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3rd June
Brentwood 5th XI - 170 all out
Wickford 4th XI - 147 all out
Brentwood won by 23 runs
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood captain Phil Crook won his first toss of the season and chose to bat in what looked to be perfect conditions for batting.
Wickford struck early but this brought Ian Dawes to the crease, who blasted a typically destructive 44 including two sixes, one of which hurtled into the River Crouch. Brentwood then staged a mini-collapse in the middle of the order, due to unforgivable shots that received the punishments they merited. However, Crook stood firm with 21 not out and was ably supported by 14-year-old Toby Robertson, who provided a valuable 15 to guide Brentwood to a respectable score.
With the captain seething at the interval due to at least eight wickets being gifted to the Wickford attack, he decided to take the old ball in an effort to play to the strengths of his talented and promising 15-year-old off spinner, Sam Rounce. It took a while for Rounce to bowl in the right areas but with Matt Lowman picking up the valuable wicket of Wickford skipper Mick Green, Brentwood had made a steady start. At 76-1 the match seemed to be drifting into Wickford's hands but good bowling from Rounce and leg spinner Ed Nation, along with impeccable fielding and wicket-keeping, led to a Wickford collapse and they could only muster 147. Rounce finished with figures of 4-68 off 24 overs whilst Nation contributed superbly with 4-26.
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17th June
Stanford-le-Hope 4th XI - 198 all out
Brentwood 5th XI - 200-4
Brentwood won by 6 wickets
Report by Phil Crook
A swashbuckling innings from Ian Dawes ensured that Brentwood won to maintain their 100% record in games played.
Brentwood were instructed to field by the home skipper and Stanford-le-Hope looked to be struggling at 60-6. However, an unorthodox 40 from Doherty and an excellent 46 from the captain, Adrian Page, ensured that the home side gained a respectable 198. The pick of the bowlers were Will Ashby (4-31) and veteran Andy Fryd (4-29). The wicket keeping by Toby Robertson and the three catches held by Jamie Dawes were also exemplary.
Brentwood's batting line-up looked strong and they made a solid start with Dan Fryd (16), but at 42-2 the game was even. Cue Ian Dawes. His 88, along with a vintage 60 not out from Alan Houston, ensured Brentwood's six-wicket victory.
Brentwood entertain Orsett & Thurrock next week, and a continuation of their performance will be necessary if they are to maintain their strong record in the league.
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24th June
Orsett & Thurrock 4th XI - 171 all out
Brentwood 5th XI - 147 all out
Orsett & Thurrock won by 24 runs
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood succumbed to their first defeat of the season against lowly Orsett & Thurrock at The Drive on Saturday.
Orsett & Thurrock were invited to bat by the home captain and Brentwood quickly made an inroad into the Orsett & Thurrock innings with James Stock taking a wicket on the very first ball of the match. This good piece of fielding from Dan Fryd, and good bowling, continued throughout the Orsett & Thurrock innings, and their score of 171 looked reachable. Stock achieved jug-worthy figures of 5-20, whilst Joe Earley contributed with three important wickets.
Brentwood's response to this attainable target was not impressive. Early wickets fell around a good innings from Kevin Milne (20), and it was not until Will Ashby came to the crease that Brentwood even remotely threatened Orsett & Thurrock's score. Ashby's 31 was an excellent knock, and he should be pleased with his two performances for the 5th team thus far. Although Brentwood's batsmen did not aid their own cause, the Orsett & Thurrock bowling attack was efficient; Page (3-33) and Karkoski (3-12) were the pick of the bowlers.
Thus, Brentwood's batsmen had been punished for a lacklustre performance, and it was a pity for Stock and Earley that their great work before the interval was undone by irresponsible shot selection and Orsett & Thurrock's good attack. The 5th team must improve dramatically against runaway league leaders Upminster 5th XI next week to keep alive their hopes of promotion.
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1st July
Brentwood 5th XI - 115 all out
Upminster 4th XI - 116-4
Upminster won by 6 wickets
Report by Phil Crook
League leaders Upminster thrashed Brentwood in this clash at Gloucester Park.
Brentwood were invited to bat by the home captain and were soon in trouble at 8-2. Things only got worse for Brentwood, and despite resilient batting from Alan Houston (28), their scorecard was not impressive. Matt Lowman and Sam Rounce provided some stability that many of the other Brentwood batsmen should learn from, whilst Andy Fryd and Jamie Dawes provided some clout at the lower end of the order. Brentwood were bowled out for a dismal 115 and this was always going to be incredibly difficult to defend.
That is how it turned out to be, and despite good bowling from Sam Rounce (2-39) and 11-year-old Sam Dawes (2-14), Brentwood simply did not have enough runs on the board to defend. Upminster won by six wickets and are in a commanding position at the head of the division.
