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10th May
South Woodford 3rd XI - 270-6 declared
Brentwood 3rd XI - 158
South Woodford won by 112 runs
Report by Peter Bainbridge
If anyone needed a wake-up call - and late arrivals suggested a couple of players did - this served the purpose perfectly.
After two seasons of dicing with relegation, Brentwood started the new campaign with the sort of inept performance that suggests their stay in the top division is coming to an end.
After this nightmare, Trevor Coote must be thinking he's taken on the mother of all hospital passes in accepting the captaincy. Relegation in his first season? It would be enough to drive a man to drink. Or in Coote's case, more drink.
However, he cannot escape blame for the shambles. His trust in players to turn up on time at the club for the long trip to South Woodford proved horribly misguided. Brentwood were forced to start the match with seven players on the field and Coote knows he will have to treat his side like children from now on.
It was an embarrassing opening to what could become an embarrassing season unless attitudes sharpen. On a blistering afternoon, South Woodford's opener, Riza Javed, had one of his going days and launched into the Brentwood attack with the sort of panache and enthusiasm so lacking in the visitors. When the 100 came up in the 16th over, he'd scored 73 with only a small dose of good luck, regularly crashing the ball to the short boundaries.
Peter Bainbridge eventually managed to end the deluge when he sneaked one through Javed's defences. The game suddenly swung as Bainbridge claimed three more quick wickets and Jamie Battu added another to reduce South Woodford to 111 for five. Sadly, that was the high point of the afternoon as South Woodford's sixth-wicket pair, with time on their side, dug in. With Bainbridge and Battu needing to take a break in the sweltering conditions, South Woodford gradually regained control and declared in the 51st over. Bainbridge took five for 70 from 18 overs and the promising Battu one for 28 from 11.
The Brentwood innings commenced in comical style. One of the South Woodford opening bowlers had such a long run and follow through, plus such a slow walk back to his mark, that batsmen were in danger of dozing off in between deliveries. That was certainly Barry Brookes' excuse as he missed a full toss in the first over and departed for a golden duck.
South Woodford took 45 minutes to bowl their first 10 overs, and only the further exits of David Smith and Alec Newson broke the tedium. Brentwood were never in the hunt and only late resistance from Neil Webb and Coote kept South Woodford's victory charge in check. Webb was unbeaten on 33 when the final Brentwood wicket fell for 158 with three of the last 20 overs remaining.
Maybe it's best to draw a veil over the afternoon but players need to realise that they will have to perform at their absolute maximum each week to have any hope of survival in this division. There are some expensive nets at the OCG these days and a few sessions in them would not go amiss.
Upminster, the visitors this Saturday, were league runners-up last year and started this campaiogn with a maximum-points win. It's an ideal fixture for Brentwood to show that they will not simply be cannon fodder this season.
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24th May
Hutton 3rd XI - 202-9
Brentwood 3rd XI - 289-4
Match Drawn
Report by Peter Bainbridge
A performance immeasurably better than their opening-day shambles took Brentwood to the brink of victory at Hutton.
Whereas at South Woodford two weeks previously Brentwood had the air of a side destined for the drop, at Hutton they looked more like a team capable of at least avoiding another relegation dogfight.
Just what brought the improvement could have been a combination of factors: intensive sessions in our lovely new nets, introspection in front of the bathroom mirror, the purchasing of an Essex A-Z. Whatever the cause, the horrific memory of South Woodford was all but erased.
Brentwood hit the ground running this time when all 11 members of the team safely negotiated the tricky two-mile trip to Hutton (Hanging Hill Lane can be a nightmare on a Saturday lunchtime).
Then captain Trevor Coote, fresh from a creditable six-point postponement against the powerful Upminster the previous week, won the toss and elected to take first knock on a run-laden wicket.
David Smith and Shane Surujbally made a mature, watchful start, with Smith taking the dominant run-scoring role, setting the afternoon's boundary blitz off with an immaculate pull for six in the fourth over.
While Smith generally played classically straight, Surujbally started bludgeoning boundaries around the wicket. He took 18 off one over from the otherwise economical Cochrane as he reached his 50 ahead of his partner.
Smith cruised past the milestone without having given a chance and the bowling side were as surprised as the spectators when he decided to charge Belk's leg-spin and was stumped for 55 with the score at 148 in the 31st over.
