2007 Season 5th XI Match Reports

Despite a solid opening Hornchurch partnership of 51 between Miller and Newlan this was probably a good toss to lose for Brentwood. Opening bowler Mat Lowman bowled 5 maiden overs in his 12 over spell conceding 35 runs. He was unlucky not to take a wicket. Miller was eventually trapped LBW to Furlong for 21 while Newlan was LBW to Ashby for 26.

Brentwood looked short on bowling but wickets fell at regular intervals with excellent contributions from part time bowlers Rhys Furlong and Dev Gulrajani. The home side used no less than eight bowlers with Furlong taking 3 for 38 from eleven overs. In a miserly spell of 5 overs Gulrajani also took 3 wickets for just eleven runs. Hornchurch were bowled out for 177 giving them 6 batting points and leaving Brentwood with an achievable target, weather permitting.

Conditions were overcast with drizzle but Tony Dann and Ash Patel gave the Brentwood innings a perfect start with an opening stand of over 70. Patel was caught by James for a solid 38 off the bowling of Filtness. Tony Dan was joined at the crease by skipper Furlong with both batsmen scoring freely. Dann was eventually caught off the bowling of Filtness for a match winning 85 which included 12 fours. Dave Stockwell was bowled by the persistent Filtness for 3 while Dev Gulrajani failed to trouble the scorers after attempting a suicidal run.

By the time Ashby joined Furlong the hard work had been done by the top three batsmen. Further rain and heavy cloud cover looked threatening but Furlong continued to concentrate hitting 7 boundaries in his 37 not out which was enough to claim a comfortable 18 points for Brentwood.

Man of the match: Tony Dan for his belligerent 85 which laid the foundations for the 6 wicket victory.

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2nd June

Brentwood 5th XI - 178 all out (9 points)
Orsett 4th XI - 179-8 (18 points)
Orsett won by 2 wickets

Report by Rhys Furlong

C. Stockwell 48, D. Stockwell 27
W. Ashby 8-0-40-5
M. Lowmans 14-6-28-2

Warm sunshine at last as Brentwood visited Orsett for their third league match of the season. Expectations were high following victory against Hornchurch in their previous encounter but they can consider themselves very unlucky not win this match. The very least they deserved was a draw.

Trevor Coote making his first appearance of the season for the 5th XI opened the innings with Ash Patel after being put in to bat. The first wicket fell at 22 when Patel was caught behind off the bowling of Walker for 4. Coote looked to be building an innings but was caught for 16.

Chris and Dave Stockwell steadied the ship with a 50 partnership before Chris was bowled by Lines for an excellent 48. He deserved his first half century of the season. Dave continued to score at a steady rate when as he was joined by Furlong. The skipper saw little of the strike before giving the keeper his third catch without scoring, edging a steep climbing delivery from Lines. The fifth wicket fell shortly afterwards when Dave Stockwell was caught behind off the bowling of Lines for 27.

Ashby and Brown were in aggressive mood with both batsmen getting good starts. Ashby hit 3 fours in his 13 before being stumped by keeper Whyman off Lawless. Tail enders Edkins and Early made valuable contributions of 12 and 10 respectively while Brown who looked in good nick hit 4 boundaries in his 21 before being run out. Brentwood were all out for 178.

178 looked an easy target as Orsett started their reply but Brentwood had other ideas as they battled to restrict the scoring rate. Opening bowlers Ashby and Early both enjoyed success with the new ball dismissing both openers. At 28 for 2 and Moore retired hurt for 1 we had a match on our hands.

The partnership between the experienced Davis and Lockyer was crucial with both batsmen making vital contributions of 30 and 83 respectively. Edkins played a key role catching both these batsmen off the bowling of Lowman and Ashby.

With their leading batsmen dismissed, tight bowling and good fielding, Orsett found themselves under serious pressure and an unlikely Brentwood victory seemed possible as wickets tumbled. The main threat came from the bowling of Ashby who completed the match with 5 wickets, a great performance!

In the final 20 overs the pressure was mounting as both sides scented victory and Brentwood were looking for a least a draw. Moore bravely returned to the crease despite his earlier injury and with one ball remaining Orsett just managed to score the winning run required giving them victory by 2 wickets.

