All according to form

The three remaining BDICL Second Round cup-ties, following Dunmow's concession to Cressing, all went very much in accordance with the form book. Though Witham made hard work of defeating, there were no similar problems for Elmstead Grasshoppers and Braintree Youth. Bocking were far from full strength as their reserve team was playing at the same time, and early on they struggled against Witham's bowlers, but 35 not out from Lloyd Edwards and 21 not out from Martin Cutmore saw then close on 84-4. Witham lost Jake Wakelin and Leroy Facey in their opening over and at 2-2 looked far from comfortable. Richard Green, 22, and Kaan Hawes, 23 eased their fears until they departed both shy of retirement. At 70-5 it was left to John Chick to guide them home. He had time to spare and in a spate of singles, he guided them through to 85-5 and kept their hold on the Cup they won last April. In contrast both Elmstead Grasshoppers and Braintree Youth strolled into the Semi-Finals. Elmstead were minus a few regulars but still hit 133-3 in the all-Division Two clash with Terling. John Butcher top scoring with 38 not out in this eleven over match. O'Brien and Dennis added very useful late order runs. Terling never got in to the match when their reply started as early wickets fell. Tristan Woolfenden hit 41 quickly but when he was caught in the eighth over, Terling's innings ended on 94. Braintree Youth faced what was almost an entire Helions Bumpstead Reserves team and a no contest transpired. Braintree Youth rattling up 171 without loss. Simon Jones leading the way with 52, aided in the flurry of sixes by David Hale and Andy Ledgerton, both 27, Steve Hale, 28, and Andrew Sherry, 25. Between them they hit 66 in sixes. Helions Bumpstead reached 70-5 in reply.

Braintree Reserves cause an upset

Braintree Reserves provided, arguably, the upset of both Cup Second Rounds, when they demolished Witham Reserves in the Reserve League Cup matches at Notley. Braintree Reserves scored a decent enough 89-4, but no one would have imagined that the team high in a division above would crumble so easily in reply. In no time at all Lee Bentley, with 3-14, had reduced their innings to 11-4, and eventually they were polished off for just 40 in less than six overs. In terms of League positions, Bocking Reserves exciting three run victory over Coggeshall Reserves was greater, but Bocking Reserves are the Cup holders and did defeat Coggeshall Reserves last season. The ball dominated this match. Bocking Reserves being 35-5 before 28 from Dick Pryke took them to 62. Then it was Coggeshall Reserves turn to mess things up and they slumped to 19-5 in four overs, with Geoff Butler taking two wickets and Danny McIntyre, three. Rick Bailey then battled on his own and reached 37, and Coggeshall Reserves score to 59 when he was bowled by Dean Bass off the first ball of only the eleventh over. Rayne Reserves battled to a one wicket victory over Three Fields, thanks to Dave Dawson's 26 not out, and Lee Godding hit 34 not out as Shalford Reserves defeated Rayne III's by two wickets.

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March 9th 2008

Braintree Reserves promoted despite defeat

There was nothing decided by the day's Division Two matches as Kelvedon & Feering were gifted a win by Coggeshall Reserves, for whom only three players arrived for the match. As that is insufficient for a match to take place they were deemed to have forfeited. Behind Kelvedon & Feering, Shalford dropped from second place to fourth as both Elmstead Grasshoppers and Helions Bumpstead moved above them with victories over Terling and Rayne Reserves respectively.In three weeks time the top four have matches amongst themselves and this will go a long way to deciding which two teams will move up to Division One for next season.

