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3rd June
Hutton 4th XI - 217-9 declared
Brentwood 4th XI - 218-0
Brentwood won by 10 wickets
Report by Damian Muncaster
An incredible opening partnership of 218 sealed an emphatic victory for Brentwood 4ths, in the sunshine, at Hutton on Saturday. In a beauty and the beast combination, Phil Rees all timing and elegance (75no) and Shane Surujbally a keg of belligerent power (126no) were no match for a shell shocked Hutton bowling attack.
Earlier though, the outlook had been different and Hutton would have turned round after tea in a quietly confident mood after posting a more than respectable total of 217, albeit in the most bizarre circumstances.
Brentwood Skipper Webb won the toss and with the sun on their backs for the first time this season decided to bowl. And an inspired decision it appeared to be. With the wicket still a little damp after the recent poor weather, the conditions were tailored made for Brentwood's Rolls Royce of an opening attack, Messrs Payne and Barbone.
With Barbone resplendent in the latest luxury knitwear and reaction lenses and Payne full length and fabulous, as they began to bowl it was evocative of Trevor Coote at an eat-all-you-can buffet, as they demolished the Hutton top order. Payne was tormentor in chief and collected 6 victims (6-51 from 13 overs) and was ably supported by Barbone (1-25 off 14 overs). Payne will rightly claim the plaudits but it must be noted what a vital role Barbone played and it was evident that all his hard work in the gym over the winter was coming to fruition.
So Hutton were reeling at 70-7, bowling was tight, the fielding was fast, Childs with the reflexes of a cat took 3 expert slip catches and Rees with reflexes of a slightly older cat snaffled another 3. Best of all, Webby hadn't called us spineless. Things were going too well .... and so it proved.
Hutton eventually started to build a partnership and slowly but surely runs began to flow, mainly from the bat of the excellent Ben Holdsworth who's perfect timing allied to some powerful hitting saw him accelerate over the 50 mark. He found an able ally in Kishore and as Brentwood became ragged, both batsmen started to weigh in. Brentwood did drop Holdsworth three times but overall it was a tremendous knock as he ended up with 126 and left his team on a competitive 217-9.
There was work to be done for the Brentwood batsmen and although the early initiative was with the Hutton side, some severe violence from the Surujbally blade and effortless stroke play by Rees soon saw Brentwood regain the box seat.
Surujbally became rampant and was all over the Hutton bowlers like a deputy prime minister. The ball was dispatched to all quarters and it wasn't long before the finishing post was in site. Rees with his Douglas Jardine demeanour was also irrepressible, at one stage hitting consecutive sixes. And before we could say, "Peter Crouch for the Golden Boot," the result was a formality. Hutton had been demoralised and a topsy-turvy game had been settled in emphatic style. Roll on next week.
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10th June
Brentwood 4th XI - 178 all out
Hornchurch 4th XI - 181-9
Hornchurch won by 1 wicket
Report by Damian Muncaster
Brentwood travelled to Hornchurch with a much changed side from last weeks destruction of Hutton and it was a lack of strength in depth that finally told for Brentwood 4ths. Late cry offs by Mark Fowler and Terence Higgins were keenly felt throughout the game.
In a tense encounter Hornchurch needed to score 12 runs from the final over with only 1 wicket remaining to claim victory and unfortunately those runs duly arrived.
With the searing heat and England's world cup kick off dominating thoughts, there was a subdued atmosphere to proceedings at Cromer Road on Saturday. Brentwood lost the toss and were invited to bat whereupon steady progress was made by the Brentwood openers Morgan and new social secretary Mahadeo.
But this was soon to change as a Mahadeo was triggered from nowhere by Brentwood umpire Woodward to upset proceedings. The ubiquitous Morgan had looked untroubled for his 16 until he then nibbled at a wide one and when Datta played all round a straight delivery soon after Brentwood were rocking.
But the steadying influence of Dave Childs (73) currently going through the 'menoporsche', combined with the persistence of James Lynn, put Brentwood on the road to recovery.
Childs in his first game of his 37th season wasn't at his fluent best, but wasn't going to give away his wicket cheaply and with Lynn finding his range with some lusty blows, the Brentwood score started to tick over nicely. But with the score at 160-5 the game swung dramatically back into Hornchurch's favour.
