In the quest for the first win, this week Braintree headed to Woolpit. With several players returning to the side including skipper Hinks, Braintree were hoping the added strength would reap rewards. Things didn’t start well when, having made the 50 mile trip, the returning from injury, Johnny Whiteoak announced during the warm up “Ey up lads, my leg isn’t feeling great don’t think I should of played, eeh bah gum” ruling him out from the bowling options. This didn’t stop Captain Hinks who won the toss and stuck Woolpit into bat.
Hinksy turned to 1st officer Matt Hollingsworth to partner Atkins in opening the bowling. There were a few turbulent overs from the opening pair however on the whole they looked threatening and created chances, in particular Hollingsworth who once autopilot was engaged was hooping the ball sideways past the edge of the batsmen. It officially took to the 9th over for Braintree to pick up a wicket when Atkins got Stamper to chop onto his own wickets from his 10th ball of the over with the score 41, however it was more like the 15th over with the number of balls that had been bowled. Woolpit continued to build on their start with Tillbrook and Berry building a partnership. Braintree finally struck again in the 27th over with the score 104 through Toby Adcock as Berry looked to push on hitting the ball into the hands of Atkins who continued to extend his lead in the catches tally. Woolpit knew they had to start pushing the score on as they had set a solid base through the patience of Tillbrook. The next man in Kieran Pell did just that and scored freely reaching 47 from 40 balls. He fell in the 38th over to Captain Hinks after hitting the ball into the deep straight at Adcock who took a difficult catch nonchalantly. Matt Childs bowled a good spell and he picked up his first in the 43rd over when Parker skied one to the hands of the hobbling Whiteoak. Tillbrook was his next victim who finally was caught at long off by Louis Cant for a patient knock of 70 in the 45th over. Bevan was the next man in and he bludgeoned a huge six into the car park off Hinks but the very next ball when he tried to do it again. He didn’t get the elevation this time and hit it into the hands of Walker on the boundary to give Hinks another wicket. Matt Childs took a third to complete a fine spell of bowling when Lawrence hit out to find the hands of the Braintree skipper. Atkins returned for the last couple of overs and claimed a personal accolade this season of bouncing the batsman out as Flannagan pulled the ball to the hands of Walker again on the boundary. He picked another up in the final over of the innings when he bowled Woolpit number 10, Newton. Woolpits innings ended on 261-9.

Braintree were reasonably happy with this effort and felt that they had contained Woolpit who had at one point looked like they would get considerably more. Woolpit had put a good spread on at tea which included at least four bowls of mini sausages and must of left the whole village in short supply. Despite the sausages, Braintree’s chatter surrounded the batting order and whether the injured Whiteoak open the batting. The returning Renvoize agreed and dropped to 3 with Leech the other opener. The plan was for Whiteoak to get his eye in and then have an early dart in the power play seeing as though he wouldn’t be taking any running between the wickets. In the opening over, Leech decided he was going to play this role also as he hit the first 2 balls to the boundary to get Braintree off to a flyer. Unfortunately, the third ball wrapped him on the pads, and he was adjudged LBW from the left arm over Lawrence who was swinging the ball into the right-handed batsman. That meant that Renvoize, although at 3 would be in the middle for the first over as usual. The plan for Whiteoak didn’t pay off as he was then bowled by Lawrence for 2. Renvoize was next to follow this time bowled by Newton as he unluckily played on for 9. With the score at 37-3 the Braintree collapses with regular wickets falling was coming too familiar this season so far. Matt Childs looked fluent as he has done previously this season until he fell to what looked like an exceptional delivery from Parker for 21 with the score 59-4. Hinks, in a new position at 6, was the next man in. The score moved on just 4 before Louis Cant was bowled by Newton for 6 meaning Braintree had now fallen to 63-5 in the 11th over leaving a big task to get them over the line. The struggling for form Chris Walker was next who got off the mark with a cover drive for 4 to boost his confidence. Mainly extras added another 9 to the partnership before Walkers previous cover drive went to his head and he looked to play an attacking drive off Parker to only see his off stump knocked back to continue his search for runs. Bryn Powell was next in as Bevan was brought into the bowling attack. Woolpit clearly had a plan as they packed a slip, 2 gullies and a point for Bevan who banged in shorter pitched deliveries. Powell decided to take on the field and tried to guide the ball over the 2 gullies however only achieved catching practice for them as he was guided the ball straight to Lawrence for 7. With the score now 98-7 Braintree were wondering if they would even take home a batting point. Captain Hinks was defiant as he and Atkins looked to build a partnership. Despite telling Atkins in the middle that they didn’t need to take any risks, Hinks took a liking to the spinner, Flannagan and tried to clear the rope to the biggest boundary to only find the hands of Parker for 23. Although he had taken the team to there first batting point for the 125 mark. Atkins showed his power with several strokes to the boundary as he and Hollingsworth had eyes on the next target of 150. Unfortunately 10 runs short Atkins was deceived by a ball from Packer to knock his stumps over. The task was set for Adcock at number 11 to add the required 122 runs for the win and he was up to the task however unfortunately Hollingsworth was then too deceived by Packer at what looked like a replay of Atkins dismissal. Braintree all out 141 inside the 31st over. The hunt for the first win continues.