Ben Holmes, though seemingly frustrated at being unable to hit at least three boundaries an over, succeeded in keeping up the scoring rate with the rampant Surujbally as the Hutton bowlers toiled. Both fell playing big shots against Cochrane's nagging accuracy - Holmes for an angry 45 and Surujbally for a superb 140, a masterful innings which included six sixes.
James Welham, aged 15, and Ross Cant, aged 16, played entertaining cameos as Brentwood rocketed on to 289 for four when the declaration came after 52 overs.
It was a relieved Brentwood team that took tea happy in the belief that defeat was unlikely, although knowing that bowling out any team on such a good batting track would be difficult.
Peter Bainbridge provided a glimmer of hope by removing both openers before 30 had been posted but Hutton gradually regained their balance and were able to dish out some batting punishment of their own.
Belk and Jelly had taken the score to 130 for two as the final hour approached, providing the potential for a nerve-wracking finish. However, the obdurate Jelly was astounded to see his stumps clipped by a Cant inswinger, and then Belk was beaten in the flight and bowled by Neil Webb's guileful off-spin for a hard-hitting 96.
The wickets changed the whole complexion of the match and although Hutton's middle order continued to chase the target, the guts had been knocked out of their innings. Webb proved his ability to make the step up from fourth-team cricket by claiming a further three wickets and when Greg Holmes took a stunning return catch off his own leg spin, Hutton were eight down with eight overs remaining.
Brentwood unfortunately had to wait until the final over for another breakthrough, Jamie Battu yorking the obstinate Cochrane. Battu was unable to repeat the feat with his final two deliveries and Hutton survived, leaving Brentwood to rue a tardy retstart after tea which cost them 10 minutes and the lack of boundary fences which led to long delays for ball-finding.
Webb was the pick of the bowlers on an unresponsive pitch, finishing with four for 50 from 13 overs.
A 12-point draw is not to be sniffed at and gives plenty of encouragement for the rest of the campaign. Next up is the trip to Shenfield, for which captain Coote is organising a walking bus from the OCG.
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31st May
Shenfield 3rd XI - 67
Brentwood 3rd XI - 159-9
Brentwood won by 92 runs
Report by Peter Bainbridge
A derby match of fluctuating fortunes eventually swung heavily Brentwood's way as they registered their first win of the season.
After a commanding performance in almost securing victory on a batting paradise at Hutton the previous week, Brentwood had to show resolve in tricky conditions at the Courage Playing Fields.
Shenfield won the toss under gloomy skies and unsurprisingly elected to give Brentwood first use of a damp wicket surrounded by an uncut outfield.
Shane Surujbally, the previous week's centurion, made a watchful start with Ben Holmes, aware that any score over 180 was going to be formidable. Holmes, struggling to curb his aggressive tendencies, managed to strike the square-leg umpire with one particularly angry pull before lobbing up a catch to backward square with the score on 19. Surujbally fell soon afterwards, bowled playing back to a full-length delivery.
Debutant Kyle Linzell and Chris Lawless went some way to repairing the damage, mixing patience with powerful blows, and had taken the score up to 64 in the 25th over when Lawless (20) became the first of four Brentwood lbw victims from the top end. Dave Balroop was deemed leg-before from the very next delivery and fortunes turned even worse when Linzell (15) tickled a leg-side catch to the wicketkeeper and then Neil Webb shouldered arms to a ball that dipped in and hit off stump.
All four wickets had fallen to Coates in a seven-ball blitz that left Brentwood at 65 for six and looking a long way from a defendable target.
Fortunately, there was plenty of batting down the order in a powerful line-up and Greg Holmes started a rearguard effort that helped turn the match on its head. Showing great maturity, he shared a 27-run stand with Ross Cant and, after Cant and Barry Brooks had become lbw victims, put on another 17 with Trevor Coote.
Holmes eventually fell for 28 with the score on 127 for nine in the 52nd over, leaving Coote to decide whether to give up two batting points in favour of killing time and trying to nurdle a few runs with last-man Peter Bainbridge. To Shenfield's evident surprise, Coote stayed on and the gamble paid off as the last pair batted for a further nine overs, adding 32 runs and thoroughly frustrating the fielding side in the process.