Lynn was clean bowled for 54 and in a collapse reminiscent of a Russian leisure centre, a combination of a Mauro Camoranesi of a tail and some horrible shot selection saw Brentwood blasted out for 178, the last seven wickets yielding a meager 18 runs.
Brentwood had work to do to get anything from this game. In a bid to slow down the run rate and get off to a tight start, skipper Webb (3-70 from 20 overs) refused the new ball and opened the bowling with the slower options of himself and Muncaster (3-36 from 13 overs). Slower in bowling speed not in mental aptitude, it will be noted.
And the decision was almost immediately rewarded. Some observers may judge that the Hornchurch opener just missed a straight full toss but those that appreciate the fine art of the non spinning spinner realise that Muncaster had produced a wickedly flighted looping dipping swerving delivery to clean bowl the batsmen in his first over.
Webb soon got in on the act as he clean bowled the first of his victims again with flight, grip and rip that almost seemed unfair and then claimed his second wicket aided by a full length diving one handed catch from Muncaster at mid wicket.
The economy was good and the wickets were tumbling as Hornchurch struggled to 70-6. Brentwood had given themselves a real chance in the game. Coote was then brought into the attack and the switch paid dividends as he made the next breakthrough. Clean bowled with his famous reverse swing delivery that Simon Jones owes so much to.
Hornchurch then provided some resistance and a partnership started to build and the run total wasn't looking quite so distant. It even caused the mental and physical disintegration of Brentwood bowler James Woodward who had to leave the pitch with injury.
This though allowed 14yr old Tom Patient to take his 4th team bow and it only took until his second over to make a vital breakthrough, an edge behind snaffled by the Bajan Ollie Walker whose work behind the stumps had been as clean cut as his image.. It was game on as Brentwood just needed the two wickets for victory and Hornchurch needed 30 runs.
Brentwood, without talisman Barbone (absent due to an unfortunate case of brown-nose) needed inspiration as Hornchurch edged to victory and there was only one man who was going to provide that inspiration on Saturday. After his catch earlier in the day that made Shaka Hislop seem leaden footed, John Morgan was brought into the attack much to the delight of the traveling faithful, and duly delivered with a crucial wicket.
The game was now approaching a squeaky-bum conclusion. And despite Morgan's best efforts it all came down to that last over..12 runs needed and 1 wicket to take, with our skipper taking on the responsibility, but with a six off the first ball Hornchurch cruised it with the excellent number eight seeing them home unbeaten on 56.
Overall a decent game played in good spirits in which Brentwood's middle and lower order collapse ultimately cost them dear.
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17th June
Brentwood 4th XI - 140 all out
Hainault & Clayhall 4th XI - 141-8
Hainault & Clayhall won by 2 wickets
Report by Damian Muncaster
Yet again it was a case of so close yet so far for Brentwood 4's on Saturday. Brentwood competed to the end but ultimately were left to rue missed chances as they recorded their 3rd loss of the season in a 2 wicket defeat to Hainault and Clayhall.
The malnourished Tom Childs was back into the line-up for this fixture after his winter, at the tax payers expense, as a soap dodging, sheep shagging, booze hound, sorry student, in Cardiff. Added to that the return of Barbone and Mick 'Buffet' Payne and it was a familiar looking 4th team that took the field.
But after electing to bat first, it was also a familiar scenario on the pitch, as Brentwood lost early wickets at regular intervals. Morgan, Childs, Battu and Childs Snr all perished early on and at 30-4, the Brentwood top order had been blown so wide open that Rebecca Loos looked on with envy.
Things were not going to plan, 'Soche' Mahadeo was standing firm though and was desperate for a partner - he was also concerned about the lack of batsmen at the other end - but he needn't have feared as the in-form Webb was next to the crease. Webb's previous scores of 0 and 0 were not a true reflection of the nick he was in and today was the day the cricket world was going to find out.
Soche and Webb set about repairing the damage and as the overs passed by, the confidence began to grow and the scoreboard started to tick. But with a big score beckoning, Mahadeo then fluffed his lines and, having just clubbed a 6 over mid-wicket, a loss of concentration saw him caught at extra cover for 14 and Brentwood were back in trouble at 62 for 5.
