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1st XI vs Brentwood (Home) – League.
Chelmsford 134 all out from 43.5 overs.
Brentwood 109 all out from 45 overs.
Chelmsford win by 25 runs.
On Saturday 3rd July Brentwood Cricket Club took a short trip down the A12 for the derby clash at Chelmer Park versus Chelmsford Cricket Club. Both teams were met with damp and drizzly conditions at the arrival of 11am so a delay in the start of play was instructed by umpires Todd Holland and Graham Smith.
Luckily the delay lasted only twenty minutes, so play was able to start at 11:20 with nine overs taken away due to bad weather. With Brentwood having won the toss and choosing to field it was Chelmsford who had the delight of batting first.
Throughout the morning there were patches of consistent rain which enabled the umpires to take the players off and cries for the covers to be swiftly brought on were heard. Lunch was taken early. Thankfully there was no severe or heavy downpour of rain during the afternoon sessions, so the match was able to continue, and a result was formed. Let's take a look at how Chelmsford vs Brentwood unravelled...
Chelmsford openers Jack Sterland and Dan Hagen looked to begin their innings as sturdy as they had done all season, when the pair reached 24 without loss after the first 7 overs. But Brentwood claimed their first wicket when Tom Oakley caught Hagen out from the bowling of Thomas Moore and the batsman left the field with 10 runs off 21 balls with the hosts at 27/1 off the first 8 overs.
Ben Waring joined his captain, Sterland, at the crease but the pair only lasted five and a half overs as Waring was caught by Aaron West off Charlie Griffiths' bowling in the 14th over. The number three batsman sent walking with 4 runs off 24 balls.
To Chelmsford's despair, Sterland was bowled by Griffiths two overs after Waring's departure for a steady score of 28 from 46 balls and Brentwood nailed the hosts to 53/3 after 16 overs. Now, James Clifford and Robert Catchpole were the two batsmen at the crease, and they were tasked with plugging the loss of wickets whilst increasing the run rate to a more comfortable score. However, after adding a mild 12-run partnership, J. Clifford and Catchpole were broken up when Middlesex's Australian oversees Christopher Green had J. Clifford out LBW. Chelmsford's number 4 out for 13 runs off 24 balls and the hosts at a troubling 69/4 after 21 overs.
J. Cook joined Catchpole and the pair looked well equipped to guide Chelmsford to a more comfortable score. Catchpole, the more aggressive of the two, looked to hit boundaries and did so with a few fours whilst J. Cook eased himself into his innings and took a look at what the wicket was doing. But after adding 16 runs between them to the board, J. Cook played one into the hands of Eddie Ballard from C. Green's bowling in the 27th over. Chelmsford at 89/5.
Ben Clifford joined Catchpole and looked in good shape after hitting two fours in his first four balls, but in the 28th over he was caught by Harry Phillips off the bowling of Griffiths. Chelmsford at a measly 94/6.
Brad Green joined Catchpole and the pair lasted four overs before Griffiths claimed yet another wicket, his fourth; this time caught and bowled. In the 32nd over, a brilliant wicket-maiden from the Brentwood bowler saw Catchpole depart for 17 runs off 49 balls and the hosts at a substandard 97/7.
In the over that followed Griffiths' wicket-maiden, C. Green chose to follow it up likewise. An excellent wicket-maiden from the spinner saw fellow 'surname sharing' B. Green out after being caught by Phillips. Back-to-back wicket-maidens for Brentwood meant that Chelmsford were at an alarming 97/8 after 33 overs.
Oliver Devenish and Liam Keaney were once again (like many times this season) tasked with manoeuvring Chelmsford out of trouble by digging in and scoring vital tail-end runs and to a certain extent- they did. Keaney, with the help from Devenish, steered the hosts to 123 before he was caught by T. Oakley from Griffiths' bowling; a fifer for him! Keaney out for a small but very important 17 runs off 34 balls. Devenish soon followed his partner when he was caught and bowled by Griffiths for a crucial 18 runs off 32 balls and Chelmsford finished on 134 all out after 43.5 overs. Brentwood's Griffiths finishing with 6 wickets!
Ballard, alongside Essex's promising young opening batsman Will Buttleman, needed to get their side off to a strong start to put the pressure on Chelmsford's bowling attack. But sadly, for Brentwood, Buttleman was adjudged LBW from Andy Styan's delivery in the 8th over, the batsman out for 12 off 20. Three balls later, Jack Hebron was also given out LBW, this time from Keaney's bowling. The away side were off to a horrible start at 20/2 from the first 9 overs.
C. Green and Ballard put on a much needed 37-run partnership which spanned across 15 overs before Chelmsford got their third wicket. Waring caught C. Green from Devenish's bowling in the 24th over and the Australian spinner departed the field on 18 runs off 48 balls with his side on 57/3.
Two overs later, a fired-up Devenish struck again, twice! The Chelmsford all-rounder bowled Ballard out (25 off 78) on the first ball of the 26th over and then bowled Balmford out for a duck three balls later. An incredible over for the hosts and with Brentwood at 61/5, it was fair to say the momentum was swinging in the favour of Chelmsford.
