Braintree travelled to Abberton for an early season promotion battle with both teams having ambitions of playing Division 5 cricket next term.
With heavy rain being forecast all week the skippers resisted the temptation to reduce the overs and having won the toss, Abberton skipper Scott Jackson asked Braintree to bat.
On a slow wicket that offered variable bounce Abberton opted to keep the pace off of the ball while it was hard and try and stifle the aggressive nature of Braintree's opening pair of Dave Hale and Matt Kent but they got off to a decent start, scoring at 5 and over, before Kent (15) sent a leading edge up into orbit. Despite the swirling wind Chris Pettit cooly pouched the catch to leave Braintree 34-1. Andrew Gowers joined Hale in the middle and, despite being dropped twice by Jackson, Hale looked to be settling in before he was dismissed following an excellent catch by 'keeper Kevin Smith. Having initially parried a thin edge over his left shoulder, Smith recovered to throw himself forward and complete the catch to give Ross Soteriou his first wicket and send Hale back for a patient 40. Just 2 runs later Gowers fell for 13 as Chris Pettit had him caught by Phil Lingard and Braintree were now stuttering slightly on 76-3.
Rory Ciccarelli-Ainsley and Dan Garner, rekindling a partnership that has graced the Dolphins 1st XI in years gone by, took that to 94 before they fell in quick succession. Firstly, Garner (7) looked to go big only to sky left arm spinner White to mid-on where Siteriou took a good catch and then the in-form Ciccarelli-Ainsley (19) offered some slip catching practice to David Schofield who moved sharply to his right to complete the one-handed grab. It would be Himesh Patel who be the man to get Braintree back into the game as he set about taking the attack to the Abberton bowlers. With a blend of drives and sweeps he disrupted the lengths of the bowlers and serenely made his way to a well-deserved and well-crafted half century, well supported by the lower order. Wickets began to fall in the quest to get to 200 with Jerry Hollingsworth bowled for 8, Charlie Garner (3) and Joe Osborne (12) run out and young debutant Lucas Hale cleaned up in the last over without scoring. Patel eventually perished as he was the 7th to fall, bowled by Pettit (3-28) for a superb 64 from 65 balls.
With the weather closing in Abberton came out in positive fashion looking to strike boundaries from the off but had an early setback when David Schofield injured his calf and was forced off. Matt Sullivan joined Scott Jackson in the middle and they moved the score on to 30 before Himesh Patel stuck the first blow for Braintree. Having survived a couple of chances Jackson (16) chipped to Joe Osborne at cover who took a comfortable catch with a modicum of relief. In the next over it was 30-2 as Dan Garner, opening up with his off spin, took a sharp return catch above his head, to remove Sullivan for 10, Braintree had a sniff. With the variable bounce still a factor, Skipper Gowers then looked to Lucas Hale to bring the form that has brought him 8 wickets in the thirds, to the next level. It didn't start well for the youngster, as Lingard struck his first 3 balls to the fence but in a superb show of character, he came back take the wicket of Tom Sawdon with the final ball of the over, neatly taken by Jerry Hollingsworth behind the stumps for 8.
At 65-3, and one injured, Braintree felt they were in the game but Ross Soteriou then joined Lingard in the middle and between them they constructed a match winning partnership of 120. With rain in the air, they took the aggressive approach and, despite Braintree trying several bowling options, they moved their side to within 8 of victory when things took a bit of a turn. Leigh Garner bowled Soteriou for 47 and in the next over Garner rattled the timbers of Lingard who, searching for his century fell 12 short, and then trapped the returning Schofield in front. 185-3 became 185-6 in the blink of an eye.... could they??
Unfortunately for the away side Chris Pettit has been around the game long enough and he calmly guided his side home without any further drama.
Abberton took the spoils, but those late wickets ensured Braintree remain in second spot going into the next round of games and with the weather looking considerably better, will be hoping to bounce back against struggling Felixstowe.