Despite defeat skipper Rhys Furlong was proud of his young team. They battled with great spirit and almost denied Orsett victory in what looked liked a straight forward run chase. However, 9 bonus points 6 batting and 3 bowling points was some reward for Brentwood.

Mat Lowman produce a terrific spell of bowling taking 2 wickets for just 28 runs in 14 overs which include 6 maidens. Together with man of the match Will Ashby for his 5 wicket hall they narrowly failed to give Brentwood at least a share of the spoils.

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9th June

Stanford-le-Hope 4th XI - 94 all out (2 points)
Brentwood 5th XI - 95-5 (18 points)
Brentwood won by 5 wickets

Report by Rhys Furlong

Dev Gulrajani 27
Jo Early 6-3-21-3

Brentwood lie in a congested mid table after four matches, 18 points behind leaders Orsett & Thurrock but with a game in hand. Hopefully the abandoned game against Wickford with the potential loss of 14 points won't prove too costly at the end of the season when promotion issues are settled.

Brentwood made 8 changes for the visit of bottom of the table Stanford-le-Hope as former skipper Phil Crook and Rob Knebeg made their first appearances of the season. Skipper Rhys Furlong won the toss and rightly gave the visitors first use of what has proved an unpredictable wicket with variable bounce.

Stanford made the worst possible start losing early wickets as opening bowlers Jo Early and Rob Knebeg dismissed their top three batsmen for just 12 runs. Wickets continued to tumble at an alarming rate. Pick of the bowlers was Jo Early with 3 for 21 from 6 overs. Knebeg also took 3 wickets for 35 while Furlong wrapped up the innings with 2 wickets for 4 runs in just 7 deliveries. Despite the uneven bounce 94 was never going to be enough runs.

The run chase looked a formality but Brentwood did not have things all their own way. Dev Gulrajani opening the innings laid the foundations with a solid 27 before being caught behind. Mathias, Crook, Stockwell and Furlong all went cheaply with only Furlong reaching double figures. Opening bowler Tavio was the only real threat in the Stanford attack taking 4 wickets for 29 from 11 overs, a terrific performance. It was left to the experienced Alan Houston to complete victory with 13 not out in a winning total of 95 for the loss of 5 wickets.

Man of the match: Jo Early who took key 3 wickets at just over 3 a piece.

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16th June

Brentwood 5th XI - 103-9 (18 points)
Leigh-on-Sea 4th XI - 102 all out (5 points)
Brentwood won by 1 wicket

Report by Rhys Furlong

Ian Dawes 43 not out
Sam Rounce 11-4-21-5

Yet another rain affected match with the result in doubt until the very last. Exciting finishes are becoming a habit for Brentwood but not by choice. After winning the toss Furlong rightly gave Leigh first use of the wicket in the belief his attack would bowl the home side out cheaply!

How right he was. The opening partnership was short lived when Monk was run out for 1 following a sharp pick up and throw by Furlong. Springbok Smit bowled a long stint of 13 overs and deservedly picked up 2 valuable wickets while Matt Lowman took 1 for 20 in his 6 over spell.

The real damage was done by accomplished spinner Sam Rounce with a brilliant 5 wicket hall for just 21 runs in his eleven overs. He was very well supported by young Kristan Ali whose four overs of leg spin completely bamboozled the Leigh middle order. What a prospect he is with his variation in flight. Jo Early wrapped things up taking the last wicket in what seemed a paltry total of 102.

The Brentwood innings started in bizarre fashion with their top order batsmen still taking tea. They made the worst possible start with young Ali loosing his off stump from his first ball. Tail ender Smit found himself batting at the unaccustomed position of 3 and was bowled for 4. Opener Ash Patel had made a steady start and looked set before top edging a catch to mid wicket. Wickets continued to fall, Chris Dan for eight and skipper Rhys Furlong for 15 after hitting a huge 6 over mid wicket.

With the loss of eight wickets the expected easy victory now seemed impossible but an amazing transformation took place when Ian Dawes batting at ten joined Jo Early at the crease. Ian produced a great innings of 43 not out which included two sixes. He received good support from Early who did well to keep his wicket in tack long enough for Dawes to produce the match winning knock. It was left to top bowler Rounce to score the winning run giving Brentwood an unlikely victory by the narrowest of margins, one wicket.

