4th XI Vs Upminster 5th

So summer has begun…….no one told the weather gods.

After another week of appalling weather came the visit of top of the table Upminster to the OCG. As they have been for the last few weeks, it was an important toss to win and win Brentwood did and pretty quickly decided to insert the visitors on what looked a pretty soft wicket and a damp outfield.

Captain Dan Ranns took the new cherry along with Will Davey as they went in search of Upminster victims. Opening up for Upminster was skipper Alex Bottoms alongside brother Will and scoring proved tricky as they got used to the slow wicket. Frustration told as in the 7th over Alex cut Ranns to point where Rozario took a simple catch to dismiss the opener for 9. Rohan Mayor then joined the remaining Bottom at the crease. They continued the watchful nature of the opening partnership and after 14 overs the score was still only on 30. In the 15th over, Ranns made another breakthrough removing Will Bottom for 13 as he hit a solid stroke to extra cover where Harry Hobson took a sharp catch on the move at head height. With the drinks break approaching, Mayor and the new batsman Scott Fisher took advantage of some loose bowling, and even looser fielding, to try and kick start the Upminster innings. With the aid of a couple of dropped catches, they managed to double the innings total in the space of 5 overs from 36 for 2 off 18 to 73 for 2 off 23. This little surge definitely had an effect on morale in the field as Fisher and Mayor continued to push on towards a 100 partnership. They would fall just short as the impressive Hobson ended the partnership on 94 when Fisher, having reached 57 with a mixture of spangle and stroke play, skied one where Luke Ranns of all people atoned for some wayward bowling by taking a solid catch at mid-on. 3 down became 4 down in Hobson’s next over as he trapped keeper Michael Larke plumb LBW for 0. It was at this point, after one thunderstorm had slipped past, the second storm hit and the players dashed to put the covers on. An early tea was taken with Upminster 131-4 off 33 overs. Luckily this first one was a passing shower so no time was lost with the innings resuming following another fantastic tea effort by “Luke” Ranns….Hobson and Arun Gautham continued their impressive bowling displays after tea but Upminster continued to play positively in search of more batting points, David Brown and Ansar Khan both made brisk scores of 19 and 14 respectively before both were removed by quicker deliveries from Gautham. At the other end however Mayor continued his push and in the final over took the visitors score over the 200 mark to 213 before he was caught off the last ball of the innings by Hobson off the bowling of Shane Rozario for a very impressive 86. 213-7 from their 45 overs, Upminster would definitely have been the happier of the two sides given the disappointing work in the field by the hosts following the miserly start that Ranns and Davey had gotten them off to with the ball.

So with 40 overs to face minimum the required rate was a touch above 5 an over as Roger Mahaedo and Tom Harries opened up for Brentwood with Khan and Jamie Squance opening the bowling for Upminster. There was a mix of bowling with Squance keeping tight at one end where Khan was a little bit looser at the other going for 11 and 34 respectively off of their 6 overs each to start up. Harries was free flowing as ever hitting 6 boundaries in a run a ball score of 43 before smoking a sharp return chance to first change bowler Nathan Bright who clung on impressively to leave the hosts 61-1 off 15 overs. They only added 1 more run in the next 2 overs before the rain came again with Brentwood 62-1 off 17. Every time the rain looked like it was calming down, it came again harder and the decision was made that no more play was possible. 6 points each and a wasted day?? Probably a bit harsh, positives definitely to be taken. Harries & Davey continued their early season form with bat and ball respectively and new acquisition Hobson impressed both with the ball and in the field. Two away trips in a row up next for Brentwood to West Essex and Ilford. Let’s hope for some dryer weather.