Wanstead & Snaresbrook (172/3) beat Westcliff-on-Sea (171 all out) by seven wickets

Essex Cricket League Dukes League Cup Quarter Final, Sunday July 11th

I was over at Chalkwell Park for the second time in four days but this one was a biggie for the hosts as the Division Two side were hosting the mighty Premier Division Wanstead & Snaresbrook for a place in the final four of the League Cup, but the home side were clearly huge underdogs in this one.

Wanstead of course were the current Premier Division champions too and were hot favourites to get through as said above, and after they won the toss they elected to stick Westcliff into bat and hope to try and bowl them out cheaply.

The match was scheduled to begin at 12.30pm, but when I arrived their just before midday the home side had already faced 18 overs of their innings as I quickly found out the match had begun at 11am instead, but I had no idea this was the case, but hey ho there was still plenty of cricket to be played or I was hoping that was the case anyway.

Westcliff had just lost their first wicket before I arrived, Lewis Wright was snared by Wanstead skipper Joe Ellis-Grewal for 38 in an opening stand of  71 with Charlie Lockhart, and they quickly lost Jonathan Pratt for just two and Westcliff were 80/2 and I was thinking to myself that maybe I was a bad omen!!!

It had been a decent start for the home side though against a pretty decent bowling attack, and they quickly got over this double wicket wobble to find themselves on 137/2 with Lockhart and Joe Robbins going very nicely indeed, and a decent score looked likely for the hosts, however once Robbins was dismissed for 32, the hosts collapsed to 171 all out in the 42nd over, with the spin of Ellis-Grewal, Jahansher Akbar and Nabeel Aziz doing the damage.

Lockhart was top scorer for cliff making 56, but after such a good start they had lost their last eight wickets for 34 runs, an alarming collapse in anyone's book, and it meant Wanstead would only require 172 from their 45 overs to reach the Semi Finals of the competition.

The hosts needed early wickets if they were to pull of one of the biggest shocks for sometime, and Adnan Khan, who had been given out LBW at the end of the Westcliff innings in rather controversial circumstances, charged in with the new ball and skittled Kishen Velani's off stump with a beauty to see the visitors 10/1, but thereafter Bilal Patel and Robin Das set about batting the visitors into a commanding position.

The pair put on a class 77 for the second wicket before Patel was snared by spinner Adil Ali, having the batsmen well caught at slip by Tom Baker, Ali was probably the hosts best bowler as he caused them problems, especially Adnan Akram, who he had tied up in knots on more than one occasion, and Akram was his second victim, caught by Lewis Grove for 16 and leaving the visitors on 120/3.

But despite this Wanstead had no real alarms as they cruised home to win by seven wickets with just under fifteen overs to spare, and Robin Das ended up unbeaten on 80 off just 68 balls, a real class knock indeed and it helped his side to what was a comfortable win in the end.

Fair play to Westcliff though who certainly gave their opponents a decent game, but that batting collapse was the undoing for them and they just never had enough runs to defend, but a really good run in this competition must be applauded and they can now concentrate on trying to win promotion to Division One.

For full scorecards and bowling figures of this game click here https://essexcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/4898695 

Here are some photos I took of the contest too...

Westcliff On Sea (111/4) beat Southend On Sea & EMT (110/7) by six wickets

Medlocks Southend Evening Cricket League, Thursday 8th July

My latest evening cricket saw me make the dash over to Chalkwell Park after a stressful day at work to see Westcliff host SOS, although on arrival I was greeted with rather un summer like weather as the rain was teeming down although weather apps suggested that it would dry up and be a pleasant evening.

This didn't look likely though and me and Scott W (who was also in attendance) were losing hope of any play as surely the uncovered wicket and outfield would be too wet once it stopped raining, but after a 40 minute delay to the start of play the players took to the field to begin the contest armed with a huge bag of sawdust to make those damp areas safer and drier, it's amazing what a bit of sawdust can do!!!

SOS batted first in what was now a 16 overs a side contest on a wicket that certainly offered a bit of zip, but the ball was coming on nicely to the batters and the visitors certainly got off to a decent start to build a sold platform and try and set the hosts a competitive total to chase, and although Westcliff then took wickets at regular intervals, SOS managed to post a more than decent 110/7 and set Westcliff 111 to win with a run rate of just under 7 needed in their 16 overs.