Another 18 points for Brentwood moves them up to third place behind high flying Hutton and Leigh-on-Sea. The manner of victory was unconvincing and skipper Rhys Furlong will be looking for a much more solid performance from his batsmen. Next week Brentwood take on Gidea Park at home in a must win game if they are to move into the automatic promotion places.

Man of the match: Ian Dawes coming in at No 10, his 43 not out snatched victory form the jaws of defeat.

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23rd June

Brentwood 5th XI - 118-6 (18 points)
Gidea Park & Romford 5th XI - 117 all out (2 points)
Brentwood won by 4 wickets

Report by Rhys Furlong

Graham Moule: 34
Rhys Furlong: 23
Will Ashby: 8-4-08-4
Morne Smit: 12-3-37-2
Rhys Furlong: 4-1-08-2

The players could be forgiven for thinking that cricket is a wet weather game with five of this seasons six matches being rain affected. However this did not deter Brentwood from achieving their fourth league victory against a fancied Romford and Gidea Park side. A combination of wet weather and unpredictable pitches has made runs difficult to come by. This match followed the same pattern with bowlers continuing to dominate.

Skipper Furlong, aware of the forthcoming rain, stuck to his previously successful formula of winning the toss and asking the opposition to bat. He was well served by his opening bowlers Ashby and Smit who were in excellent form. The metronomic Ashby as he does so often made the early break through removing Feasey and Patel without scoring. Lock and Ahmed steadied the ship a little until Ashby struck again bowling opener Locke for 11. Smit was always threatening and accurate, deservedly taking 2 for 37 in his 12 over stint.

Middle order batsmen Jones and McCormack showed some resistance with 23 and 24 respectively. Ashby took his fourth wicket and Furlong wrapped up the innings taking two late wickets for 9 runs in his four overs leaving Brentwood with 118 to win.

The predicted rains came after just one over following the tea interval with monsoon like ferocity threatening the game. Gidea Park's hope for a share of 12 points was dashed as Furlong was in no mood to lose more points through a second abandoned league match. His players did a great job as ground staff removing surface water, spiking and saw dusting the pitch ensuring the match could restart.

Brentwood openers Ash Patel and Graham Moule gave the home side a solid start until Ash was bowled by his namesake for 8. Sam Rounce batting at No 3 failed to trouble the scorers after receiving one that nipped back off the seam uprooting his off stump.

The match was at crucial stage and further wickets would have left Park well placed. Despite difficult batting conditions and a turgid outfield Moule and Furlong laid the foundations for victory. Moule in his first match for some time played the key role with a workman-like 34 before being caught off the bowling of Patel. Rhys Furlong looked in reasonable nick in scoring a quick fire 23 which included 4 boundaries. He was bowled after being deceived by Wiley off-spinner Lock who also dismissed last week's hero, Ian Dawes with a similar delivery for 5.

With six wickets down and 30 runs still required the match was finely balanced. With tension mounting, Will Ashby and Dan Smith steadied the nerves and batted well to ensure victory for Brentwood. At 118 for 6 Ashby made 16 not out while Smith was undefeated on 10.

Next week Brentwood travel to Shoebury Park where they take on Old Southendians 4th XI.

Man of the match: metronomic bowler Will Ashby set the scene taking three early wickets in his 4 for 8 spell and then saw Brentwood home with a solid 16 not out.

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30th June

Brentwood 5th XI - 218-5 declared (11 points)
Old Southendians 4th XI - 184-7 (5 points)
Match Drawn

Report by Rhys Furlong

Dave Stockwell 74*
Ash Patel 62
Rhys Furlong 14-02-52-3
Matt Lowman 14-01-57-3

Both teams deserve credit for completing this match in the constant drizzle that fell throughout the afternoon. Old Southendians provided stubborn resistance and deserved to share the spoils.

Brentwood will be relatively happy as they secured maximum batting points and 3 bowling points which were just enough to see them top the table for the first time this season. Division 2 East is proving to be very competitive with Brentwood, Hutton and Orsett vying for promotion.

