Not good for Braintree Youth and poor Danny gets his third duck in a row!!

Coggeshall moved to the top of Division One, ten points ahead of Witham though they have now played one more match, following their three wicket win over a five man Braintree Youth team. This is not the first time this season that Braintree Youth have been short-handed, and this defeat, their second at Notley this season, leaves them in the very unusual position of being fifth in Division One. When was the last time they were that low by the end of the fixture list for November. Braintree Youth struggled early on, losing Andrews Sherry and Ledgerton in the first four overs while scoring only 15 runs. Michael Joyce offered a bit of relief for the Youth but when he departed they were 33-3 and less than six overs had been bowled. It was left to the Hale brothers to perform the rescue act, but on this occasion it did not happen and they were bowled out for 62 with Steve Hale's 21 being the top score. Their innings being ended when their former team-mate, Dave Denny, had Steve Hale caught by Will Blackwell. David Hale immediately snatched a point for the Youth when he bowled Jim Rees for 0 off the second ball, but Ollie Blackwell's 27 not out gave Coggeshall the foundation they required and they moved through to top spot with a score of 64-3, gained with more than three overs to spare. Cressing made it three wins from three matches at Notley as they moved into third place thanks to a 65 run thrashing of Rayne. Andy Godding, 33, Matt Hart, 27, and Richard Cross, 25, were all not out as Cressing closed on 138-3. Bertie Jagger adding 24, and Adam Robinson, 19. Rayne, this season, are chopping and changing their team, but are rapidly looking doomed to occupy bottom place and be relegated to Division Two. This would also mean that their reserve team would be the only team to be relegated from Division Two unless they can occupy a promotion place, and that too looks unlikely. Rayne managed just 73 in reply with only Dave Dawson's 25, making a contribution with the bat. Two wickets each for Robert Cross and Billy Hickman. Bocking are also still searching a win but they are eight points ahead of Rayne now after collecting three from their three wicket defeat to Chappel & Wakes Colne. Chappel were a man short too, and this is why Bocking gained three points despite Chappel reaching 96-2 to overtake Bocking's 95-3. Darrell May had top scored for Bocking with 26 not out. After the turn round, Brett Patmore, 25 not out, and Bryan Patmore, 33 not out, set up Chappel's victory charge. Mark Lant added 21 not out.

Based on league positions at the start of play, the top match in Division Four at the Leisure Centre, was that between Witham Reserves and Bocking Reserves, a match won by Witham Reserves by four wickets to keep them in second place. However, what must Bocking's Danny McIntyre be thinking about his decision to drop down to being a regular in the Division Four team. The former Witham and Braintree player recorded his third duck in three matches as Bocking Reserves were dismissed for 92. Sam Bass 35, and Rob May, 29, dominating the batting for Bocking Reserves. Matt Mirecki and Joe Trigg both took two wickets. Michael Headley then retired with 25 as Witham Reserves kept their promotion campaign on track with a reply of 94-2 achieved with and over to spare. There is no stopping Little Bardfield Village though. They made it five wins from five matches, and all achieved with the same six players, as they crushed winless Helions Bumpstead Reserves by 77 runs. Helions did steal the early honours though with the cheap dismissals of Slemmings, Hitchcock and Tyrell, but Peter Bray, 31 not out, Tom Graham 31, and Matt Graham, 37 not out, recovered the situation and took them to 138-4. Bray then also finished Helions Bumpstead Reserves off for just 61 by taking 4-14 from just ten deliveries. Will Slemmings claimed three catches as they collapsed after Clive Brazier and Adrian Stebbing-Cox had given them a start. Earls Colne gained their fourth win of the season, a long time since they did that in the first half of a season, and moved ahead of Bocking Reserves into third place with their 77 run drubbing of the other team without a win this season, Margaretting. Himesh Patel hit 46 not out, and David Brooker, 41, as they closed on 138-5. Way too many for Margaretting who were dismissed for 61 with only Elliot Moore reaching double figures. He scored 24. Nick Wright was Shalford Reserves' saviour as they came back from the dead to defeat High Garrett by one wicket. High Garrett had scored 118-2, and that was looking a good score as Shalford Reserves lost two early wickets, but Nick Wright got stuck in, repelled all advances and reached 55 not out, as his team got to 122 with just his wicket intact. The positions of both teams in the table, remained unchanged.

