Match Report

Lashings World XI 165-7 (30 overs)

Brentwood Buccaneers 167-5 (28.3 overs)

 

Brentwood claimed a lead in their annual series of games against the Lashings World XI, when they won in a relatively easy manner against a side of world class cricketers.

With Brentwood’s Old County Ground bathed in sunshine, it rarely can have looked a more impressive arena. But Brentwood were never overawed by the 1,600 international appearances, 60,000 International runs, or the 2,000 international wickets that their opposition had and were able to compete both in the field, as well as with bat and ball.

Anthony Giles made the breakthrough when he bowled the legendary Gordon Greenidge, and he then followed that up with a ball to the ribs of Mohammed Yousuf – a man who later stated that he had never been pinned, despite facing the likes of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Shoihb Ahktar and Alan Donald.

Yousuf didn’t last much longer, as was the case with Inzamam-ul-Haq, with Joe Buttleman’s mixture of slower balls bamboozling the international legends.

Wickets for Ian Belchamber then followed and it was left to Chris Schofield to produce a defendable total.

Mark Ealham, only recently retired as a professional cricketer produced one of the best spells seen at the Old County Ground since the days of first class cricket, with Jon Walford and David Hammond early victims.

James Redwood, Aaron West and Gareth James put the innings back on track, but all fell having put Brentwood back in the game. Enter Buttleman, a man for the big occasion. He proceeded to put the likes of John Emburey and Saqlian Mushtaq into the hospitality tent, ending up just one short of a deserved half century. He was ably supported in the end by a quick fire 29 from Max Osborne, but Buttleman ended the hero to pull Brentwood over the line with a relatively comfortable 9 balls to spare

Brentwood are looking forward to entertaining the world class players of Lashings in 2014 and their efforts to bring this mini-series back to parity, with Ian Butler of Nottinghamshire and New Zealand already stating that he is “in for that” via his Twitter account.