2008 Season 5th XI Match Reports

10th May

Brentwood 5th XI - 226 (11 points)
Walthamstow 4th XI - 155-8 (6 points)
Match Drawn

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood 5th XI outplayed Walthamstow in all departments of the game. Brentwood won the toss and elected to bat on a good looking wicket and fast outfield however soon lost both openers. Hembrough, Mathias and Early steadied the ship but at 84-4 some disciplined batting was required and it came from Hembrough and Ross Cant. Hembrough is a class act at this level and played some excellent shots for his 70 and Cant played a very patient, mature innings for his 55. He just kept out the straight balls with solid defence and dispatched the bad ball with aggression particularly anything on the leg side. With the help of the tail Brentwood reached and surpassed their target of 200.

Walthamstow started their innings against quick bowlers Myres and Cant and the batsmen were soon backing away and swinging the bat in hope particularly against the pace of Cant. Thompson got away with a few lucky blows but Walthamstow collapsed to 80-7 and with 23 over's to go Brentwood would surly win the game. However Walthamstow youngster Parkinson and Harris showed some grit and determination to see off all the Brentwood bowlers and stop Brentwood recording a win and 20pts.

This was an encouraging start in the new league for the 5th XI with notably good performances from the youngster Hembrough, Cant with the bat and Sam and Jamie Dawes and Cant with the ball. Despite one dropped catch by Brentwood the general fielding was very good.

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24th May

Brentwood 5th XI - 128 all out
Upminster 5th XI - 129-6
Upminster won by 4 wickets

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood fielded a very young side, take out 900 year old Yoda and the average age was 14.

Brentwood won the toss and decided to bat first to try and get points on the board but after a cautious opening of 30-0 after ten overs both openers Patel and Walker were out in quick succession. In form Olli Hembrough was run out in a mix up but Jack Denham and Jack Greenwood took the score along nicely to 85-3 at the half way stage.

After the drinks break things began to go wrong for Brentwood as both Jack's were out and the remaining Brentwood youngsters found it difficult to score against the experienced Pete Williams and fast bowler Ryan. Brentwood were eventually all out for 128 with only Sam Rounce able to get into double figures.

With such a low score Brentwood had to start well but Joe Early and Peter Myres bowled erratically and Upminster raced to 41-1 in just 7 overs. A change in bowing provided a sterner test for the Upminster batsmen and Brentwood soon began to get a grip on the game as wickets began to tumble. Sam Rounce and Liam Farge, followed up by Jon Hilliard, had Upminster in all sorts of trouble at 85-6. But that was the end of any success for Brentwood as Upminster again began to apply themselves and, with help of the odd loose ball, scrambled their way past the Brentwood total.

This was a poor performance as only half the team played to their potential. The experience of Rhys Furlong, Dave Stockwell and Ian Dawes is sorely missed in the batting line up.

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7th June

Harold Wood 5th XI - 254-4 declared
Brentwood 5th XI - 96 all out
Brentwood lost by 158 runs

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood won the toss and inserted the opposition at the damp but lovely setting of Great and Little Warley. All that was required was line and length bowling from the Brentwood youngsters but all they did was serve up a series of long hops, short bowling, full tosses and wides. Despite 8 bowlers being tried not a single bowler can come out of this game with any credit. Harold woods strong batting line up smashed the ball in all directions and declared on a massive 254 in just 36 over's before putting the bowlers out of their misery.

The batting was no better as Brentwood were all out for 96 with seamers King taking 5 and Winters 4 wickets. King and Winters used the conditions superbly and showed how to bowl on a helpful wicket and Brentwood were 19-6 very quickly. A brief flurry of 4s from the powerful Ian Dawes helped take the score past 50. With Harold Woods openers taken off Owen Mathias and Liam Farge nearly took the score into 3 figures before Farge was run out and Brentwood were all out in just 19 overs.

A poor performance against table toppers Harold Wood takes Brentwood 5ths into the relegation zone and it gets no easier next week when 2nd placed Hadleigh will be the visitors

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14th June

Hadleigh & Thundersley 5th XI - 243-5 declared
Brentwood 5th XI - 103 all out
Brentwood lost by 140 runs

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood again lost heavily in the league to 2nd placed Hadleigh in what was an action replay of last week's game against 1st placed Harold Wood. Brentwood's wayward bowlers again were hammered for 243-5 off just 42 overs and in reply the equally fragile batsmen were all out for 103.