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November 25th 2007

Two out of three unbeaten teams in action are defeated, just Kelvedon maintain their record

Kelvedon & Feering defeated Helions Bumpstead by 27 runs in the opening Division Two match at the Leisure Centre, but it was not enough to take them to the top of the table. Helions Bumpstead still lead the way by a three point margin, but Shalford could go top later if they defeat Elmstead Grasshoppers. Kelvedon were the only one of the three unbeaten teams that were in action to keep their records intact. In Division Three, Dunmow lost theirs in a five wicket defeat by Boreham, and they lost top spot to Braintree, and in Division Five, Sampfords Reserves defeated Three Fields by four runs, but they do stay top of Division Five, but Braintree Reserves are now breathing down their necks. So now only Witham, Kelvedon & Feering, and Little Bardfield Village remain undefeated this season.

Kelvedon's match against Helions Bumpstead was the opening encounter of the day at the Leisure Centre, and even with two debutantes, Helions Bumpstead struck the earliest blow with the dismissal of James Baker for 3. Stuart Warner, 27, Ed Smith, 38 not out, and Alex Parsons, 29 not out, ensured that Kelvedon recovered and moved forward to close with 133-4 on the board. Helions Bumpstead made an excellent start, as they reached 30 from their first two overs, but soon after that Andy Rose was run out for 15, and this started the slow down in their scoring rate. Only Neil Winter, with 35, actually then made it through to retirement as a couple more made a start only to be dismissed in their teens. Kelvedon had taken a good grip on the match but Helions Bumpstead were able to claim enough bonus points to ensure that they remained top of the table despite this second consecutive defeat. Their reply ended with 107 in the book as Stuart Warner took two wickets in the final over to finish with 3-31. That result gave Shalford the chance to move to the top of the table if they could defeat Elmstead Grasshoppers, and they certainly looked to have a chance of securing that as they reached a total of 138-5. Dan Grice top scoring with 41, aided by Lee Parish's 28 not out, and a copious quantity of wides! Their chances were further enhanced as Elmstead lost Chris Lynch for 4, and Dilanka Amaratunga for 7 early on. However Elmstead then turned their tide their way, despite then losing Fraser Eadie for 20, Nigel Dennis, 35 not out, Peter Gates, 24 not out, and 35 not out from Adrian Garnham they got through to win the match thanks to a six from Nigel Dennis off the final ball when they needed two to win. So they reached 143-3 but did not alter their position in the league table, whereas Shalford dropped down into third place. Rayne Reserves made a good start against Coggeshall Reserves with wickets coming from the first ball of each of the first two overs, but they could not capitalise. Even though Coggeshall Reserves did lose a third wicket at 24, Carl Bragg, 31, Dale Bailey, 33, and 38 not out from Rick Bailey took them through to 128-5. Rayne Reserves never threatened to overhaul that total and closed their reply on 98-5 with Alan Stevens top scoring with 41. The University of Essex have finally made their debut in a match at the Leisure Centre, and they enjoyed a 62 run victory over Terling, who remained bottom of the table. Paul Chin, 47 not out, David Draper, 30, and Mark D'Cruz with 26 saw them close with 128-4. Ryan Hurst then took 3-10 as Terling were dismissed meekly for 66.