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15th July
Hornchurch 6th XI - 204-9
Brentwood 5th XI - 162-8
Match Drawn
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood followed their excellent victory at Old Southendians last week with a gritty performance against high fliers Hornchurch.
Stand-in Brentwood skipper Alan Houston won the toss and invited Hornchurch to bat. Hornchurch batted solidly throughout the innings and most of the batsmen contributed significantly to the score. Unfortunately for Brentwood, the highest scorer in Hornchurch's 204-9 was extras and this is an area that needs to be improved upon in future weeks. Highlights from the Brentwood bowling attack include Andrew Thorpe-Apps' 2-32, Chris Stockwell's 2-45 and Ross Phillips' 1-17 off 6 overs.
Brentwood's batting line-up was not strong on paper but nevertheless the team went out to win the game. Unfortunately, the wickets of key batsmen early in the innings thwarted any chances of victory and Brentwood were left to ensure the draw. Stockwell and Phillips provided Brentwood with a glimmer of hope of victory with 45 and 51 not out respectively, whilst Will Ashby's dogged 20 not out ensured a draw for Brentwood, who ended up on 162-8. There were four wickets apiece for Sharing and Bones, and they were unlucky not to secure the win for Hornchurch.
This result saw Hornchurch gain more points than Brentwood, but it will be the latter that will be the happiest with the outcome of this competitive match. Brentwood now lie 5th in the table and travel to second-placed Billericay next Saturday.
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22nd July
Billericay 4th XI - 286-6
Brentwood 5th XI - 161 all out
Billericay won by 125 runs
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood 5th XI suffered a heavy defeat on Saturday as a result of controversial umpiring decisions and Billericay's selection of a third-team batsman to face Brentwood's 15-year old and younger bowling attack.
Brentwood's captain Phil Crook continued his unenviable record of 100% toss defeats as Billericay chose to bat. The accuracy of this decision was doubted after one over, as Ross Phillips saw Billericay reduced to 0-2. Indeed, Brentwood's thrilling start continued as 12-year old James Welham took another wicket in the fourth over. Furthermore, the aggressive Welham had an extremely close shout for LBW against Anthony Paternoster when he was on 3.
Billericay needed a significant recovery and this they did with a partnership of 116 for the fourth wicket. The partnership was ended by a promising contender for catch of the season by Michael Kearns. Just as the ball looked to by sailing past mid-off for a flat six, Kearns dived backwards and to his right like a frisky salmon to claim an astounding catch. However, Paternoster continued to send the Brentwood attack to all segments of the boundary, and even off-spinner Chris Stockwell (3-71) could not halt the Billericay star's march to 100. Altogether, Brentwood fielded and bowled reasonably well, but were ultimately outclassed by one of the best innings' that has been seen at this level, as Paternoster finished on 150 not out.
Brentwood's target of 287 to win was always going to be a tough task. Early wickets were a major setback in the Brentwood innings, and proceedings looked to be heading in Billericay's favour at 15-2. However, Crook and Dave Stockwell put together a positive recovering partnership of 59 before the latter was dismissed for 34, just as Brentwood were beginning to look good for the win. Just four runs later and Brentwood had lost their fourth wicket as Crook was given out on an unforgiveable LBW decision that would make professional umpires blush.
Fifth-team debutant Graham Stock temporarily remedied the situation with a well-crafted and occasionally flamboyant 43. When Stock was out at 138-8, Brentwood still had 18 overs to defend to gain a draw. Despite spirited, committed and admirable efforts from Tom Harries, Joe Earley and Kearns, Brentwood were defeated by a huge margin but with only 5.5 overs remaining. The attitude of the last three batsmen was superb.
Brentwood now lie 6th in the table, and are equidistant from both 3rd and last places in the division.
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29th July
Leigh-on-Sea 4th XI - 205-8 dec
Brentwood 5th XI - 208-4
Brentwood won by 6 wickets
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood 5th XI returned to winning ways with a victory in a competitive match at mid-table rivals Leigh-on-Sea 4th XI, despite Phil Crook's eleventh successive defeat in the toss this season.
The home side elected to bat first on a good pitch with a fast outfield, and started well. At 156-7 Leigh-on-Sea looked to be struggling, especially with Michael Kearns in scintillating form and Chris Stockwell bowling luckless but useful off-spin. However, Brentwood's failure to bowl out Wheatley, Roshams and Sexton, the latter two being under 13s, looked to be a major blow at the interval as Leigh-on-Sea declared on 205-8. All five of Brentwood's bowlers took at least one wicket, but Kearns' 3-30 from twelve overs was critical to Brentwood's ability to keep the hosts' score down.