The relentless wicket taking from the home side didn't stop there. In the over that proceeded Devenish's double, Waring stepped up to claim T. Oakley's wicket after he was caught by J. Cook. Brentwood at a worrying 63/6 after 27 overs.
Aaron West was the next batsman to depart after he nicked one behind to keeper B. Green from Waring's bowling in the 29th over, a wicket-maiden for the Chelmsford spinner. Two wickets in two overs from Waring, having conceded only two runs from them and Brentwood were collapsing fast- 67/7.
Phillips joined Moore but the pair only managed a 4-run partnership before B. Green swiftly stumped Phillips out for a duck, off Devenish's bowling. Brentwood at a catastrophic 71/8 from 32 overs.
Moore and Griffiths steadied the rapid flow of wickets when the pair put on a remarkable 32 run-partnership from 67 balls. But unfortunately for the away side the honeymoon period was over when Waring had Moore out LBW for 25 runs off 47. Limrick joined Griffiths but like Moore, was given out LBW from the bowling of Waring two overs later. Waring and Devenish finishing with 4 wickets each. So, with Brentwood all out for 109 from 45 overs, Chelmsford take the victory and earn themselves a vital 25 points in the charge for the league title. Of which they will look to add to when they face Colchester at Castle Park in their next fixture.
2nd XI vs Wanstead & Snaresbrook (Away) – League.
Wanstead & Snaresbrook 148/9 from 36 overs.
Chelmsford 151/7 dec from 40 overs.
Match drawn.
An absolute corker of a match, between first and second in the league, with both sides competing fiercely from start to finish, which could have gone either way up to the final ball, which saw Wanstead needing 5 runs and Chelmsford 1 wicket but ended in a thrilling draw.
After Wanstead run the toss and put Chelmsford in, only 4 overs were possible before steady persistent drizzle forced the teams off with Chelmsford on 7-0. The game resumed after a delay of 65 minutes, which meant that 19 overs were lost, and the game reduced to 76 overs with a 40/36 split.
Rob Hayto (4) nicked behind at the end of first over after the restart, and Dutchy joined Drainy in the middle. In the next over Drainy hit 3 consecutive 4's off Hamza Shoaib (14-4-56-3), and the pair added 51 in 15 overs. However, following a 6 off Shoaib, Drainy was lbw 2 balls later for 35 off 53 (5x4 1x6). Dutchy (25) was caught and bowled by the same bowler soon after, who then dismissed Leo Dolan (4) caught behind. 73-4 from 22, 18 overs left in the innings. Harry Arnold (17) and Rishi Upadhyay added 45 valuable runs in 14 overs, but Captain Cran, up by the top sight screen was by now vigorously essaying imaginary slog-sweeps, to signal, as it were, the "unleash hell" command.
Harry attempted to but was immediately brilliantly caught on the long-off boundary. Cran marched in, unleashed hell, and quickly perished (2,4,6, out caught somewhere in the distance). Fergs followed for a couple. Rishi, (37 off 64) had been accumulating steadily but in trying to comply with his captain's command only succeeded in pole-axing non-striker Lids by drive-smashing the ball into his stomach. Lids fell, rose again, but then inexplicably failed to score off the last 3 balls.
151-7 off the 40. In the break, after all the team had admired Lid's nicely developing bruise, Cran in full Maximus mode addressed his men "We can do this!" - basically the Cran version of "what we do in life echoes in eternity" speech.
Drainy (9-2-28-1), seemingly always up for unleashing hell, responded by bustling in with menace and removing the Wanstead opener, lbw in the first over. Wanstead added 26 in the next 6 overs, before Harry (5-1-11-1) had the other opener caught at backward point by Lids. Wanstead carried on steadily. adding 30 in 9 overs, before Stuey (5-0-18-1), on for Drainy, got one through the experienced Adnan Akram's defence, via a bit of bat to bowl him for 30.
Two overs later Lids ran out the No.4 with a smart direct hit from cover. 58-4 from 18, Wanstead needing 94 from 18. Chelmsford shading it.
Wanstead skipper, Jack Lord, and brother Adam, had other ideas, however, proceeding at a run a ball. Cran shuffled his bowlers and tried Rob Hayto (2-0-11-0) and Tom Halsey to no great effect, as Adam Lord was particularly harsh on Tom. With 10 overs left Wanstead had reached 105-4, requiring 47. Odds favouring Wanstead.
Cran rang the changes again, bringing on Lids and Fergs (that's 8 bowlers used so far, Wanstead's opening pace pair had shared 30 overs, with their two change bowlers sharing the other 10!)
Cran, you are genius! 3 wickets fall as Lids (4-0-23-1), in his second over, has Jack Lord (18) caught by a tumbling Rob Hayto at short mid-wicket. Next over, Ferg's (2-0-10-1) first over, and the next man is caught by Drainy, diving forward at short extra cover. And in Ferg's next Rishi produces a direct hit run out from long on. 121-7, Wanstead now need 31 from 6. Odds swinging back in Chelmsford's favour, but the belligerent Adam Lord is still there on 39 not out, and he has now been joined by the big-hitting Mahesh Velani.