Elmstead Grasshoppers met Terling for the second consecutive Sunday at the Leisure Centre following their Cup Second Round contest, but there was to be no change in fortunes for Terling. Peter Tomkin, 28 not out, Alan Bailey, 26 not out, and Tristan Woolfenden, 24, took them to a total of 110-3. John Butcher was the only Elmstead batsmen to lose his wicket as Darren Davies, Paul Gates, and Nigel Dennis all retired as they got to 111-1. They did cut it very fine though and had to rely on two byes off the final ball to snatch the important victory. Helions Bumpstead were again relying on a lot of their reserve squad for their match with Rayne Reserves but it proved no handicap as they recorded a 35 run victory. Richard Dawson added three more wickets to his massive tally indoors but his 3-37 did not prevent Helions Bumpstead closing on 126-5. Russell Davis top scoring with 35 not out, aided by 30 from Andy Rose, and 23 from Clive Brazier. Rayne Reserves were never totally in touch with the asking rate, but having reached 80-1 then they slumped to 91 all out with Matt Vickery taking 3-17 and Andy Rose, 2-23. Alan Stevens was Rayne Reserves' top scorer with 27.

Three Fields defeated Braintree Reserves in the day's top Division Five match at Notley. Barry Stephens hit 71 of Braintree Reserves' total of 90. Nick Oliver causing Braintree Reserves early problems with three wickets in his first two overs, conceding only a wide in that period. So from being 4-3 it became the Barry Stephens show as he attempted to recover the situation for Braintree Reserves. Ian Beatwell then guided Three Fields to within two points of the Division Five Championship as they reached 91-3. Alan Turner chipping in with 22. Braintree Reserves' promotion had already been decreed when Sampfords Reserves were defeated by Rayne III's in the days opening match, so Braintree Reserves may have seen their eight match unbeaten run ended but up they go with Three Fields to Division Four. The history of results between Sampfords Reserves and Rayne III's is actually quite remarkable, and it is a shame that this fixture will now disappear from the fixture list with Rayne withdrawing their third team. Sampfords Reserves had been unbeaten at Notley in Division Five this season, but being defeated by Rayne III's was actually no big surprise. This was the seventh meeting between them, either at Towerlands or Notley, with the soft ball, and Rayne III's have won them all, yet with the hard ball at the Leisure Centre, Sampfords Reserves have won them all. I am not sure that any other two teams, after so many contests have a record of results to match this. Sampfords Reserves only had five men, but 45 from Colin Caister took them to 89. Rayne III's batted like men possessed. Bruno Botelho hitting three sixes in his 30 not out, James Garner hitting all his 24 not out in sixes, and Phil Wade adding 20 not out, Rayne III's reached 90-1 in less than eight overs. A match of many extras saw Coggeshall A Reserves hold on to defeat Kelvedon & Feering III's by two runs, while at the bottom Boreham Reserves claimed bottom place for the season after losing to Halstead by four wickets. It was Halstead's first win at Notley in a league match since October 2006. Boreham Reserves were skittled for just 46. Halstead should have won by five wickets but with the scores level they lost a second wicket. It had taken them less than six overs to achieve victory. I think I can sum up the Coggeshall A Reserves match with Kelvedon & Feering III in very few words. Yes, it was a high scoring thriller, but a match that saw extras score 79 of the 268 runs, just about sums it up.

March 16th 2008

Boreham Reserves concede and Boreham win to promote themselves and Braintree. Bocking Reserves also promoted and still have a title chance

Thankfully there was to be no disruption to play at Notley Sports Centre after six balls were recovered from the school's locker in the store cupboard. Why they kept them when they palpably do not use them is almost tantamount to theft!! The play did start with Boreham and Dunmow meeting in a very important Division Three contest. Dunmow still contenders for promotion despite their recent points deduction. However, a very young Dunmow team, everyone a junior, were no match for an eager Boreham team and the six wicket win that ensued assured Braintree, as well as Boreham, promotion to Division Two with three and two matches remaining respectively. Dunmow could only manage 67-1 from their twelve overs, and with only one wicket falling in the match, the match did equal a league record of sorts. Trevor Money, 27, and Tim Pulham, 25, then retired as Boreham breezed to 68-0 in nine overs. Tim Pulham is having a magnificent season with the bat, and this knock took him to 371 league runs. Only three other players have reached 300, but none of those has passed 310 yet. Braintree College moved into third place in the table and into that vital third promotion spot with a three wicket victory over Coggeshall A. Sean Bragg and Terry Fisher were the chief run scorers as Coggeshall A closed on 72-3. The College did lose three early wickets, which included that of Trevor Spalding just after the joined the 300+ club for the season, but Adam Archer with 23 not out, and Alan Archer with 26 not out, helped them reach 73-3 with an over to spare. Braintree College could secure their promotion against Great Totham in two weeks time if Braintree also defeat Dunmow on that day. Braintree probably had their worst session with the bat all season against Sampfords, but 35 from Barry Stephens did help them reach 86 before they were dismissed in the eleventh over. Sampfords, though, batted worse, and slumped to 55 all out, with Paul Edwards and Steve Ward scoring most of their runs, as Daniel Broyd claimed three stumpings. Strangely Sampfords were also dismissed for 55 by Braintree at Notley last season. Kelvedon & Feering Reserves ended a ten match losing streak as they defeated Great Totham by one wicket in a high scoring match. Great Totham must have been confident of victory after posting 125-5, Steve Whiting 28, Andrew Whiting, 32, and then when Alex Parsons was dismissed for 24, the odds were firmly in Totham's favour. However Stuart Bonvini then hit 42 not out to take Kelvedon & Feering Reserves through to 127-5 off the final ball of the match.