The first half of the innings saw a steady batting display, although at 38/1 and needing 73 more from the final eight overs they needed to put their foot down and increase their run rate, and with wickets in hand this was possible, and largely thanks to Batsmen One (whose name I do not have) they put their foot on the gas and when he retired out on 50 they needed less than a run a ball.

And sure enough they hit the winning run with an over to spare, 73 runs in seven overs, and record a good win and maintain their position at the summit of the table. A good contest it was though, and reward to me and Scott and everyone else there for remaining patient at the start when the rain was falling, all good things come to those who wait as they say!!! SOS may disagree with that though after falling to defeat. 

Here are some photos I took of the evening...

Gidea Park & Romford (223/2dec) beat Southend on Sea & EMT (76) by 147 runs

Hamro Foundation Essex Cricket League Division Two, Saturday 3rd July

The first Saturday in July proved very humid and at times damp, but in the end the sun shone through at Southchurch Park as hosts Southend on Sea & EMT took on Gidea Park & Romford in a Hamro Foundation Essex Cricket League Division Two contest.

The warm muggy (and occasional wet) conditions did not affect the game in anyway, and a prompt toss was won by the hosts who elected to stick the visitors into bat, and this turned out to be a bad decision as the visitors, who are flying high in the division this term, found batting fairly simple after a tricky early part of the innings scoring wise.

The hosts, who are struggling in the bottom two of the division, tried to make use of the early damp and humid conditions, but opening batsmen Sachin Vaja and Adam Thain saw off the new ball attack of Matt Mohan, Luke Guyler and Chris Hunt and went onto build the foundation for their innings, and in fact batted for more than thirty overs of the visitor’s innings.

They put on a very decent 131 for the opening wicket before Thain was finally out to host spinner Adam Hunt for 64, caught on the boundary by Kieran Butler (thankfully as I was right behind him and was grateful, he did catch it!!!), and then Adam Hunt picked up his and the hosts second wicket with one of his worst balls when he short slow ball was hit down Mohan’s throat by Vaja who made 68, he would have been disappointed to see his well made innings end that way, but they had laid a foundation for their side at 157/2.

No further wickets were to fall in their innings either as Hasitha Nirmal, who made a decent unbeaten 53, and Ubaid Kiani, who ended 31 not out off just 20 balls, put on an unbeaten third wicket stand of 66 as the visitors declared on 223/2 after 45 overs, meaning they had a minimum of 50 overs to bowl their opponents out to take the win.

The 224 target was pretty much out of reach for the struggling hosts who had struggled to score runs in their games this season, and apart from skipper Joe Sibbons, no one had really shone with the bat so far either, and therefore the home side didn’t even try to chase the target down and decided to just try and bat out their innings to claim a draw against one of the better sides in the division.

Sibbons aside though, none of the top seven batsmen got to double figures and some decent opening bowling from Will Chuter, who returned figures of 2-5 from ten overs, and James Pegram (1-13 from eight overs) and Sam Hewitt (conceded just twelve runs in five overs) stifled the hosts batsmen as they slipped to 13/3.

The main destroyer of the hosts innings though was spinner Nirmal, who backed up his unbeaten fifty with 4-25 in nine overs as he ran through the batting order as SOS & EMT slipped to 35/6 at one stage, and although Sibbons and Alex Gillespie, who by the way was the only other batsmen to reach double figures, put on 36 for the seventh wicket, when Gibbons was bowled round his legs by the superb Nirmal for 43, at 71/7 the game was almost over.

And another spinner, Sam Farrow, then came on to tidy up the tail, bowling Matt Ridgewell and then trapping Chris Hunt in front of the stumps to return figures of 2-6 in his 2.4 overs and end the match, dismissing the hosts for just 76 in the 39th over and complete a crushing win for the visitors here. Shaun Grant was unable to bat for the hosts as he pulled a hamstring during the Gidea Park & Romford innings, meaning only ten batsmen for the hosts.

