Braintree’s latest search for win was a home tie against Wivenhoe who, at the start of play, were two places above the Dolphins in the league. The weather forecast didn’t look great and a few of the members of the club had played the rain card, attending the Braintree ale festival the night before so a few fragile heads turned up at the ground for the pre-match warm up. Unfortunately for them the weather forecast hadn’t come through with a lack of anticipated rain on Saturday morning and whilst still overcast, the weather was sufficient for cricket to be taking place.
Braintree won the toss and, unlike the previous week, chose to bowl first in a bid to pick up as many points as possible should the rain hit and with the with the impending weather on its way, a 40 over match was agreed.
Mitch Atkins and Robbie Spalding were the opening bowlers who, despite giving the batters some early trouble, had no luck and 51 runs were on the board inside 8 overs when Braintree took their first wicket. Wivenhoe’s opener Rushton caught low at mid-off by Chris Walker off the bowling of Spalding for 35. Louis Cant and Theo Sherry, making his first top-flight appearance this season, were introduced into the attack but despite creating chances went wicketless. Braintree turned to their in-form golden arm Matt Childs to get a breakthrough. He didn’t disappoint snicking off Durrell to Matt Renvoize who had the gloves this week, who took a good catch. The score at this point 117-2 in the 23rd over. It didn’t take long for Childs to strike again as Stiffell holed out to Will Jackson on the boundary 4 overs later. The inform Wivenhoe overseas McKeon was Childs’s next victim as he looked to up the rate only to be bowled by Childs. From each batter that came in it was obvious Wivenhoe had decided it was time to up the rate with each of them playing their shots. Captain Hinks chipped in with the next wicket as he bowled Lucking and an over later it was back to Childs who claimed his 4th wicket, one away from a deserved baggy! This time Tom Durrell caught by the Braintree leading catcher in Atkins. At 165-6 with just 10 overs remaining Braintree were in for a chance of wrapping up the innings under par. Unfortunately for them, Wivenhoe’s skipper Kelly and Ryan Savill had other ideas as they formed a partnership. Braintree felt Childs had been robbed of a 5 for and a baggy when he trapped Savill in front but the umpire adjudged it to be not out. At 215 in the 37th over the breakthrough came as the returning Atkins bowled Savill and then grabbed another 2 overs later in the 39th when Rear drove the ball straight to cover for Chris Hinks to take the catch. The final over was bowled by Hinks himself and this brought the end of a good aggressive innings of the Wivenhoe captain as the ball was driven straight back to him before taking off the bails leaving Kelly stranded and run out for 49. The innings closed at 237-9.
Braintree knew they needed a positive batting display with the required run rate at 6 an over. The openers Geoff Eveling and Matt Renvoize set to their work successfully reaching a 50 run opening partnership inside 12 overs. Renvoize hit 2 sixes including 1 big bomb which landed in the car park! The Wivenhoe breakthrough came at 55 when Renvoize went to hit another big one however failed to make contact after running down the track to leave himself stumped for a well-made 32 off 44 balls. Runs started to dry up as Savill craftily bowled it slower and slower forcing the batters to hit out whilst at the other end Jonty Rushton was bowling a good spell at a decent pace. Matt Childs and Louis Cant both fell to Savill, Childs caught for a duck and Louis going in the same vain as Renvoize. The score at this point 73-4 in the 21st over. Pressure was on the incoming batters with the required run rate which had risen to 9 an over. Will Jackson set to work quickly before he snicked off to Rushton for a run a ball 11. Mitch Atkins was next in, and he took the attack straight to Rushton hitting consecutive fours back over the bowlers head. Kelly brought himself into the attack knowing that Braintree needed to hit out setting a defensive field. This paid off as Atkins hit out to the boundary to be caught by Rushton for a quick made 16 from 11 balls. The score now 123-6 in the 28th over the required rate was now at 10s. With Captain Hinks still at the crease Braintree knew they had a glimmer of hope however would need Chris Walker to find last seasons form. Braintree’s luck may have been in as Walker’s first scoring run was dropped on the boundary, a tough chance nonetheless. Walker and Hinks added a 59 run partnership in just 35 balls reducing the required rate to 8 as the ball disappeared over the ropes several times. Walker hit 3 sixes in 3 consecutive balls off Matt Durrell before falling hitting the ball at cover to be caught by Kelly. Hinksy went to a consecutive 50 and looked determined to win the game. Unfortunately in the 35th over he holed out to the boundary going for another bomb, caught by Rushton. The score 193-8, Braintree needing 45 to win from 34 balls with Spalding and Bryn Powell at the crease, the game was on. Unfortunately, Spalding hoping to clear the council offices first ball was bowled by Durrell. The last man in was Theo, could he pull off the heroics? He looked confident of the task in hand as he nailed his first ball to deep cover for a single. Savill returned in the 36th over it took him 2 balls to claim the final and his 4th wicket as Powell hit the ball back at him and was caught. Braintree 195 all out falling 42 runs short. The hunt for the first win continues….