Coote (22 not out) and Bainbridge (13 not out) came off at 4.25pm with the score on a very respectable 159 for nine - a total boosted by 31 wides - and Brentwood optimistic that their galaxy of seam stars could make Shenfield suffer.
Sure enough, the target proved beyond Shenfield as Balroop and Bainbridge savoured the friendly conditions. Balroop, bowling downhill from the end from which all nine Brentwood wickets had fallen, struck in his first over, clean bowling Joyner. Bainbridge removed the other opener in his second over thanks to a one-two in the slips from Surujbally and Webb and the procession of Shenfield batsmen continued for the next 90 minutes. Balroop ripped through the middle order, clean bowling three batsmen before eventually being granted one of his many lbw claims.
Wicketkeeper Brooks took a stunning leg-side catch off Bainbridge which, allied to a run out, meant Shenfield started the final 20 overs eight wickets down. Coote opted to rest his opening bowlers and again his tactics paid off as Cant galloped in with fresh legs to claim two wickets in his first over and wrap up proceedings at 6.30pm.
Brentwood were able to reflect on a thoroughly polished 20-point performance which had featured gritty batting, top-notch seam bowling and astute captaincy. They will try and maintain the form when Hainault and Clayhall visit the OCG on Saturday.
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7th June
Brentwood 3rd XI - 140-8
Hainault & Clayhall 3rd XI - 159-9 declared
Match Drawn
Report by Peter Bainbridge
Those concerned about world food shortages need only have visted the OCG on Saturday to see a potential site to solve the rice crisis.
While the second-team softies deemed the main field unplayable and spent their afternoon on a Chris Boon-led shopping adventure at Mothercare, the third team doughtily ploughed a lone furrow on the back pitch.
The result of an afternoon and evening developing trench foot? Five points for a Brentwood side who had bossed the game for all but the last half-hour and three for Hainault. Had the sides taken the Mothercare route at 1pm, they would each have gained six.
Still, nothing ventured...
Back to the start...a slight delay was caused by the captains losing the coin after it sank on landing. A passing member of the Essex Underwater Recovery Unit assisted and reported that Trevor Coote had called correctly.
Hainault were invited to have first splash and thus started one of the more dour batting performances witnessed in Essex, if not the whole South-East of England. Hainault took drinks in the 26th over at 54 for two and by the 52nd were only 117 for six. The Brentwood attack had obviously been miserly, with Jamie Battu the pick, but the pitch contained very few demons and a slow outfield could only partly explain the batsmen's slothfulness.
Hainault batted on for another 10 overs, declaring at 159 for nine at 4.28pm. Battu, who had been able to maintain his pace in the awkward bowling conditions, finished with three for 35 from 15 overs.
Brentwood knew they would face in the region of 40 overs to chase the target and the tea-time talk from a very hungry Coote was for the batsmen to be positive. Barry Brookes followed the plan by wasting no time in getting out and Shane Surujbally smashed one big six before wading back to the pavilion.
Ben Holmes then set about retrieving the parlous position with Chris Lawless. Lawless played the dominant role, needing no excuse to take the aerial route to avoid the water hazards and Brentwood started the final 20 overs at 68 for two. Shortly after drinks, Lawless unfortunately misjudged the trajectory of a rocket-like drive and rifled it down a noisy mid-on's throat for 33.
Dave Balroop found it easier to keep his feet batting than bowling and in the course of a few overs looked capable of guiding Brentwood to victory. With the score at 121 for three with nine overs left, Brentwood were sitting pretty but Balroop's exit for 24 - miscueing to mid-on - started a dramatic slide. Four more wickets fell in quick succession, including Holmes (35), whose naturally angry demeanour was only worsened by the fact that he was run out by his twin, Greg, going for a third run (I bet there was an interesting conversation in the Holmes bunk beds that night!).
It was left to Coote and Battu to play out the last three overs for a draw that left Brentwood feeling deflated at not having rammed home their dominance.
With jock straps and socks well aired, Brentwood will welcome yo-yo club Woodford Wells to the OCG on Saturday.
