesn't matter who wins the toss you don't win games scoring 126, the top five have got to learn that you can't afford to lose wickets in quick succession. If we want to win this league we have got to bat in partnerships and not rely totally on our bowling. It is a disappointing result but how we react will determine how successful our season will be."

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2nd August

Colchester 2nd XI - 263-4 declared
Brentwood 2nd XI - 265-6
Brentwood won by 4 wickets

Report by Chris Boon

After two disappointing results Brentwood returned to winning ways on Saturday with an excellent run chase that puts them back into the running for the premier league title.

Brentwood skipper Chris Boon was thrilled to win the toss and had no hesitation in asking Colchester to bat first on a hard wicket with a green tinge he felt would assist his new ball pairing of Paul Degg and Dave Balroop.

Degg bowled with pace and twice found the edge of Ahmed's bat only to see both chances put down, at the other end Balroop struggled to maintain a consistent line and the reprieved Ahmed took full advantage striking boundries both sides of the wicket.

Brentwood were put under considerable pressure as Boon rotated his bowlers but was unable to make the break-through and Ahmed raced to an emphatic century. Eventually the partnership was broken when 17-year-old Sam Rounce making his second team debut tempted Ahmed down the pitch and James Reilly completed a neat stumping.

Brentwood now began to regain control and James Boon removed Fisher, brilliantly caught by Greg Holmes for 60, and Paul Degg, who bowled superbly all day, was rewarded with two late wickets. Despite the Brentwood fight back, the visitors were still in a commanding position, so much so that skipper Mat Mehan declared with two overs remaining, and the Colchester innings closed on 263-4. Degg and Sam Rounce were the pick of the Brentwood attack.

A mad rush to wheel out the covers as the innings closed in drizzle was to prove vital as the heavens opened as the players sat down to their tea, which meant the Brentwood batsmen could enjoy the excellent batting surface and the visitors would have to contend with a wet ball.

The Brentwood openers Steve Taylor and Shane Surajbally started in fine style and put on 55 for the first wicket, Surajbally was bowled by Attanayake for a powerful 34. Taylor then edged behind and Pete Morgan followed perhaps unfortunately first ball, Brentwood were reeling at 58-3.

What followed was an exceptional partnership between Dave Balroop and Chris Boon junior who put on 120 at 7 an over Boon departed for 44 tamely chipping the ball back to Hussain, whose three overs cost his side 40 runs. This brought to the crease Degg promoted up the order due to being "in the form of my life skipper", he duly blazed his way to 17 in five balls from the hapless Hussain before being stumped off the bowling of Stephens. With the run rate now manageable, Greg Holmes joined Balroop at the crease and batted sensibly whilst Balroop continued to dominate the visiting attack. Holmes departed for 26 but Balroop went on to complete a majestic century finishing 107 not out with skipper Boon unbeaten on 5 as Brentwood chased down their target with 8 balls remaining.

Skipper Boon was in ebullient mood at the end of play and was full of praise for his young side. "Despite a poor start we fought back well and Balroop's innings was exceptional, I just hope we can continue in the same vein next week away at Hainault."

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30th August

Brentwood 2nd XI - 276-6 declared
Woodford Wells 2nd XI - 225 all out
Brentwood won by 51 runs

Report by Paul Larner

Ryan Barker's superb 156no in only his second game for Brentwood's second team enabled Chris Boon's team to set an imposing 277 for victory at Woodford Wells on Saturday. It was a target the Wells' seemed unlikely to get from the outset.

Boon's second team, which had only won one in the last six matches, effectively ending their title aspirations, were facing a team with an outside hope of winning the league. Boon took one look at the green wicket and decided it was a good day to bat, his team were very quickly 10-2 though as opening bowler Watkins took the wickets of Ed Nation and Andy Taker. Watkins was bowling an excellent spell. He beat the outside edge of Barker and Paul Larner, who returned to the side after a five week lay off, several times in his intial 11 over spell.

However Larner, the St Martin's PE teacher playing with his former pupil Barker weathered the early storm and found the runs easier to find from the opposite end to Watkins and particularly after he came off. Barker sailed past 50 and then unleashed some mighty hits firstly through a neighbours car back windscreen and then over the sight screen on the longest part of the boundary. After Larner (39) was out to the returning Watkins, the two had put on over a hundred for the third wicket. Barker was unstoppable as he hit two fours and a six to go past a hundred as wickets fell at the other end. Ben Holmes (20no) finally offered some support but it was the Barker show as he past 150 and Boon declared.

After the best innings of the year the bowlers more than did their bit. Paul Degg took three wickets in his first four overs two well caught by Nation behind the stumps and one by Larner at second slip. As the Wells recovered Rocky Barbone was introduced and put the squeeze on and the runs dried up. Somehow Barbone managed not to take a wicket in his first 16 overs whilst Boon brought himself on at the other end and picked up a smart caught and bowled chance. However, after he was launched into Woodford High Street he asked Degg (3-33) and then the impressive James Welham (3-34) to return and finish the tail off.

By the latter stages Barbone, comfortably Brentwood's best and unluckiest bowler managed to clean bowl two Wells batters. Boon will be hoping that next year he can get the Degg, Dave Balroop and Barbone combination working on a more regular basis in his next title quest as this combination would, without question, make this quest significantly easier. It was Welham, in his debut second team game that finished the job off though and Boon's boys had their first twenty point victory since June. Boon was unstandably delighted, "It was great to see another young player make a significant contribution. Ryan Barker, another off of the St Martin's conveyor belt of talent, played the best second team innings of the year, and set us up nicely for victory. If only we could have performed in the last five weeks we could still have been in with a chance on the last game next week, I can't put my finger on what the missing link has been recently."

Brentwood have a final home game against Loughton next week hoping a win might snatch them second place.

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