Brentwood were given first use of the wicket. Openers Tony Dann and Ash Patel built a solid foundation with a partnership of 56. Dann went on to make 36 before Being bowled by Stevenson for 31 while Patel went on to make 62, his highest score of the season. Anderson went cheaply for 7 while Rhys Furlong was caught off the bowling of Bunce for Just 14 after hitting his customary 6.

Dave Stockwell was in great form with the bat making 74 not out which included twelve fours and one six. Having achieved the maximum batting points Skipper Furlong declared the innings after 45 overs on 218 for the loss of 5 wickets.

The Brentwood bowlers found conditions difficult and there was one lengthy stoppage for rain. Young Batsmen Austin and Wilson provided the resistance that enabled Old Southendians to hold out for a draw. Lowman and Furlong toiled in the damp with both bowlers taking three wickets.

It was all in vein as Old Southendians battled to a hard earned draw.

Man of the match: Dave Stockwell for his high quality 74 not out enabling Brentwood to take maximum batting points and post their highest total this season.

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7th July

Brentwood 5th XI - 177-9 declared (7 points)
Hutton 5th XI - 216 (12 points)
Match Drawn

Report by Rhys Furlong

Ash Patel 37
Matt Lowman 21-04-79-5

A cricket match without rain, a rare occurrence this season as the top two teams in Division 2 East met. The stakes were high with the winner guaranteed top spot.

Neither team will be satisfied with the draw which allowed Orsett into first place after their 20 point victory over Wickford. Brentwood lie in second place, just 4 points behind with Hutton in third place, 6 points adrift. Brentwood will be the happier of the two teams after fighting a rearguard action in denying Hutton an additional 8 points that victory would have brought. In such a tight league every point counts.

Hutton elected to bat on what was a good pitch and made a solid start. The top four batsmen all made runs with opener Mowll top scoring with 57. Hutton were bowled out in the 52nd over for 216, an achievable target for Brentwood.

Matt Lowman as in previous matches was the bowling hero with another 5 wicket hall. He bowled a mammoth spell of 21 overs taking 5 for 79.

In reply Brentwood openers Ash Patel and Dev Gulrajani made a solid start. Both players looked set for big scores until Dev was caught for 28. Ash Patel followed shortly when his off stump was uprooted by Saunders.

A period of consolidation was needed but prolific run scorer Alan Houstin was bowled by Mowll for 12. With three wickets down, a good wicket and Stockwell and Furlong at the crease the target of 216 was within the grasp of Brentwood. Both men were more than capable of completing the task but a break down in communication saw the reliable Stockwell run out for 23. Ian Dawes coming in at No 6 didn't last long and was bowled by Holdsworth for 4.

A captain's inning was required by Furlong and he looked in good nick until he was brilliantly caught on the long on boundary by a juggling catch for 28. This was the turning point of the game and Hutton could smell victory.

Three further wickets fell and with nine down Hutton were anticipating a 20 point hall and a table topping spot. The lower order batsmen all showed grit and determination as they blocked ball after ball in the final 20 overs. It was finally left to Tom Patience Malcolm Ashby, both 2 not out, to secure the draw.

Man of the match: Matt Lowman for yet another fine performance with ball in taking 5 for 79.

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14th July

Brentwood 5th XI - 143-6 (18 points)
Wickford 4th XI - 142 (4 points)
Brentwood won by 4 wickets

Report by Rhys Furlong

Rhys Furlong 39
Sam Rounce 21-01-25-3

With half the season complete Brentwood travelled to Wickford in the first of the reverse fixtures. The first meeting between these sides was a washout, a lost opportunity for maximum points from the Brentwood perspective.

18 points was enough to see Brentwood regain top spot which they share with Orsett 4th XI who were surprisingly beaten by Hornchurch. Both teams have identical records which includes five victories, two draws, one defeat and 123 points. Hutton who were without a league fixture this week look menacing in forth place with 104 points and a game in hand.

After winning the toss skipper Furlong gave the home side first use of a wicket where the ball kept low. Bright warm sunshine was certainly conducive to batting but Wickford were restricted to 142.

