Braintree’s First Eleven welcomed Woolpit to St Peter’s Road on Saturday, still searching for that victory that they hoped would start a late run of results that could secure their Division One status. Following his excellent performance the previous week, Joe Osbourne retained his place in the side, meanwhile with Louis Cant unavailable, Toby Adcock replaced him and following a late call off Karl Parker stepped up to make his Div One debut.
Captain Hinks again won the toss and invited the opposition to bat first. Johnny Whiteoak and Josh Newman opened the bowling for the Dolphins, initially keeping Woolpit’s opening batsmen Kian Flannagan and Merlin Stamper reasonably quiet. Then in the seventh over, Whiteoak and every other fielder were convinced that Stamper, having scored 15, had got a thick edge into Bryn Powell’s gloves. Unfortunately, Umpire Bocking was far from convinced and he kept his hands firmly in his pockets.
That decision, plus several missed chances, proved so costly as Stamper went on to accumulate 122 runs in an opening partnership of 225! Hinks alternated his bowlers in an attempt to get the first wicket, however it took 37 overs to achieve it. It was the Skipper himself who took that wicket as he clung onto a hard chance off his own bowling to dismiss Stamper.
Josh Newman had been Braintree’s most economical bowler without success and it was not until the 46th over that he got his first victim as he got Flannagan, who had 109 runs against his name, to snick off into Powell’s gloves. Two deliveries later he tempted Kieran Pell into a big hit and Whiteoak took a comfortable catch.
In the final over Newman got two more wickets in consecutive balls, firstly Will Packer skied a delivery and Powell had time to position himself as the ball eventually came down from orbiting the moon and into his gloves. Marcus Packer got a leading edge to his first delivery and this time Newman himself took the resulting catch. Henry Bevan managed to get his bat onto the hat trick ball as Woolpit’s innings closed on 329 for 5, Chris Thomas remained unbeaten on 50. Josh Newman was by far the pick of Braintree’s bowlers having conceded 44 runs for his 4 wickets taken.
Braintree got off to a quick start in reply as Matt Childs confidently struck the third ball received to the boundary ropes. At the other end Chris Hinks took a liking to the bowling of opposition’s overseas, striking three fours and then a six over the longest boundary. Unfortunately, Childs could only add a single before guiding the ball into the hands of Kian Flannagan. Hinks struck another boundary before having his stumps dismantled having scored 22.
Having scored a 50 batting in his yellow pyjamas during the week, Chris Walker and his fellow Yorkshireman Johnny Whiteoak hoped to put together a decent third wicket stand. However, both tamely offered catches to Chris Thomas at mid-wicket for only 5 and 13 runs respectively.
Josh Newman made his way to the wicket looking to emulate his bowling with the bat, after numerous defensive strokes and possibly gloving the ball to the wicket keeper he started to be more aggressive, quickly moving on to 19 before he was also caught out.
The previous week’s top scorer, Joe Osbourne once again played sensible and with the more flamboyant Mitch Atkins the pair started to put a stand together. Our Kiwi struck two maximums and two fours as he made his way to 22, unfortunately he tried one big hit too many and presented Thomas with his third catch. Bryn Powell found the boundary ropes twice before he was caught and bowled by Stamper.
Osbourne was carrying on from his innings at Bergholt, playing a straight bat at the decent deliveries and ensuring that loose ones were punished. However, having moved on to 27, he was deceived by Packer and found his stumps dismantled. Karl Parker only lasted one ball as he found himself rapped on the pads plumb in front.
It was left to Toby Adcock and Theo Sherry to attempt to secure a second batting point for the Dolphins, unfortunately it wasn’t to be as the innings closed on 149 as Sherry was out for 5 whilst Adcock remained with his wicket intact after hitting a four.
Braintree’s innings lasted just 31 overs out of the allotted 50. It’s easy to say from the sidelines but with a more sensible batting approach, (maybe 329 was out of their reach,) maximum batting points were possible on another road.
Next week’s opponents Easton secured their second win of the season and now find themselves 42 points clear of the Dolphins; whilst Wivenhoe are now a further 24 points clear of the bottom two.