Muncaster was up next and apart from two dropped chances, an inside edge that missed the stumps by inches, 8 play and misses and two suicidal attempts at a quick single, it was a faultless innings from Pardew's little brother. Muncaster was providing the perfect foil for his skipper who, for the second time that day, was well and truly in the groove.
In fact some would say Webb was rampant at this point, he was literally buzzing as he closed in on his first half-century of the season. But then Muncaster let him down and was clean bowled for 27 as the score slipped to 100-6. Webb then followed for 54, the wagon-wheel suggesting a slight leg-side bias, and it was left to the lower order to get the score to something defendable. However, despite a couple of lusty blows from Coote and a boundary from the number eleven (hinting to the Captain that he should warrant a place higher up the order) Brentwood ended on a disappointing final score of 140 a/o.
But anyone who was feeling sorry for themselves or down on their performance was immediately lifted by the tea. And as Brentwood took to the field in a pasta bake, carbohydrate-induced euphoria, Hainault & Clayhall did not know what had hit them.
Barbone (3-25 from 16 overs), who hasn't played for over 2 weeks and must have been suffering from some severe fluid retention, unleashed all his pent up aggression on the poor H & C openers. Inspired by his starstruck supporters, 'the bone' was pulsating. Mickey Buffet Payne (4-54) at the other end, feasted on the H&C top order and boy can he feast when he gets going. There was this one time when he was at a party and.... *hooked off stage*
Supported by good catches in the field from Battu and Webb and with The Doctor being fully employed in the field (admittedly a strange sensation for him), Brentwood had the game in their grasp. H & C had capitulated to 35-6, but as victory became a viable possibility, Brentwood switched off, chances went begging and the bowling became ragged. With Hainault skipper Steve Glasse (79 not out) playing the innings off his life, it wasn't long before H & C had the target in their sights.
The re-introduction of Barbone gave Brentwood a brief glimmer of hope - he produced a vital breakthrough to claim his 3rd wicket - but again Brentwood came up just short of victory. But as Priddle and Surtees often discuss, it's the finer details that make all the difference. Defeat.
Brentwood need to regain a ruthless streak in all aspects of their game if a season of woe is to be avoided. This weekend they host Gidea Park and Romford at the OCG.
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1st July
Ardleigh Green 4th XI - 304-5
Brentwood 4th XI - 150 all out
Ardleigh Green won by 154 runs
Report by Damian Muncaster
It was a nightmare on Ardleigh Green this Saturday as Brentwood's 4s were hammered by 154 runs.
In a game where everything that could go wrong did go wrong Brentwood's young side were giving a humiliating lesson that's normally the reserve of Tory MP's and Frank Bough. On yet another baking hot day Brentwood won the toss and decided to field and from pretty much that moment onwards the home side were in control.
One of the few bright spots of the day for Brentwood did come early on in proceedings as Muncaster threw the new ball in the direction of young James Stock. Stock was making his 4th debut after impressing in the 5ths this season and grasped his opportunity with both hands. Bowling a tight line with a touch of away swing his final figures of 5 overs 1-15 meant he was the only bowler to come away with his reputation intact.
Another 4th team debutant took the next wicket fall, as James Earley had the Ardleigh opener dismissed with a legside catch from the cat in the hat behind the stumps John Morgan. Its worth noting that Cocklin's heir apparent has been a real find for the 4s and has taken to the role with the gusto of Alex Priddle to hockey player ... without the sirens of course.
Brentwood at this stage were missing the control of their premier bowler, diet coke break Barbone and runs were coming a steady rate. Brentwood did have chances and a combination of dropped catches, 7 in all, questionable leg before decisions, bad luck off the bowling of Mickey Payne and some superb hitting from the Green batsmen meant the game quickly slipped away from Brentwood.
All Brentwood fielders kept to the task manfully but Ardleigh Green eventually posted a mammoth total of 304-5. Dayan Gulranji was the most successful bowler in terms of wickets and took 2-75.