Once again Brentwood's batsmen adopted a win-or-bust attitude and set about the run-chase with gusto. Crook lacked timing at the top of the order but still managed a swift 25 before being dismissed with Brentwood needing 154 to win from 31 overs. The third-wicket partnership between Alan Houston and Dave Stockwell was always going to be key to Brentwood's cause. Stockwell's characteristically lusty 43 ended with the finishing line in sight, but plenty of work still had to be done to ensure Brentwood's first win in four matches. When Graham Stock came to the crease with 36 needed from as many balls his ability to step unto the breach became crucial. As it was, Stock hit an unattractive yet vital 10 from five balls to continue Brentwood's strong run rate. Ross Phillips then came to the crease and had to defend five excellent balls from the strong Sibley, who bowled his 14.1 overs for 3-34. Brentwood still needed one run a ball for four overs but Houston maintained his typically competitive nature to see Brentwood home with eleven balls to spare, and clinched his first century of the season a ball before Brentwood won the game by six wickets.
Brentwood's inconsistency has cost them dear this season, and they will be looking to achieve some winning consistency next week when they host Wickford at The Drive, hoping to improve upon their current standing of fifth position.
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5th August
Wickford 4th XI - 102 all out
Brentwood 5th XI - 105-4
Brentwood won by 6 wickets
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood thrashed third-placed Wickford in their clash at The Drive on Saturday.
Wickford won the toss and elected to bat, with little knowledge of what was about to hit them. From one end Ross Phillips bowled an excellent opening spell in which he successfully combined pace with accuracy. This created the necessary pressure for Carl Manterfield at the other end to take wickets. With the assistance of good fielding, and a superb catch by Phillips off Manterfield's bowling, Brentwood made great inroads into the Wickford innings. The first seven Wickford wickets all fell to Manterfield, and it was left to off-spinner Sam Rounce to finish the job with two wickets for two runs off eight balls to finish the Wickford innings. Manterfield finished with figures of 7-37.
In reply, Brentwood rarely looked threatened. An Alan Houston second-ball duck did not help matters, especially as three other upper order batsmen also lost their wickets. However, Graham Stock was sublime throughout and his maiden Brentwood half-century was completed when he hit the winning runs.
Brentwood have now moved up to fourth in the league table, and lie just two points shy of Wickford.
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12th August
Orsett 4th XI - 289-5
Brentwood 5th XI - 292-1
Brentwood won by 1 wickets
Report by Phil Crook
A sterling effort from Brentwood's upper-order batsmen ensured that negative Orsett tactics did not halt the visitors' march to three consecutive league wins.
Visiting skipper Phil Crook won his first toss of the season and elected to field, citing the pouring rain and gale-force winds as good reasons not to bat. Rohan Sivapalan opened the Brentwood attack and immediately set to work with his delightful mix of seam, pace and bounce, which caused havoc for the Orsett openers. At the other end, fifth team debutant Jack Hoy belied his tender age with an aggressive opening spell with bowling that regularly beat the outside edge of the bat. Sivapalan struck first with a charming outswinger that clean-bowled Peters, and Hoy soon followed with a delivery that Harding edged to keeper Chris Stockwell, who moved every inch of his five-foot body downwards to ensure the catch was taken cleanly.
Orsett then set about scoring quick runs, and Sivapalan took a little punishment whilst youngster Jamie Dawes bowled a blistering opening spell of 4-1-8-0. Brentwood tried everything to halt the Orsett onslaught, but Bradley Walker (90) and John Davis (71) excelled with their aggressive batting styles, and took advantage of the appalling conditions that the Brentwood fielders had to deal with. Indeed, Brentwood could have taken the home captain's offer to leave the field of play due to bad weather, but Crook showed faith in his team to overcome difficult conditions. Dave Stockwell broke the magnificent partnership with an inswinging yorker that hit Davis' middle stump. Sam Rounce defied the anti-spin conditions with an excellent spell of 16-2-51-1, including the vital wicket of Walker. Crook then threw the ball to Hoy to bowl four of the last ten overs and the young seamer served his team well, and finished with debut figures of 8-0-39-2.
Orsett controversially refused to declare their innings closed before their allotted 52 overs were up, and this left Brentwood's captain and players seething at the apparent lack of compassion the Orsett captain showed for a result to be gained in this match. Orsett had scored 289 runs for the loss of only five wickets, and a draw seemed the only likely result as Brentwood would only have around 45 overs to either chase the target or get bowled out. However, Brentwood's openers Phil Rees and Ed Nation had other ideas. Rees played a textbook innings that included both champagne strokes and obligatory big hits. At the other end, Nation recovered from a shaky start that saw him dropped on 1 and the pair had put on 178 from the first twenty overs. Rees was soon out for a fantastic 86, and this innings had laid the platform for a previously unimaginable Brentwood victory. Meanwhile, whilst Alan Houston took the usual six overs to play himself in, Nation slotted the ball all over the park, and completed his maiden century just 25 overs into the innings. With twenty overs remaining, Brentwood had nine wickets in hand and only 85 required to win the match. Brentwood won the match with an incredible 9.4 overs to spare, Houston scored 30 not out, which leaves him eight runs short of 39,000 career league runs, whilst Nation had crafted a sensational 144 not out. The attitude of the Brentwood top three showed that negative tactics from the side batting first never means a match is over, and particular credit must be given to Rees and Nation, who in their 122-ball partnership of 179 had virtually won the match on their own.