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28th June

Horndon-on-the-Hill 5th XI - 256-4 declared
Brentwood 5th XI - 260-7
Brentwood won by 3 wickets

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood achieved their first victory of the season against bottom club Horndon. Having won the toss Brentwood elected to field and a good opening spell from Lowman 2-44 off 11 and Smit 2-60 off 15 had Horndon 60-3 after the first 15 over's. However the change bowlers then let Horndon off the hook as Duggins (70) and Stone (117) took full advantage of Brentwood's inaccurate bowlers and took the score to 256 in just 42 overs.

The declaration was a tad generous and Brentwood had around 50 over's to reach the target. Brentwood reply started watchfully as Patel and Furlong negotiated the first 10 over's against the experienced Terry Hills and the promising left armer Duggins.

Patel snicked one behind and Hembrough got one that rolled along the ground and the middle order collapsed to leave Brentwood 90-5. With the experienced Burgess joining Furlong the partnership flourished. Burgess rode his luck a little to score a valuable 36 and Furlong was hitting everything in the middle of the bat and played some superb shots. With Burgess out and Woodward following very quickly for 1 there was still plenty to do and only Furlong could do it. With the help of Prem Pithia making his debut at this level Furlong finished the game in the 17th over of the last 20 by hitting Hills for 4 successive boundaries and ended the game with a magnificent, chanceless 132 not out and Pithia supported him with a well made 18 not out.

This was a match where Furlong surly realises that with a bit of application he can become a very good batsman.

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5th July

Brentwood 5th XI - 153 all out
Southend-on-Sea 5th XI - 64 all out
Brentwood won by 89 runs

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood 5th's won their 2nd game in a row thanks to an excellent bowling performance by the evergreen Rob Coote 5-20 off 13 overs.

Southend won the toss and put Brentwood in on what looked to be a good batting wicket but the ball was lifting of a length and accounted for Patel who gloved one behind. A middle order collapse and at 78-8 it looked as if Brentwood would end up less than a hundred for the 3rd time this season. But the tail wagged and D Maxwell (16) J Dawes (32*) and Rob Coote 18 took the score to a respectable 153. The Southend captain ended up taking 7-46 and he bowled a very gentle medium pace. As Brentwood had a similar bowler in Rob Coote Southend's task was going to be quite difficult.

Rob opened the bowling with the express pace of Sam Zeeley and it was Zeeley who made the first breakthrough by clean bowling Miller. Sweeney backing away to square leg managed to hit Zeeley for a few lusty blows whilst Coote picked up the 1st of his 5 wickets when Singh was out lbw. A run out followed by Coote cleaning out the middle order and Brentwood would surly win with so many overs left in the game,

Dougie Maxwell bamboozled the Southend batsmen with his leg spin and googlies and bowled a great spell of 8 overs 1-13 and Jack Hoy came on at the end and picked up the last two wickets in just 6 balls.

This was a great win by Brentwood taking them to mid table safety at the half way stage of the season.

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12th July

Upminster 5th XI - 236-8 declared
Brentwood 5th XI - 127-9
Match Drawn

Report by Ash Patel

Playing on an artificial Brentwood won the toss and decided to field. After a early breakthrough by Matt Lowman Upminster began to build a total. Although the Brentwood seamers Sam Dawes, Matt Lowman and Prem Pithia bowled a good line and length Langston (52) and Evans (88) batted well on a wicket where there was no seam movement. With Dougie Maxwell not getting his line quite right Upminster were able to push the score well past 200. Rhys Furlong decided that he could bowl after all and came on at the end and picked up 3 wickets.

Southend Dowler was getting some swing with the new ball and he accounted for the openers Denman and Any Maxwell. Rhys meanwhile was batting well until he had to come off due to an arm injury caused by a straight drive which he could not get out of the way of. Meanwhile Patel dropping down the order after a poor run at opening stared to look as if he can bat after all. But heavy rain on the already long grass meant hitting fours became virtually impossible. Dan O'Shaunassy and Lowman departed quickly and it was left the returning Furlong and Patel to score the runs as no way were the youngsters coming in later would be able to score at the required run rate. Furlong clearly handicapped by his injury was out for 21 trying to hit over mid wicket and Patel was out for 40 from a good ball by Govani and Brentwood's win ambitions were in tatters.

The remaining Brentwood batsmen played with spirit, determination and a straight bat to ensure Upminster did not win.

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19th July

Brentwood 5th XI - 225-9 declared
Benfleet 5th XI - 226-8
Benfleet won by 2 wickets

Report by Kevin Bradford

A lack of application on the part of an inexperienced Brentwood 5XI team saw them slump to a last over defeat against Benfleet on Saturday.

