3rd XI Vs Upminster 3rd XI

Upminster IIIs 188-9, Brentwood IIIs 211-8 Match drawn

Report by Peter Bainbridge

It has been a tricky start to the season for Brentwood IIIs - back in the top flight; captain/manager Mervyn Emmanuel given the Sam Allardyce-sized task of ensuring survival; like West Ham, playing in a miserable, drab fashion; unlike West Ham, unable to keep themselves out of the relegation zone.

It is only early, but a return of 13 points from the first four matches was not boding well and certainly Emmanuel's million-pound bonus for keeping the team up has been looking in jeopardy.

Thus, it was with some trepidation that Brentwood travelled even deeper into West Ham territory on Saturday to take on Upminster, who had made a flying start, winning both their previous home matches by putting the opponents in and bowling them out for low scores. Especially after morning showers, it came as no surprise when Upminster won the toss and asked Brentwood to bat.

With Emmanuel's injury again keeping him out of action, stand-in captain Peter Bainbridge had carefully crafted a batting order to kickstart Brentwood's season. Unfortunately, with Upminster already out on the field and waiting to start, his Nos 1, 2 and 3 had still failed to arrive at the ground. This led to an interesting couple of minutes in the changing room. Nigel Bacon accepted the invitation to open. Sam Ali declined. Dave Balroop volunteered his services and was snapped up. Ali reconsidered his original decision and said that maybe he would open after all, leaving Bainbridge with the prospect of having three batsmen going out together. In the end, it was Bacon and Balroop who ventured out to the middle, on the way passing the apologetic intended first three who were dashing into the pavilion from the car park.

A dour batle of attrition on a two-paced pitch of uneven bounce was forecast - 175 the target set for his batsmen by Bainbridge - but the B-team of Bacon and Balroop opened with a flurry of boundaries before Bacon swung, missed and was bowled for 10 with the score on 24 in the seventh over.

Jamie Coleman was able to fulfil his duties as No3 after his tardy arrival and set about making amends by joining Balroop in a 91-run partnership that put his side in a position of strength. His 34 included a big straight six off the Upminster off-spinner's first delivery - nothing like having a look at the new bowler - and there were several crisp drives through the covers before he was bowled by a grubber.

Balroop had by this stage reached his 50, a classy knock which showed fine judgement on a tricky track of which deliveries to block and which to blast, but as so often happens after a big partnership, he quickly followed his partner back to the pavilion.

This brought the unpunctual Mowlana brothers, Aftharb and Waqqash, together at the crease, 90 minutes later than intended. Aftharb looked in particularly fine fettle, hitting five sumptious boundaries in the style of a man keen to make up for lost time and to prove his critics wrong after a stodgy 40 the previous week. It came as a major surprise and disappointment when he somehow managed to play on for 23, blaming himself for overconfidence. A few more overs of him could have had Brentwood thinking about an early declaration.

Waqqash played a neat knock and was looking good before out for 14. Sam Ali took on the Upminster attack, swinging his bat with gusto, largely irrespective of the delivery's line or length. Unfortunately he rarely connected and the estimation from his team-mates was a ratio of 12 swishes per run. He was eventually put out of his misery, lbw for 12. If he had been plugged into the National Grid, the windpower produced from his lavish shots would have kept Essex in electricity for a few days at least.

Brentwood were by this stage 186 for six and looking good for the 200. Dan Stone, a county under-15 making his adult debut, played a remarkably mature cameo, not put off by receiving a beamer on his first delivery faced. He had kicked off his innings with a couple of beautifully timed boundaries and as the 200 approached, sensibly pushed singles and twos to leave Brentwood needing four off the last over. Jon Hiliard took them over the line in style with a couple of lusty blows down the ground and, when he holed out, Tharbish Mowlana smacked the last ball of the innings for another boundary, leaving Brentwood on 211 for eight, Stone unbeaten on 16.

With a strong attack at his disposal, Bainbridge opened with Balroop and Hilliard and Balroop struck in the fourth over, his booming inswingers inducing the batsman to play on. A brilliant stumping by Stone off Hilliard made it 30 for two in the 11th over. Ed Abbott missed half a chance of a caught-and-bowled but instead tipped the ball onto the stumps to run out the non-striker - 46 for three - and then Tharbish Mowlana got one through the batsman's defences for a clean bowled - 52 for four.

Brentwood were flying but had not been helped by Upminster losing the ball in the 12th over and offering a replacement that would not have been out of place in a WG Grace exhibition. With little swing forthcoming despite the sultry conditions, Upminster's fourth-wicket pair dug in, and at the start of the last 20 overs, the score was 98 for four, 113 more needed. Coleman's off-spin had been brought into the attack and he got the breakthrough in his fifth over, bowling the No6 Tyler for 36 to make it 130 for five - 82 needed off the last 13.

Bainbridge induced a leading edge from the No7 to make it 149 for six, and then Coleman bowled Upminster captain Middlemiss - 163 for seven. With four overs left, the equation was 31 runs or three wickets needed and the dangerous No3 Schofield still at the crease. Balroop came back into the attack and from his first loosener, a long hop, Schofield miscued a cut and plonked it straight into the hands of Aftharb Mowlana to depart for 62. With him went Upminster hopes but Brentwood were pressing for victory. When Coleman took a smart return catch to get rid of the No9, Brentwood had 10 balls to bag the final, 25-point wicket.

With a few oohs and aaahs, Upminster hung on to leave Brentwood slightly deflated but with a haul of 12 points that almost doubled their tally from the first four games. Special mention goes to the Mowlanas for some inspired fielding and to Stone for an impressive 52-over stint behind the stumps.

With availability hopefully set to remain good over the coming weeks, Emmanuel's million-pound bonus might be safe after all.