| Match Report |
Report by Peter Bainbridge
Brentwood III's tradition of making slow starts to the season continued with defeat against local rivals Hutton on the back pitch. Let's hope the traditional mid-late-season surge materialises. In fact, why don't Brentwood just take the first six weeks of the season off and start once Brentwood School breaks up?
Well, for starters, we would miss out on magical moments, unexpected highs, those occasions which make turning up and getting soundly beaten all worthwhile, instances when you can tell your grandkids, 'I was there'.
So, let's cut to the chase and celebrate the best few minutes of the afternoon from a Brentwood point of view. Specifically, the 37th over of the Hutton innings, bowled by one of the better known members of the club making a welcome comeback after a break from the game caused by the double whammy that has ended the career of lesser men, namely children and general decrepidness. Step forward Paul Webb. Backbone of the club, a man who bleeds claret and purple (the club colours, not the real blood-type thing, stupid), a loyal servant who wears his stripey Brentwood blazer on shopping trips, a legend of whom a game of heads and tails and a rousing speech are expected whenever he enters a room.
It had been a long time since that idiosyncratic leg-spinning action had graced the green Brentwood swards, 1993 some estimated, though 2007 was probably more likely. Yet, here he was, turning back the clock, being asked to grab a wicket or two against a Hutton side who had been moving relatively smoothly on to 110 for three.
So, after three ease-me-back-gently-and-try-not-to-get-smacked overs of his spell, Webb strode in. First ball of the 37th over, Hutton's own legend, Steve Cotton, belies his years of experience by trying to whack Webb for six over long-on, only to fall short and watch the ball nestle into the safe hands of Anthony Giles. Third ball, a callow youngster is quaking in his boots in the face of the unstoppable Webb force, he gets caught in two minds and lobs up a catch to Peter Bainbridge at mid-on. Fifth ball, OK, so it was a long hop, but the pressure generated by the previous four spinning, spitting, ferocious deliveries had the batsman in a muddle from which he top edged the ball to George Bull at midwicket. Sixth ball is stoutly defended, leaving a barely believing Webb with a barely believable triple-wicket maiden.
Hutton were suddenly in a pickle, readjusting their sights from 225 to 175. In Hutton's favour, however, was the fact that No3 Jon Hammond was still at the crease. Even when Luke Brailey took the seventh Hutton wicket after controversially replacing Webb, Hammond continued to make batting appear easy.
With good support from 13-year-old Joe Parry, Hammond took the score towards respectability and had reached 85 when miscueing a drive off Jack Payne and being well caught by Brailey.
With a late wag of the tail, Hutton finished at 183 all out in the 52nd over, a fair score on a wicket that had looked a little damp early on.
George Bull (7-0-15-1) had done well opening the bowling, and there were good spells from fellow under-15s Jack Payne (9-1-29-1) and Brailey (5-0-25-1). They all had to doff their caps, however, to Webb, whose last league wicket had come when they were barely out of nappies and who finished here with 6-1-20-3.
After having been bowled out the previous week for 42, Brentwood were not exactly confident of a successful run chase and when Giles was caught in the covers off Parry, the nerves heightened.
Sonny Willis and Jack Payne raised hopes, taking the score to 50 before Payne lost patience against the chinamen of Graham Spooner and was caught at mid-off.
Unfortunately, at this stage Hammond came into the attack and it soon became evident that batting was not his only skill. He claimed the wickets of Willis (21), Nigel Bacon (20) and Brailey (0) and then showed absolutely no respect by dismissing Webb (0). All were clean bowled.
Captain Mervyn Emmanuel dug in and, with all hopes of winning having long disappeared, a draw seemed possible until Hutton brought Hammond back into the attack and he bowled last-man Bainbridge (pitched middle, hit top of off, honest) in the 18th over of the last hour. Hammond finished with figures of 9.2-5-9-5 to go with his earlier 85. A match-winning performance if ever there was one.
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