Saturday's win chasing 290 from 35.2 overs was Brentwood 5th XI's best-ever victory, and is unlikely to be beaten. However, a win against runaway league-leaders Upminster next week could see that claim broken. Brentwood now lie third in the table with three games remaining.
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19th August
Upminster 5th XI - 295-5
Brentwood 5th XI - 214-5
Match Drawn
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood managed an unexpected draw against league leaders Upminster in this competitive clash at Brentwood School on Saturday.
Upminster were invited to bat by the home captain and immediately made their intentions known by playing aggressively to Brentwood's openers. It was not until veteran batsman and part-time bowler Alan Houston was introduced in the 23rd over that Brentwood managed any imprint upon the match. Houston, bowling for the first time in three years, acknowledged his captain's faith in him by bowling four overs for three wickets with only sixteen runs conceded. Brentwood's fielding was shabby to say the least with many dropped catches. However, the bowling was largely good and youngsters Jack Hoy, Sam Rounce, Jamie Dawes and Adam Mathias all bowled well despite largely expensive figures. Upminster finished with 295 runs on the board with only five wickets lost, and had declared two overs earlier than their allotted 52 overs.
A target of 296 was always going to be a difficult task, regardless of Brentwood's immaculate effort against Orsett last week. Early wickets fell and despite Ash Patel's aggressive 35 Brentwood were below the required run rate and in danger of losing the game at 109-4. With 25 overs remaining and nearly 200 runs required, Brentwood became cautious not to lose the game. Superb batting from Houston (82 not out) and Bon Battu (34) left the game with little to conclude except a draw. Brentwood, despite setting out to win the game, found 296 too difficult to chase, and thirty less runs would have made the game more interesting as Brentwood would have chased the target and thus Upminster would have been given a chance to bowl Brentwood out. As it was, Brentwood scored 214-5 and thus gained maximum batting points and a draw against an impressive Upminster side whom Brentwood wish the best of luck in the conclusion of the season.
Brentwood still lie third and the aim for the remaining two games of the season is to hold on to that impressive third place, as the runners-up spot has become mathematically out of reach. Brentwood's next match is at home to Stanford-le-Hope on Saturday 2nd September.
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9th September
Brentwood 5th XI - 167 all out
Old Southendians 4th XI - 61 all out
Brentwood won by 106 runs
Report by Phil Crook
Brentwood skipper Phil Crook was delighted to be asked to bat on what has often been described as batting 'paradise' at Blackmore on Saturday.
He was soon eating humble pie as he and fellow opener Graham Stock fell early but the innings was put on the right track by a devastating eight-over partnership between Kevin Milne and Rhys Furlong, worth 50 to the team. Brentwood then lost five wickets for less than thirty runs and looked in deep trouble. However, the eighth-wicket partnership between Will Ashby and Toby Robertson, two of the best players coming through Brentwood's famous colts system, put on 51 at an important stage of the innings. Andy Fryd provided a cameo 11 not out before Brentwood were bowled out for 167. Old Southendians' skipper Ricky Stevenson ended with 7-68, despite having taken serious punishment off of Furlong and Milne earlier in the innings.
Brentwood looked up the proverbial creek without a paddle at the interval, and no-one predicted what was about to happen. Crook took the old ball and gave it to James Stock and Sam Rounce. Stock bowled five overs for the loss of just four runs, and received two wickets for his efforts. Replacing Stock, Matt Lowman fulfilled his potential in the mens' teams for the first time this season and bowled an amazing spell of 7.3 overs, 4-25. Off-spinner Rounce bowled through the innings from the other end and finished with fine figures of 3-26. Old Southendians had been bowled out for 61 and this is due largely to the brilliant effort of Brentwood's bowlers. Credit must also be given to wicket-keeper Robertson who kept excellently despite a foot injury, and the run-out of skipper and star batsman Stevenson by Ashby was sensational.
Brentwood skipper Phil Crook would like to thank Blackmore Willow Herbs CC for allowing Brentwood to host this match at their patch, and also thanks the many players, especially colts, that turned out for Brentwood in what has been an extremely satisfying season (third place) for the 5th XI.
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