It was going to be a massive ask of the Brentwood batsmen to get close to that total but openers Mahadeo and Dann started in positive fashion. Then, looking well set, Mahadeo was undone by a lack of bounce and James Lyne was soon to follow just as he also was looking comfortable.
This wasn't to be Lynes last contribution of the day and although Brentwood 4s were defeated on the pitch there was a proud moment to come as Lyne upheld the community spirit, the war against crime and the general good over evil values that our club upholds.
As three youths, all 'nicklesoned' up and no doubt from broken homes, were fleeing from the scene of a crime across our outfield. They were being chased by a member of the police, I think it was Tosh Lyons.
Lyne, who is a self confessed ‘The Bill' and ‘Thin Blue Line' addict, from his position at square leg umpire, took it upon himself to chase after the ASBO wannabes. For a few moments he was reminiscent of Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive risking life, limb and fatherhood as he hurdled a holly bush, Lyne of course got his man, well woman, made a citizens arrests and handed the yoof's over to the police.
It was job done and a fulltime position on Heartbeat beckons. Anyway I digress....
Brentwood being led by Dann and supported by Gulranji had made it to 6.15pm with the loss of only two wickets. Dann was showing all the swash and buckle of last season and 2 sixes with his trademark scoop over square leg saw him serenely cruise past 50.
Victory may have been beyond Brentwood but survival wasn't. Then disaster, as the 20 overs loomed the collapse began. Dann (61) Gulranji (12) and Ashby all departed in quick succession and although Muncaster (17) offered some resistance a procession followed and Brentwood had been skittled out for 150.
So a tough afternoon all round for Brentwood 4ths with a few harsh lessons learnt, it was bad day at the office all round and the side will be looking for improved performance to restore some confidence with next weeks visit to Wanstead.
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22nd July
Brentwood 4th XI - 217-6
Wanstead 4th XI - 98 all out
Brentwood won by 119 runs
Report by Damian Muncaster
Century-maker Sonny Willis
Wanstead's title ambitions were dealt a severe blow on Saturday as Brentwood 4ths produced their most complete performance of the season to win by a convincing 119 runs.
A serene century from 4th team debutant Sonny Willis was the cornerstone of Brentwood's victory but ultimately it was the team performance that won the day with significant contributions from Allen, Patient, Webb, Lyne and Muncaster.
After choosing to bat first, to say Brentwood's innings didn't get off to the best of starts would be like saying Ken Lingwood is a tiny bit out of form. Brentwood were rocking at 5-2 and with a pitch that was rougher than a night out in Bas Vegas, Brentwood were staring at a depressing afternoon.
But Willis had other ideas and, ably supported by Jack Anderson, they set about repairing the innings. Both showed great temperament and technique as they dealt with the spiky pitch, the wet weather and an accurate bowling attack.
But as Brentwood looked to be seizing control Anderson (18) fell victim to the pitch. His delivery kept low and he somehow scooped his shot back into the arms of the bowler. Lyne then joined Willis and together they put on the most significant partnership of the match. Lyne determined not to give his wicket away was the perfect foil to Willis who by now was playing with real confidence.
The partnership was eventually broken. Lyne (25) holed out to mid on but the platform had been laid for a competitive Brentwood total. Allen was next up to the plate and after dispatching his second ball for four, added real impetus to the Brentwood innings. However, after a series of boundaries, home umpire Tom Childs, decided that he'd seen enough of Allen, and with the kind of hair trigger response that has left his girlfriend disappointed on many occasion, Allen was out lbw for 26.
It was now time for Willis to take centre stage and with the minimum of fuss he took Brentwood past the 200 mark - all that was left was for him to complete a flawless hundred. Willis though showed his first flicker of self-doubt, his partner Muncaster responded by saying, "Watchu talking about?" and with this kind of emotional support allied to high cricketing ability, Muncaster helped turn Willis fantasy into reality. Willis cracked a high class unbeaten 111. Quality.
But Wanstead were still in confident mood and with the league's most productive opening batsmen at the crease, fancied their chances. But they hadn't reckoned on 14 year old Tom Patient. Roaring in lean and mean, he could so easily have been mistaken for a young Dave Barbone. He had Singh caught at the wicket and then clean bowled the equally dangerous Velani. Stick a fork in them ... the openers were done and Brentwood, like a rasher of bacon, were on a roll.