Little Bardfield Village can still not be crowned as Division Four champions after slipping to a second consecutive defeat, but behind them Bocking Reserves are promoted after Witham Reserves slumped to defeat and they defeated Margaretting. This situation at the top was set up by Earls Colne's seven run victory over Witham Reserves. Dave Brooker hitting 56 not out as Earls Colne reached 128-5 at the Leisure Centre. Witham Reserves looked like being completely swallowed up but 50 not out from Michael Beatty kept the game alive until they just fell short. They really missed Michael Headley as their promotion hopes were ended by Earls Colne recording a fourth consecutive league win. Bocking Reserves secured their promotion with an anticipated victory over Margaretting. 50 not out from Dean Bass and 48 not out from Danny McIntyre helped them rattle up 157-4, and game over. Margaretting being dismissed for 61 with only Michael Jones with 36, making any impression on the scoring. Little Bardfield Village needed only to defeat High Garrett to take the Championship but instead they slipped to a shock one wicket defeat. It could have been far worse though as they made a real mess to the start of their innings and it took numbers five and six to rescue them. Holmes scoring 24, and Matt Graham 31 not out, as they closed with only 101-5. Christian O'Mahoney soon retired for High Garrett but the loss of Falco for 20, and Fish for 23 and then O'Mahoney for 32 on his return meant it was left to Michael Porter to guide them to 102-5 with three balls to spare. In the remaining match in this division Helions Bumpstead Reserves completed the double over Shalford Reserves to move off the bottom of the table. Brett McClintock hit 49 not out, and Clive Brazier 34, and they closed on 120-5. Shalford Reserves were then dismissed for 93 with Lee Godding top scoring with 34.

Boreham Reserves conceded their match to Kelvedon & Feering IIII's in Division Five, so the programme was left with just three matches, and the highlight was Braintree Reserves dramatic one wicket victory over Rayne III's who thought they had the match won when Braintree Reserves needed eleven to win off the last ball. However, Braintree Reserves got it thanks to a no-ball being hit for six, a couple of wides and byes. Chris Hutton had hit 52 not out as Rayne III's posted 133-3 in their final match at the Leisure Centre. Braintree Reserves then lost two early wickets but 33 from Matt Street, 27 from John Clark, and the important 36 not out from Lee Hoenderkamp saw them to 134-5. Their promotion to Division Four had already been decided. Three Fields ended their season of matches at the centre with a 7-0 record as they defeated Sampfords Reserves by four wickets to gain revenge for their only league defeat earlier this season. Sampfords Reserves scoring just 85-5, before Three Fields replied with 88-2. Alan Turner retiring with 26, and with Dave Atterbury being caught on 22 while trying to register his first six of the season. The remaining match saw Coggeshall A Reserve hit 113-5, with Aston Richardson-Smith scoring the days fifth half-century, 53 not out. Matt Pickles then took 3-24 as Halstead were dismissed for 95. The win moved Coggeshall A Reserves into third place.