With a side that featured the sort of age differentials only seen if fans of the Tweenies ended up in the same room as Cliff Richard groupies, captain Ash Patel won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch that turned out to have as much life in it as a crowd at one of the latter songster's gigs.

Hoping to surpass 200 for only the third time this season, openers Scott Harper-Horne and Rhys Furlong bludgeoned the Benfleet openers to the boundary across a fast and sloping outfield. But the run spree was short lived as both fell in quick succession having completed the hard work and seen off the opening bowling attack.

The two dismissals, both bowled, were an illustration of the lack of diligence sometimes attributable to players focused too intently on scoring runs above defending their stumps. Wickets continued to fall seemingly in pairs as bowler Hearn twice found himself on a hat-trick, on his way to 5-65.

Composed batting saw Patel steady any immediate collapse, and the veteran remained a force at the crease, forming a strong 80-run alliance with youngster Sam Rounce who went on to make a career best 47. When both were out, Brentwood were left eight down with less than 150 on the board.

The team were teetering on the edge of another lowly score until the combined experience of Rob Coote and Paul Webb began creeping the score towards what could be regarded as competitive on an increasingly easing track.

Sensible batting coupled with lusty slogging brought the total up to 180 before Webb, playing his first match of the season after a multi-tier demotion, was bowled for 17. Perennial rabbit Kevin Bradford came hopping to the crease with the 200 target still not out of sight but with less than 10 overs remaining.

Fears of a complete capitulation were alleviated when Coote took it upon himself to flash his blade, and ably assisted by the bunny, was able to hit 44 not out by the end of the 52 overs. The partnership was worth 45, Bradford finishing 13 not out, and Brentwood were able to post a total of 225, far beyond what looked possible but marginally short of what could be considered necessary.

And so it proved, as the Benfleet batsman came out apparently at ease with the playing surface.

A combination of dead-bat solidness and bat blazing blaséness made life difficult for the Brentwood bowlers, who were unable to find the early break through. Instead, Reeve went on to make a swift 51 and only a controlled run-out, well executed by the superb keeper Owen Mathias, was able to break the partnership.

Patel continued to rotate his bowlers, but with Hearn looking equally imperious with the bat as he was with the ball, Brentwood were unable to ever control the game in the field. Only Coote, with 3-54, was seemed likely to stem the run chase, and although wickets began to fall, the required rate was always gettable with Hearn remaining at the crease.

Brentwood, sometimes lacking in the concentration needed to build an effective winning system, stuck manfully to the task and forced a final over showdown. With just five needed from six balls, Bradford saw the first delivery fly past him for four, leaving the scores level.

The second ball claimed the eighth wicket and offered hope that Brentwood could avoid defeat, with danger-man Hearn was at the other end stranded on 95. In a nervous stance, the new batsman poked the third ball in the air back at Bradford, who despite a desperate dive to his left, could only divert the shot wide of mid-off and the batsman were able to scamper a single to win by two wickets with three balls remaining.

Patel reflected after the game on the lack of a clinical and controlled edge in the team. "It all went wrong when we couldn't take the important wicket," he said, "Some of the boys flattered to deceive, although it is not often that they come across a player who is as good as Hearn was today. But too many in the team were unable to perform the basics of batting, and then lost concentration in the field, which on occasions cost us."

Brentwood play Walthamstow another mid table battle next game...

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26th July

Walthamstow 5th XI - 156
Brentwood 5th XI - 157-9
Brentwood won by 1 wicket

Report by Ash Patel

Walthamstow won the toss and elected to bat in a thrilling game. Jack Hoy bowled a wonderful opening spell 5-3-4-1 whereas the more experienced Dan O'Shaunassy 3-0-18-0 bowled too short and opener Taylor (25) took full advantage. Paul Trew 6.4-2-14-3 replaced the wayward O'Shaunassy and Brentwood were soon on top as he together with 10 year old Cameron Maxwell 4-0-16-1 reduced Walthamstow to 56-5. The introduction guest player, our man from Singapore Paul Lattimore 7-0-36-2 and Dougie Maxwell 9-0-40-2 also produced instant result as a further two wickets fell quickly but then the Walthamstow tail began to wag and Walthamstow managed to end on 156.

Brentwood's reply started in splendid fashion as Tony Jones (29) who was dragged out of his sick bed and Ed Hornsby (33) put on 60. It looked as if Brentwood would coast to victory but then the famous Brentwood collapse took place as Walthamstow bowlers skittled out the openers and the remaining Brentwood batsmen with only Andy Maxwell standing firm. Brentwood were tittering on the edge of defeat but slowly dragged the score up to 156 when Dougie Maxwell 9th man out with the scores level. Cameron Maxwell was dropped the first ball he faced but thankfully it was the end of the over. Andy Maxwell was then dropped at gully 1st ball of the next over. 4 nervous balls later the wicketkeeper missed the ball and a bye resulted in Brentwood winning by 1 wicket.

