3rd XI Vs Loughton

After an agonising defeat to South Woodford at home followed by a close game against Wanstead at Nutter Lane, the glimmers of form in Brentwood’s top-order batting delivered in a savage display of vengeance against a weak Loughton side last Saturday. This is despite a number of omens which were faced prior to the start of the game.

Those of who, like me, were unlucky enough to arrive at the back pitch early, were there to unearth the boundary rope in a more twisted and knotted state than any of the team’s livers after the PCA match the night before. While Billy Hull and Chris Boon snr were conducting major surgery on the rope, the captain had other issues on his mind. Ben Sach innocently messaged (at 12:07PM) what time the meet for the game was and Sonny replied “10 mins ago”. Sach reassured his captain: “Ok just at driving range will be with you in 5!”

By some miracle; the rope was successfully put out, Sonny’s opening partner Ben arrived at the club (albeit without a box) and shortly after, Brentwood won the toss and elected to bat on what promised to be a good batting pitch on a sweltering hot day.

Sonny got off to a solid start, playing straight and looking very comfortable against the Loughton opening bowling which was generally quite steady and Sach, after a single, hit three consecutive fours, showing that Brentwood had an opportunity to make a big score.

The openers put on 30 before Sonny, after looking good, turned a length delivery into a yorker after trying to advance down the pitch. This brought to the crease Nigel Bacon, whose last three innings were 60*, 70 and 52, after the purchase of a new bat from Warsop. He continued where he left off at Wanstead, smashing a cut shot over cover’s head for four during his first over on strike. Ben Sach also cut and pulled well, dispatching any balls short of a length to the trees, and pushing anything straight between square leg and midwicket.

The two put on a partnership in excess of 100, both reaching their half centuries in quick time. Bacon was eventually caught after hitting ten 4’s and one 6 for his 67 in the 29th over, the score 161.

Billy Hull then came in at 4 and quickly put the pressure back on the bowlers, hitting consecutive boundaries on a number of occasions; the quality of the bowling had deteriorated however, Boony describing a ploy of short pitch bowling to Ben Sach in the 70’s aptly: “I know, let’s try bowling 45 mph and test out the middle of the pitch!”

Sach negotiated through the 90’s successfully, to a welcome applause from his team including a very hungover Bryan Atkins who was situated face down near his bag through most of Brentwood’s innings. Sach’s 100 is the first in two years by an opening batsman in the threes after Sam Dawes battered 130* at Clayhall Park.

In no time at all, Brentwood were racing towards a score above 300. Brentwood went from 202 to 250 in five overs, then from 250 to 301 in four. Umpiring in the last two overs was particularly entertaining as Sach and Hull punished the last two overs for a staggering 41. Sach hit the last ball of the innings for four, leaving him on 166* the second-highest score for the Brentwood 3rd XI, the highest for an opener in the 3s. Billy Hull was left on a no less impressive 87*, scoring thirteen 4’s and one six. Brentwood batted 45 overs scoring 342 for the loss of 2 wickets.

After tea, Sonny gathered his troops on the outfield before Loughton’s innings on a positive note, contrasting with some of the more sombre ‘meetings’ this season. Despite this, Willis was determined to maintain discipline. While hammering home the need to defend our score in a professional manner, Boon snr pointed out the difficulty he felt to be genuinely professional due to the lack of plumbing in the outfield.

Dave Balroop opened the bowling from the top end and Cameron Maxwell bowled from the other. Balroop trapped the opening batsman plum in front, and arguably should have had him in the previous over where the umpire, instead of raising his finger, slowly bent down and hid at stump-level few moments, contemplating his decision. Maxwell then got the other opener caught at slip by Sonny, then their number three caught and bowled. Dave Balroop then bowled Loughton’s number four for 1 with a full inswinging delivery; Billy Hull allegedly inspired this tactic, which is hard to believe considering 63.7% of all Balroop’s wickets have been either bowled or LBW.

Peter Bainbridge bowled first change and after getting Loughton 4 down, was unlucky not to get a wicket. After realising that Pete was getting the ball to swing away and bounce off a full length, Sonny set a 7-2 field with three slips and a gully, beating the bat on a number of occasions.

George Bull then came on from the top end. Although he leaked a few runs, he picked up the wicket of Bridges, Loughton’s 5th batsman, who was beginning to look settled on 13, and then their number 7 after a very sharp catch by Bainbridge at short fine leg.

George Wingrove’s contribution with the ball was the finishing touch on Brentwood’s performance. He mixed up his pace well and made the final wickets seem inevitable. Sach took a sharp catch at cover diving forward, and then another catch was held by Sonny.

Loughton did however have some stubborn resistance with the bat. Their number 8 batted aggressively for his 41, top scoring. After a few close chances, Boon decided to field in a deep sweeping position and the ball immediately found him in the deep. Boony was left in a heap on the floor with the ball on the ground. Wingrove was not impressed. The final wicket was taken by George Wingrove caught and bowled, not entrusting the catch to anyone else (“get out of the way, I’m catching this f-----“).

In the end Brentwood won comfortably by 184 runs, bowling 10-man Loughton out in the 37th over.

Match report by Cameron Maxwell

http://essexcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/2694200