2nd XI Vs South Woodford

South Woodford 2nd XI 156-8 dec, Brentwood 2nd XI 156 all out.

Match tied (yes, tied)

Report by Peter Bainbridge

As tied matches go, this one was pretty regulation, I suppose. You had your typical rollercoaster of emotions as the advantage ebbed and flowed, some high-quality bowling, a couple of fine innings, and then high drama as the match ended in the 20th over of the final hour. There were even drugs involved.

Where to start? Well, availability through the club was so poor that Malcolm Webb was spotted buying new creams in Fentons on Friday to ensure all four teams fulfilled their fixtures and avoided a points deduction.

The effect in the second team was that Chris Boon had a makeshift side of unfamiliar faces, some young, some very old, some topped up to the eyeballs with Ibuprofen. To Boon's great relief, South Woodford seemed to be in a similar position.

Boon elected to bowl and gave the first over to Peter Bainbridge, to the surprise of many, not least  the bowler who had automatically taken up his position at fine leg. With Paul Degg providing a note of normality from the other end, Brentwood were soon on top as the cherry swung and dipped in the sultry conditions. An early chance off Degg did go down, but on the whole the close catching was impeccable and South Woodford tumbled to 60 for six. Unfortunately, Bainbridge, who had not opened the bowling in the second team since the halcyon days of Stuart Townson's leadership in the early noughties, pulled up lame and had to withdraw from the attack, his figures three for 16 from 12.3 overs. The days when he could bowl 26 overs unchanged are evidently gone.

The attack was taken up by Richard "the Ibuprofen Kid" Whitehall and Will Owers, one bowling a tight line and length without reward (the Ibuprofen Kid), the other spraying it about at velocity and picking up two wickets (Owers).

However, from 110 for eight, South Woodford dug in and their No8 and No10 batted with the kind of application lacking in the higher order. Tharbish Mowlana bowled a tidy spell over the closing overs for Brentwood and Degg returned to try to mop up the tail, but South Woodford plodded on to 156 for eight at the end of their 52 overs, with the No8 finishing unbeaten on 60.

Degg finished with three for 32 from 16.3 overs, the Ibuprofen Kid none for 42 from 10, Owers two for 25 from five and Mowlana none for 21 from eight.

After a pleasant tea (top marks for the cream scones) and a chance to top up the Ibuprofen levels and ice hamstrings, Brentwood started their reply in serene fashion. Last week's centurion, Chris Boon, looked in fine form again and with Ben Sach took the score along to 40 before falling to new bowler Shahzad Akbar for 15.

Waqqash Mowlana added 14 before edging the dangerous Akbar behind, and he was swiftly followed by James Welham and Jack Buttleman. The Ibuprofen KId hung around without looking entirely at home, Degg hit a couple of trademark boundaries before holing out and Brentwood were not looking too healthy, particularly when the rock-like Sach fell to a caught and bowled for 58 with the score at 110 for seven and only 10 overs to go.

However, the match turned again in what seemed decisive fashion as James Boon and Owers came together and pushed Brentwood towards their target with a touch of good fortune but generally excellent shots.

With victory in sight, that man Akbar took a stunning return catch off Boon who departed for 19. The equation now was six runs needed off two overs, two wickets in hand. That had become three needed off eight deliveries when Owers looked like he had won the game when he struck the ball towards the point boundary. Unfortunately, it was pulled up just short and returned to the wicketkeeper, where Tharbish Mowlana was trying to arrive for the third, and winning, run. Despite his headlong dive, he was short. Brentwood are 156 for nine, the scores are level.

No 11 Bainbridge, plus runner, just to add to the drama, limps out and blocks the last ball of the penultimate over, generously giving Owers the chance of glory.

With the field all up, spectators emerging bleary-eyed from the bar where they have been watching the FA Cup final, and Akbar charging in with five wickets to his name, the first ball is of full length, in-form Owers moves forward and strikes it crisply - but straight to cover. A yard either way and it would have pierced the field.

Second ball, Owers looks to force it through the off side again, no, no, it's short of a length, go back Will, move your feet, defend it, wait for the next one, there's loads of time, whatever you do, don't edge it, blast. He's edged it. The wicketkeeper has caught it. The match is tied.

Owers had made 19 and looked mortified to be out but had at least put Brentwood on the verge of victory and earned his side the points that come with a tie.

A good effort from a rag-tag team, few of whom are likely to be featuring this weekend as the big guns return en masse. Ibuprofen back in the medicine cabinet. Malcolm's creams in the drawer for another week.