Unfortunately, Lids' next over goes for 12. Wanstead need 19 from 4, Chelmsford needs 3 wickets.
Cran plays the joker, in the form of the previously carted Tom, who now bowls a maiden to Velani. Wanstead need 19 from 3 with 3 wickets left.
Cran brings back Drainy, who only goes for 3. Wanstead need 16 from 3, 3 wickets left. SBT as Alex Ferguson might say.
Wonder of wonders, Tom, in an act of pure self-preservation, does what Lids could not do earlier (because he was holding a bat), and somehow catches a fiercely struck chest high straight drive from Adam Lord (42) and, and, only concedes 1 run in the over. Wanstead need 15 from 3 overs, 2 wickets left. All four results possible.
Drainy follows up by only conceding 4 from the penultimate over. Wanstead need 11 off 6 balls, Chelmsford still needs 2 wickets.
Tom to bowl the last over.
A Single, 10 from 5 balls.
4 out near long on 6 from 4 balls.
Dot ball. 6 from 3 balls,
WICKET! The number 10 goes big and is caught by Dutchy at long on. 6 from 2 balls 1 wicket left. Numbers has dropped his pencil.
Single from Velani (18*) - have Wanstead settled for the draw? 5 off 1, 1 wicket.
Final ball, the last man pushes a single.
MATCH DRAWN - Wanstead 4 runs short, Chelmsford 1 wicket short. Tom (6-1-28-2)
Oh, and I seem to omit to mention that the wounded person dropped Mahesh Velani (18*) on the long on boundary somewhere in Tom's last two overs.
Cran and his men are buzzing, but a little disappointed that they could not quite finish the job which would have meant a 25-6 points win which would have opened up a significant 46-point lead over Wanstead. But a 10-6 points return from the draw does extend the lead over Wanstead to 31 points. Wanstead are gutted, because had they won, the points gap would have been cut to 17 points...
Halfway stage of the season P9 W7 D1 A1(Ilford away!) League Leaders 31 points clear.
Job half done, but momentum still maintained, just.
Good team performances all through, but none better than today, with everyone contributing something. Huge resilience in adversity, never ever living up!
And thanks to our travelling support.
Next week, the 2's are home at Chelmer, facing an improving 4th placed Buckhurst Hill.
3rd XI vs Upminster (Home) – League.
Chelmsford 164 all out from 46.6 overs.
Upminster 165/6 from 55.3 overs.
Upminster win by 4 wickets.
Chelmsford Batting figures:
- Harry Page – 66.
- Adam Derham – 25.
- Luke Wilson – 17.
Chelmsford Bowling figures:
- Adam Derham – 16 overs, 3 maidens, 32 runs, 5 wickets.
- Matt Cole – 9 overs, 3 maidens, 33 runs, 1 wicket.
4th XI vs Wickford (Away) – League.
Wickford 199/9 from 43.2 overs.
Chelmsford 198/4 from 50 overs.
Wickford win by 1 wicket.
Chelmsford Batting:
- Phil Arnold – 74*.
- Nigel Guy – 40.
- Jordan Campion – 36.
Chelmsford Bowling:
- Dan Purchase – 8 overs, 1 maiden, 28 runs, 3 wickets.
- Usama Ahmed – 13 overs, 1 maiden, 62 runs and 3 wickets.
- Henry Pearce – 8 overs, 1 maiden, 46 runs and 3 wickets.
5th XI vs Belhus 4th XI (Away) – League.
Belhus 166/9 from 45 overs.
Chelmsford 153/7 from 40 overs.
Match drawn.
Another draw for Chelmsford but this was a game that might have been won. A largely encouraging performance in the field was followed by another disappointing batting effort before an excellent rear-guard that made the game look close.
Brian Kaludewa (1-22) bowled well and made an early incision but Thompson (31) played well before being dismissed at 50 by Anish Nikam (2-33) . The pressure of a slow early scoring rate told as two more wickets fell quickly but Marlow and Edwards shared another useful partnership to get the innings back of track.
They both fell in the same over to Aditya Kuzhupilly (2-24) with the dangerous Marlow (28) very well caught by Nikam. Ben Lawrence (1-19) was replaced by Mo Ahmed (3-30) and that decision was partially rewarded with three wickets including the big hitting Dharmani (27) and assisted by another good running catch from Lawrence.
The last wicket pair managed a crucial 20 runs from the final 20 balls to close the innings at 166 for nine from 45 overs.
After losing an early wicket in the chase, the second wicket pair started to look purposeful before falling in short order including a needless but well executed run out. Maidment (4-33) caused all kinds of problems for the batsmen and there was a constant fall of wickets to a nadir of 93 for seven.
Beth Wright had begun to find her feet after a slow start and Lawrence also took his time to get in. They played well and ticked off the overs before a flurry a runs in the final overs took the score past 150 showing what might have been achieved and the theoretical depth of Chelmsford's batting. Wright was unbeaten on 39 at the close, Lawrence was on 23.
For once, this was a game in which the result would have been different if the opposition's catching had matched Chelmsford's. Plenty of good aspects and with the talent available someone will surely make a decent score soon.
Man of the Match: Ben Lawrence