In the absence of strike bowler Mat Lowman the wickets were shared fairly evenly between the bowlers. The pick of the bowlers was spinner Sam Rounce who came on after 25 overs and took 3 for 25 from his 6 overs.

A total of 143 was required for a Brentwood victory. Credit to Wickford as they made the visitors work for their 18 points. Opening bowler Phillipe was always dangerous as he moved the ball about in the humid conditions. He removed the top three order batsmen with fine pace bowling.

Ash Patel was first to go for 15, his middle stump uprooted. He was followed by Furlong who edged a catch to the keeper for an important 39. Opener Trevor Coote was playing the anchor role admirably when Dave Stockwell was bowled by Gutteridge after dancing down the wicket for 4.

Trevor Coote was now looking a little more aggressive but he paid the price when he was bowled by the excellent Phillipe for a solid 21. With 5 wickets down there was plenty to do but James Boon hit an aggressive 16 which included three fours before loosing his off stump to wily spinner Gutteridge. Will Ashby was the next batsman to be deceived by Gutteridge as he became the spinner's third victim.

It was left to young stars Kristan Alley and Sam Dawes to finish the job. Despite the pressure of being encircled by fielders they had the patience and skill to see Brentwood home. Alley was undefeated on 6 while Sam Dawes hit the winning runs with a flourish, taking the aerial route to the boundary.

As Brentwood take a break from league fixtures next week, youthful skipper Rhys Furlong has every reason to feel proud of his side. Made up of young colts combined with seasoned campaigners such as Ash Patel, Dave Stockwell and Ian Dawes the team has a well balanced look.

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21st July

Wanstead 5th XI - 222-5
Brentwood 5th XI - 197-6
Match Drawn

Report by Ken Hobbs

The 5th XI hosted Wanstead in a friendly and enjoyed an entertaining game that was mostly dominated by the batsmen on an excellent pitch at Brentwood School .

Brentwood included a number of their promising Under 13s and they all performed very well.

Wanstead's innings was dominated by an accomplished 102 not out by opener Ben Phillips. Brentwood 's young bowlers stuck to their task with Jamie Dawes (1 for 28), Ben Sach (1 for 35), Sam Dawes (1 for 16), Jon Hilliard (1 for 13) and Ian Dawes (1 for 20) taking a wicket apiece. Matt Thorpe-Apps also bowled well and took two good catches, while Edward Hornby gave a sound performance behind the stumps.

Brentwood's reply got a good start from Adam Mathias who made 29 while No. 3 Ban Sach played a very solid innings of 45, well supported by Thorpe-Apps who made 10 and Sam Dawes, 19.

But Brentwood were still well behind the required scoring rate when No. 7 Jamie Dawes joined Sach, Dawes soon began to score freely, frequently finding the leg side boundary and in a spectacular finish to the game he scored 19 runs off the last five balls to finish with 71 not out in an innings that included 13 fours. But even this effort was not quite enough and the game ended in a draw with the home side 25 runs short of their target.

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28th July

Brentwood 5th XI - 204 (20 points)
Hornchurch 6th XI - 83 (4 points)
Brentwood won by 121 runs

Report by Rhys Furlong

Rhys Furlong 37
Stuart Harper-Horne 35
James Bowler 11-7-10-6

BOWLER UNPLAYABLE AS BRENTWOOD NET 20 POINTS

Despite making several late changes to the team selected, another league victory, the sixth of the season gave Brentwood a well deserved 20 points. A total of 204 was always going to be a challenge for Hornchurch and so it proved as Brentwood achieved an impressive 121 run victory.

The visitors were given first use of an unpredictable wicket after loosing the toss. Young Scott Harper-Horne, a class batsman in the making and the experienced Ash Patel provided a great platform with an opening partnership of 60. Patel was bowled by Filtness for 20 while Harper-Horne was well caught, also off the bowling of Filtness for 35.

Skipper Rhys Furlong batting at No 3 accelerated the tempo scoring a lightning 37 from 18 deliveries. His breezy innings included two big straight sixes over the bowlers head. It was a case of too much aggression as he was bowled by Grann. Each batsman scored useful runs but it was Paul Trew returning from a lengthy injury who made an important contribution of 28 as Brentwood were bowled out for a competitive 204.