The rather unnecessary over-running over the Division Two matches lead to the first three Division Three all being reduced in duration with the first two both going down to nine overs a team. Dunmow went into their contest with Boreham attempting to make it five wins in a row but they came unstuck totally. Only briefly did they look as if they would set a decent target for Boreham to chase, and amazingly only eleven runs were added off their final two overs as their innings closed on 88-3. Luke Swanston top scoring with 27 not out, aided by 20 from Chris Barker. Boreham then gave a good demonstration of running, and they reached 89-1 from the first delivery of the final over to end Dunmow's unbeaten run. Momentarily this put Boreham on top of the Division Three table, but Braintree were to leapfrog both Boreham and Dunmow as they thumped Sampfords by 68 runs. In an eleven over match against Sampfords, Braintree rattled up 155-3. Chris Leech scoring his second half-century indoors this season to end on 53 not out. Daniel Broyd added 34 not out, as Rory Ainsley, Steve Isaac, and Joel Ainsley all reached the mid-teens. It was not long before the result was a formality, even to the extent that Sampfords were not going to get close to nicking any bonus points. They ended with just 87-3 on the board with Alec Turner having top scored with 22. Braintree College lost ground with the leading trio as they became the first team to be defeated by Coggeshall A this season. Coggeshall A breaking their duck by scoring 133-4 off their nine overs. Braintree College not helping their cause with some awful bowling that saw them bowl 29 wides and no-balls in those nine overs. Gareth Fisher, 40, and, Richard Stephens, 27 not out, being their top scorers with the bat, but a total of 36 extras, certainly did Braintree College's chances no good whatsoever. The Collegians did their best to try and win the match but could only reach 114-3 and four points in reply. The final match in this division was now able to be played over the full twelve over course, and it saw Great Totham push Kelvedon & Feering Reserves to the foot of the table with a four wicket victory. Kelvedon & Feering Reserves closing on 107-2, nothing like enough to prevent Great Totham cruising through to 110-2 with three overs to spare.

Three Fields saw their unbeaten start end when they were defeated by just four runs by Sampfords Reserves at Notley Sports Centre, but they did manage to retain top spot even though they lead by just four points from Braintree Reserves now. Steve Thrower had been Sampfords Reserves' hero as he hit 44 of their total of 88 before he was run out at the start of the final over. Three Fields then made a bad start and were reduced to 17-3 inside two overs. Nigel Chinnery, 31, and Josh Taylor, 26, got them back into the match, but with still four overs to be bowled the match was ended when Chinnery was caught behind with the Three Fields total on 84. I guess they were left wishing they had been a little more cautious with their batting. Braintree Reserves gave another impressive display to enhance their position in second place with a 70 run victory over Rayne III. Lee Hoenderkamp, 32 not out, Warren Celiz, 27, lead the scoring for Braintree Reserves as they scored 121-5. Bruno Botelho, with 19, was then the only Rayne player to reach double figures as they were dismissed for 51. James Chalk and Ben Golds both bagging two wicket hauls. Coggeshall A Reserves maintained third place with a 28 run victory over Halstead in a low scoring match. Coggeshall A Reserves were dismissed for 74 but they were probably happy to reach that after being 20-3 after one ball of the third over. Adam's Smith and Egg with 25 and 22 respectively saving face for them. Halstead started well enough but then lost their way totally and were dismissed for just 46 to remain winless and bottom of the table. Kelvedon & Feering III's defeated Boreham Reserves in the remaining match by 47 runs to retain the lofty heights of fourth place. Jeremy King scoring 23 as Kelvedon & Feering III's closed on 93-4. Josh King then took 2-5 as Boreham Reserves stumbled their way to a score which matched Halstead's, 46. Collins scoring half of their total.

December 2nd 2007

Kelvedon lose their unbeaten run but still go to the top and Witham return to the top

Sunday's play at Notley started with Helions Bumpstead having to field largely their reserve team against Rayne Reserves but it did not prevent them from recording a narrow seven run victory. Kelvedon & Feering though missed their first chance to go top when they surrendered their unbeaten record as they went down, agonisingly, by one run to Coggeshall Reserves, but an hour later and Kelvedon did move to the top as they defeated Shalford by three wickets. Kelvedon now lead with 63 points, followed by Helions Bumpstead 59, Coggeshall Reserves 49, and Shalford and Elmstead 48.

Rayne's problems at the foot of Division One were enhanced as they were defeated by Bocking by the margin of 35 runs with Keith Merrell hitting 72 not out for Bocking. Cressing then won their match with Chappel & Wakes Colne by 68 runs, bowling Chappel out for just 19 as they sought to overtake Cressing's total of 87. In the final game of the evening, Witham defeated Braintree Youth by five wickets. For Braintree Youth it was their sixth defeat in their last eight league matches at Notley, and any hopes of getting into the Championship race now seem dead.

More detailed report will appear later.