Not a good day for the home side then who slip to the bottom of the table and are twenty points from safety with half their fixtures played, whereas Gidea Park and Romford went to the top of the standings after this result and hold a six point lead over second placed Wickford and a nine point lead over third placed Leigh on Sea with the top two winnings promotion to Division One, so the visitors are well placed with half their games to go.

For full scorecards and bowling figures of this game click on link here https://essexcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/4644266

And here are some photos I took during the day…

  

Old Southendian & Southchurch (235/9) drew with Horndon On The Hill (160/9)

Hamro Foundation Essex Cricket League Division One, Saturday June 26

The last Saturday in June saw me take a long stroll up to Garon Park from my flat near the seafront in Southend to watch one of my local sides Old Southendian & Southchurch take on Hordon On The Hill in a Hamro Foundation Essex Cricket League Division One encounter.

The hosts won the toss on a beautiful sunny afternoon and elected to bat first, and they got off to a great start as openers Sam Hodgson and Kyle Smith put on 69 for the opening wicket in good time before Smith was dismissed for 37 after being trapped LBW by Paul Bennett, and at 90/1 the hosts looked well set.

But the hosts then lost three wickets, including Hodgson for a well made 47, to fall to 105/4, and that good start was threatening to be undone, however, the hosts managed to dig in and get themselves through that little wobble and saw decent contributions from Waqas Khaliq (20), Max Craddock (38) and keeper Matthew Darvill (20) get them back on track.

At 197/8 they still hoped to get 200, and thanks to cameos from Sandeep Muraleedharan (19no) and skipper Matthew Austin (14) they got themselves up to a very respectable 235/9 in their 50 overs, meaning the visitors would have to bat well to chase down that score in a minimum 45 overs, or at least not get bowled out and take a draw in this one.

Skipper Jeff West was the pick of the bowlers for Horndon taking 3-46, but there were decent contributions from Andrew Clark (2-45), Bennett (2-39) and Connor Hammond (2-48), but could their batsmen now back up their efforts?

Initially Hordon got off to a decent start with the bat, reaching 43/0 thanks to openers Ian Clark and Ryan Plom, but once they lost their first wicket, they crumbled to 72/6 and it looked nailed on that OS would go onto take a big win, but skipper West decided that taking 3-46 with the ball was not enough, and decided he would play a match saving innings for his side too.

Whilst batsmen came and went, he stood firm at one end, although it still looked like the hosts might just sneak a win as Austin and Ahmed Khawaja’s superb bowling saw them chip away at the wickets, and when Harry Cook was bowled by Austin with eleven balls of the game to go, the visitors had just one wicket left.

Clark, who had bowled well in the hosts innings, strode out to face the final few balls, and his single in the final over meant West could face the final few balls and grab a superb draw for Horndon when it looked impossible at one stage in their innings, and his 80 not out was a superb effort and capped a wonderful MOTM all round performance for his side, so well done to skipper West for that.

Disappointment for OS though who could not force that win, Austin (3-42) and Khawaja (3-40) were the pick of the bowlers, Jamil Ahmed (2-27) and Ahsan Yousaf (1-29) grabbed the other wickets, but it was not enough in the end as the visitors ended on 160/9 in their 46 overs. It means OS pick up 12 points whilst Horndon take 6pts.

A good day of cricket though with an exciting end, what more can you ask for, to see scorecards and bowling figures in more detail please click link here https://essexcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/4644355

Here are some photos I took during the day…

  

Wanstead & Snaresbrook (243) beat Hadleigh & Thundersley (143) by 100 runs

Hamro Foundation Essex Cricket League Premier Division, Saturday June 12

Saturday saw me over at John Burrows Park in Hadleigh for the very first time for an Hamro Foundation Essex Cricket League Premier Division contest between Hadleigh & Thundersley and Wanstead & Snaresbrook on another glorious afternoon near the Essex coast.

Visiting skipper Joe Ellis-Grewal won the toss and elected to bat on what looked a green pitch although the skipper did say to me that it was hard underneath so he was hoping his batsmen would finally fire this season, but initially it looked as if it would be another disappointing day with the bat for them.