In reply Hornchurch made a good start scoring 54 for the loss of just one wicket. They were intent on batting out for the draw but the introduction of James Bowler completely changed the completion of the match. The 12 year Essex prot�g� bowled 11 overs of magnificent leg spin.

A combination of unerring accuracy and deceptive flight made him almost unplayable as he conceded a miserly 10 runs in a match winning haul of 6 wickets. The Hornchurch middle order collapsed as no less than five batsmen failed to score. The only resistance came from tail ender Frank Grann with 10 before he became Bowler�s final victim, LBW as the innings closed on 83 with two overs of the final twenty remaining.

Twenty points maintains the drive for promotion as Brentwood take on Orsett in next weeks vital match hoping to avenge their only defeat of the season.

Man of the match: magnificent young leg spinner James Bowler for his match winning 6 wicket haul for a miserly 10 runs.

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8th September

Brentwood 5th XI - 237 (20 points)
Hutton 5th XI - 110 (4 points)
Brentwood won by 123 runs

Report by Rhys Furlong

FINAL VICTORY SEALS LEAGUE TITLE AND PROMOTION

Division 4 East has been very competitive throughout the season with Brentwood, Orsett, Leigh-On Sea and Hutton all topping the table at some point.

It was no surprise that the title was decided on the last day of the season as Brentwood lying in second place just one point ahead of Orsett secured the 20 points necessary.

	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Aband	Points
Brentwood 5th XI	16	9	4	1	2	225
Orsett & Thurrock	16	9	4	2	1	224
Leigh-on-Sea	16	9	0	7	0	211

On the final weekend of the season Leigh-On-Sea led the table by 6 points but with their fixtures already completed such a slender lead was never going to be sufficient for the Seas Siders to claim the title. A 20 point victory was essential for Brentwood as Orsett comfortably despatched Wickford resulting in Brentwood winning the league by the narrowest of margins, 1 point.

Success is due to spirit and teamwork with all players making valuable contributions throughout the season. When the team have struggled or needed some inspiration one or two players have always produced a great innings or taken vital wickets. Some players have been ever present throughout the season, Ash Patel, Will Ashby, Matt Lowman, Sam and Ian Dawes providing the backbone of the side. Nine victories with just one defeat is no more than the team deserved.

Twenty points were only possible if Brentwood batted first making it a vital toss for skipper Rhys Furlong to win. The innings did not start too well as openers Ash Patel (6) and Furlong (16) were back in the pavilion at 27 for 2.

The middle order of Hembrough, Sam Dawes, Trew and Ashby all went cheaply as the wickets were shared by the Hutton bowling attack. Fortunately Dave Stockwell batting at No 3 was in good form and his solid 38 steadied the ship.

More importantly Ian Dawes batting down the order hit a magnificent 72 including four sixes which broke the hearts of Hutton. He received great support from Rob Coote who scored 26 valuable runs before being bowled by Balentyne.

A challenging total seemed unlikely during the early part of the innings but a final score of 237 was always going to be difficult for Hutton to Chase. Would there be sufficient time for the Brentwood bowling attack to take 10 wickets? Fears were quickly put to rest as early wickets tumbled. Opening bowler Rob Coote made a terrific start removing both openers, the in form Mowll fresh from his recent century for just 1 and Turnshill for the same score.

The situation deteriorated for the home side as Simmons was run out without troubling the scorers. With 3 wickets down for just 7 runs Hutton were in a precarious position. Wetson managed 48 before he was smartly stumped by the very promising keeper Chris Edkins off the bowling of James Bowler.

Wetson received little support and wickets fell at regular intervals. Young James Bowler returning to the side after holiday showed his potential by taking three wickets with his leg spin while Paul Trew took 1 wicket. Hutton were unable to recover from the loss of early wickets.

It was fitting finale to the match and the season as skipper Furlong wrapped up the innings when took the last two wickets as Hutton were bowled out for 110.

Mission accomplished with the season�s target achieved: victory over Hutton by 123 runs, 20 points and most importantly the league title with promotion.

Man of the match: Ian Dawes for his swashbuckling 72 which put the game beyond Hutton.

Thanks to all the players, the parents and all those who have given both me and the team great support throughout the season.

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