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2nd August

Brentwood 5th XI - 221-5 declared
Billericay 5th XI - 197-8
Match Drawn

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood outplayed Billericay in all departments of the game but were unable to force a victory. Captain Yoda won the toss and elected to bat first and he was out fairly quickly for 5. Moorti (47) rode his luck for his highest ever league score and Early (32) and Greenwood (25) played aggressively to keep the score ticking along nicely. When they were out Andy Maxwell (48*) Anand Patil (17) and Paul Trew (27*) accelerated the scoring rate to bring a declaration after 46 over's and the score 221-5

Brentwood bowled back 48 overs at Billericay but stubborn resistance by the 8th wicket earned Billericay an undeserved draw. All the bowlers bowled good spells, the pick of them being Dougie Maxwell 15-4-57-3 who was using all his guile and ability to weedle out Billericay. He mesmerised the batsmen with his leg breaks and googlies and then decided to toss the ball high up into the low level sun to blind them but the batsmen continued to get nowhere near the ball and when they did the close fielders failed to catch the sharp chances. With everybody round the bat for the final 20 over's Billericay were gifted runs and ended up 197-8 with only ex Brentwood first teamer Richard Carr scoring a very classy 51. The 8th wicket put on 40+ but had Joe Early held an easy catch at mid wicket off Maxwell Brentwood would have won this game with 4 over's to get the last wicket.

Next week will be a tough test against run away leaders Harold Wood.

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9th August

Brentwood 5th XI - 86 all out
Harold Wood 5th XI - 87-1
Harold Wood won by 9 wickets

Report by Ash Patel

A weak Brentwood 5th XI played leaders Harold Wood in the light drizzle and were thrashed inside two-and-a-half hours. Patel won the toss and decided to bat but Brentwood were soon in trouble as Moorti and Hembrough were out quickly. Stroud (13) and Patel (27) put on a little recovery but when Stroud was given out LBW to a ball that pitched outside leg stump and Patel was out straight after, the remaining Brentwood batsmen showed little resistance with the exception of Matt Thorpe-Apps who scored 18*. Brentwood were all out for 86 in 28 overs.

Harold Wood needed to get the game over quickly and they did in just 16 overs. Brentwood opening bowlers bowled OK but the Harold Wood batsmen batted well with a little bit of luck too. Thorpe-Apps was the only wicket taker 5-1-9-1.

Brentwood got Nil Points and remain in mid table mediocrity.

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23rd August

Brentwood 5th XI - 90 all out
Southend-on-Sea 5th XI - 91-7
Southend-on-Sea won by 3 wickets

Report by Ash Patel

After a steady start by the Fryd brothers who put on 25 the top order batsmen were skittled out leaving Brentwood struggling at 40-6. Double figure partnerships by the lower order took Brentwood to 90 all out. Ben Harris was the pick of the batsmen with 17*

In the 45 minutes before tea Southend failed to play any shots and crawled to 20-0. The slow scoring rate continued after tea and the 1st wicket fell to Henry Nation at 50. After going for 15 overs without a wicket Morne Smit came back after a rest to take 4 quick wickets and with youngster Ben Harris picking up a wicket too Southend were teetering on 80-7. Southend passed the winning line not by their batting ability but by a combination of wides, no balls and byes.

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30th August

Brentwood 5th XI - 178 all out
Hadleigh & Thundersley 5th XI - 180-2
Hadleigh won by 8 wickets

Report by Ash Patel

Brentwood were inserted on a lovely hot day, a good looking track and small boundaries so 200+ was required and for most of the game it looked as if Brentwood would achieve it. After a steady opening stand by Stuart and Dan Fryd they were both out in quick succession. Then Patel (33) and Early (41) began putting bat to ball and Brentwood raced to 100 before they both departed. Jamie Dawes (23) continued the aggressive trend and it was evident that he had to stay there in order Brentwood to get to 200 but his inexperience showed and he holed out at deep mid wicket. The rest of the tail capitulated and Brentwood were all out for 178.

Brentwoods team was full of seam bowlers but only Sam Dawes 4-1-19-1 and Jon Hilliard 6.2-1-24-0 can come out with any credit in a woeful bowling display. The usual full tosses, long hops, wides etc made life easy for Hadleigh. In fact it was two long hops that got Brentwood early wickets but Grigg and Snelling made no mistakes and put on 150+ to make Hadleigh easy winners.

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