This then paved the way for a procession. Allen produced a fiery spell of bowling and his two wickets in two balls put paid to any hope Wanstead had of salvaging anything. He finished with the slightly expensive figures of 3-5 from 6 overs and with Webb claiming 3 scalps at the other end (one of which owed much to athleticism of first slip specialist Coote), victory was assured and it was happy days all round for Brentwood 4ths.
So a top all round performance that augurs well for the Webb's merry band of cads and bounders in the coming weeks. Play up Brentwood.
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29th July
Chelmsford 4th XI - 280-9
Brentwood 4th XI - 226 all out
Chelmsford won by 54 runs
Report by Neil Webb
The fourth team's topsy-turvy season continued on Saturday as, fresh from comprehensively defeating high-flying Wanstead last week, they succumbed to a Chelmsford side who began the day only one place higher than their visitors.
The team arrived at Chelmer Park in buoyant mood to find that they had been placed on the end track of the square, resulting in a 30 yard boundary on one side, suggesting immediately that this might be a day when bat dominated ball. Given this fact and after lengthy discussion with the opposing captain, Brentwood skipper Webb chose to insert his host, putting faith in his batsmen to chase whatever total they were set.
This looked a questionable decision however as the Chelmsford openers posted 95 in just 14 overs for the first wicket, latching onto anything straying in line from the Brentwood new ball attack of Allen and Mistry. The breakthrough was eventually made when Webb brought himself into the attack and spun one past Stock's defence in his first over, but the run rate continued to escalate as Webb and spin-twin Muncaster embarked on mammoth spells and the Chelmsford batsmen seized onto anything even remotely over or under pitched. Muncaster eventually claimed a well-deserved wicket removing the number 3 courtesy of the first of three catches from Willis but the home side's middle order were good enough to support Dewan as the young opener moved serenely to his century. Webb meanwhile, continued to pick up wickets, eventually accounting for Dewan thanks to a rare catch on the boundary from Teflon Childs. A flurry of catches and a curious run out later and the Chelmsford innings came to a close, Muncaster finishing an epic spell of 21 overs, 1 for 106 and Webb a marginally less epic albeit somewhat more fruitful spell of 19 overs, 7 for 90.
Although the Chelmsford score of 280 looked daunting, it was a good effort of Brentwood's to restrict their hosts to less than 300 and, having rattled through their overs quickly, they were likely to receive more overs back in return. Coupled with the short boundary and a strong batting line up, the visitors were confident of chasing down the necessary runs.
They began somewhat inauspiciously however, as Chelmsford elected to start with the old ball and the in-form Mahadeo fell cheaply to a sharp catch in the slips from the bowling of Quidditch champion look-alike Baldwin. Childs seized upon a couple of loose deliveries to move untroubled into the 20's but then, seduced by the short boundary, heaved across the line and edged into his pad, the ball looping to gully for a simple catch. Willis, fresh from his elegant century against Wanstead, looked curiously out of touch and when Anderson missed a straight one, Brentwood were struggling on 48-3 and in need of a match-winning partnership. The most likely pair were Willis and Jones and they began to move their team into a winning position posting 67 for the 4th wicket. But then disaster. Davies, all bearded and bustling from the Galleywood End, got one to rear off a length and Willis gloved behind departing for 33. From then it was a question of whether the middle and lower order could support Jones and keep up with the required rate. Allen contributed a typically aggressive 26 but when he departed on the stroke of the last 20 overs, Brentwood still required 117 for victory, a big ask but one far from beyond them as long as Jones was there. Webb and Jones began their partnership positively to the extent that the required rate came down to just 5 an over with 15 to go. But then Jones holed out to "deep" mid-wicket for an excellent 78 and, two overs later, Webb was bowled by Davies for 25 effectively ending Brentwood's hopes of victory. It was then just a question of whether the tail could hold out for the draw but young Baldwin had other ideas, weaving magic that Hogwarts would be proud of from the Pavilion End, having two LBW appeals upheld and mopping up the tail to seal victory for Chelmsford by 54 runs. Brentwood had lost their last 5 wickets for 18 runs, Baldwin finishing with figures of 8-69.
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