Hadleigh opening bowlers Richard Revell and Louis Poynter nipped Tom Simmons and Robin Das out cheaply, and then Revell removed Kishen Velani, who has played second XI cricket for the county, and then Poynter got rid of Bilal Patel, the visitors found themselves 47/4, although Hassan Choudhury was still there, and it looked all hope rested on him.

He and Naivedyam Dwivedi were both removed though and at 78/6 Wanstead were staring down the barrel at a second straight loss in the division after last weekends home loss to Chingford, and at lunch Wanstead scraped to 95/6 with skipper Ellis-Grewal and all rounder Eshun Kalley at the wicket, it had certainly been the hosts session and they looked like they would bowl out Wanstead cheaply and give themselves a great chance of victory.

From that moment onwards though the game changed in the direction of Wanstead, and Ellis-Grewal and Kallay put on a match winning partnership of 91 for the seventh wicket, Kalley eventually departing for a superb 54, that brought wicketkeeper Jonathan Das to the wicket though and his 42 off 31 balls along with the skippers 71 helped the visitors up to 243 all out and all momentum had now shifted entirely towards Wanstead.

The pick of the hosts bowlers was Revell, who took 3-44 in his 16 overs, Poynter managed 3-45 from his 10.2 overs whilst Samuel Handley’s spin returned figures of 2-70 in 16 overs, but the hosts batsmen now had the tough task of trying to see off the new ball bowling partnership of Zain Shahzad and Kalley, who had his tail up after a superb innings with the bat.

Kalley duly removed Adam Forbes for a duck and then wicket keeper Darius Vapiwala for just 13 as the hosts fell to 29/2, but some resistance from the hosts saw them get to 114/4 after a useful 35 from Handley and a useful innings from Adam Soilleux, who was still at the crease and probably the hosts last real hope if they were to salvage a draw from this game.

Jahansher Akbar’s leg spin done for Luke Smith and skipper Adam Dobson, both lbw two balls in a row, where both batsman claimed they had hit the ball before going onto their pads, and then when Sollieux fell for 45 to Wanstead skipper Ellis-Grewal, also lbw, the game was as good as over, and sure enough after Akbar had taken the wicket of Ashley Bennett, Ellis-Grewal wrapped up the innings with the final two wickets to cap a fine all round performance, and the visitors had ended up cruising to the win by 100 runs.

Special praise must be given to Hadleigh opening bowler Revell who bowled beautifully, whilst Ellis-Grewal and Kalley had superb all-round performances with both bat and ball and were the main reason Wanstead won this game today, Akbar’s 3-17 off seven overs was also a special bowling performance too, and after a difficult morning/early afternoon for Wanstead, they turned this match on its head and ended up strolling to a superb win.

For full scorecards and bowling figures for this game please click here https://essexcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/4644100

Here are some pictures I took during the day: -

  

Hockley (115/2) beat Southend on Sea & EMT (105/6) by ten runs

Medlocks Southend Evening Cricket League, Tuesday June 8

On another fine summers evening in South Essex, I made my first trip to Rankins Cricket Club on the border of Rochford and Stambridge in an idyllic setting for some Southend Evening Cricket League fare, and this contest saw Hockley host Southend on Sea & EMT.

A not so prompt start meant the game was to be reduced to 17 overs a side, and the hosts batted first and after a slow but steady start against some decent opening bowling, the openers managed to put on sixty odd for the first wicket before a catch saw the first wicket fall, but the visitors were to only take one more wicket as some decent late accumulation of runs saw Hockley post a respectable 115/2 in their innings.

This meant SOS & EMT needed to score at almost seven runs an over from the start to chase the 116 run target down, and they had an awful start to their innings, sliding to 14/3 and miles behind the rate, however a batsmen who was known as 'Simmo' by his teammates came in and played a marvellous knock of 51 in a fourth wicket partnership of 78, however once he retired out with the score on 92, the batsmen who followed could not score the required runs to win the game and the visitors fell ten runs short.

A decent game though and a fairly close one in the end, and a wonderful way to spend a gorgeous summer evening I must say.

Here are some pictures I took during the contest this evening:-