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14th June
Brentwood 3rd XI - 69-1
Woodford Wells 3rd XI - 68 all out
Brentwood won by 9 wickets
Report by Peter Bainbridge
If you've got a party to go to, you don't want to be rushing to make the start. So it was that Woodford Wells obligingly rolled over on Saturday to enable the Brentwood third team to get fully in the mood for the club's Caribbean Evening.
When Chris Lawless hammered the winning four through mid off to round off a thoroughly one-sided match, the clock had barely ticked past 4pm. The ensuing tea tasted particularly good for Brentwood, as did the refreshments from the bar soon afterwards. It was a very long evening for some...
Brentwood have been a different proposition this season to the side that struggled to avoid relegation for the past two years, and a weak Woodford Wells were no match.
The visitors arrived with only 10 men, but batted so poorly that another dozen batsmen would have made no difference to their fortunes. They threw their wickets away with gay abandon and on this showing look booked in for an immediate return to the first division.
The tone was set in the third over when Peter Bainbridge's long hop was dollied up to Ross Cant at square leg. With the other opener slashing wildly at anything in his half of the pitch, it was obvious Woodford had not arrived with an embarrassment of batting riches. Kyle Linzell bowled No3 Patel with a good one but the rest of the batsmen seemed to try and outdo each other in the naive nature of their exits.
Three catches were scooped up to fielders - Linzell and Cant (twice) being the bowling beneficiaries - and there were two numbskull run outs as Woodford subsided to 47 for seven on what was a good batting track. Neil Webb then mopped up the last two wickets with his canny off spin as the innings closed in the 30th over.
A swift changeover saw Brentwood opening batsmen Barry Brookes and Andy Taker make trouble-free progress. Taker looked in good nick, straight driving stylishly, and kept the board ticking along as Brookes searched for some form. They were helped along by a five-run penalty when the ball struck a helmet lying behind the wicketkeeper.
Brookes reached double figures for the first time this season (worth a jug, that one) but perished on 13, missing a straight one with the score at 63. Taker was unbeaten on 29 when the match ended in the 16th over.
Nil point to Woodford Wells, 18 to Brentwood. Next week's trip to Gidea Park will be a tougher test.
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21st June
Gidea Park & Romford 3rd XI - 151-2
Brentwood 3rd XI - 148 all out
Gidea Park & Romford won by 8 wickets
Report by Peter Bainbridge
Brentwood failed to maintain their promising start to the season as they received a reminder about the strength in the top half of the Premier Division.
After their crushing defeat of Woodford Wells the previous week, Brentwood found GPR a different proposition and retreated from the grim wastes of Romford with no points.
A lost toss, a needless run out and a dropped chance certainly made life difficult for the visitors, but it's hard to argue they deserved much more out of this performance.
Morning rain had spiced up the pitch and Brentwood were always struggling to post a decent score after being inserted. Only when Greg Holmes and Neil Wicks came together at 44 for three in the 22nd over did Brentwood look capable of climbing towards the skipper's target of 200.
With Holmes punishing anything loose off his legs and Wicks driving stylishly through the covers, the pair put on 30 in 10 overs and looked well set. Sadly, when Wicks called for a dicey single to short fine leg, Holmes was run out for 29.
Wicks, making his seasonal debut after returning from medical college, looked capable of giving his side's innings the kiss of life but was unable to prevent partners succumbing to the Grim Reaper.
Wicks, himself, perished for 45 when he gave a smart return catch to reduce Brentwood to a sickly 119 for eight in the 45th over. With the tail showing signs of wagging, captain Trevor Coote opted to bat on past 52 overs, thus forsaking two batting points. The move was only partially justified as Brentwood ended at 148 in the 57th over.
An early wicket was exactly what Brentwood needed to put doubts into the GPR line-up and Peter Bainbridge looked to have obliged when opener Matt Sutton edged his fourth delivery to second slip. Unfortunatley the regulation chance was grassed and Sutton made the most of his fortune.
Sutton's ability to smash anything pitched up through and over midwicket meant Brentwood failed to apply any pressure. Despite the best efforts of Essex bowler Dave Barbone, GPR quickly had the match in the bag.
A couple of late wickets were not enough to even bring Brentwood a point, and Sutton smashed the winning four over a dozy deep midwicket's head just after 6pm to finish on 93 not out.
Things are unlikely to get any easier next Saturday when Wanstead visit the OCG.
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