Braintree Second XI returned home after the long trip to Yoxford, to face off against second bottom Bury St Edmunds at St Peter’s Road. On a sweltering day, captain Gowers won the toss, and after a quick panic decided against his own ideas to bat first.
The experienced pair of Geoff Eveling and Dave Hale walked out to face the seven Bury players, with Hale striking one off his legs for four in the first over, hoping to continue his imperious form and look for another ton. Yet it was not to be, as the opener Morrison went straight through him, the score 11-1. As the Bury players began to turn up, Joe Osborne strode out to the crease, fresh off hitting a league best 80 at Yoxford, and he quickly got to work, seemingly finding the boundaries with ease as he drove and flicked the ball away to the fence. Osborne fell for 29, nicking off to S Harrison off M Harrison, Braintree 57-2. 57-2 soon became 59-4, as the opener Eveling edged behind off Dinesh, and Toby Adcock came and went without troubling the scorers, leaving the pair of debutant Jay Singh Shera and skipper Gowers to rebuild the innings. The two had together made 26, when Singh Shera was caught at mid-off, looking to accelerate through an area he had already hit two sumptuous boundaries. The bowling remained tight, and Gowers succumbed to a ball from Howland which knocked back his off stump, the dolphins in a precarious position at 98-6 off just 21 overs. Young Will Sherry making his second team debut came to the crease to accompany keeper Jeremy Hollingsworth, who, after looking to bat sensibly edged one to gully off Howland, with Bhavsar taking a great one handed catch. There was a touching moment as the father son duo of Andrew and Will Sherry were brought together, with Will batting with maturity, pushing single and apologising for nearly running out his dad. The older Sherry decided to push for the boundaries instead to avoid having to run, striking three fours in 6 balls off Howland. The partnership was broken at 46 with Will bowled by Baldock for 8. Varghese was next in and decided to ignore the shouts from his teammates to just bat with Sherry, smashing his first ball over the top for four before being bowled second ball, the dolphins now 161-9. Sherry continued to attack, hitting the ball onto the roof of the nets, and remained not out on 43, as last man Paget edged behind off Baldock, 177 all out off 36 overs.
Braintree’s 177 felt slightly under par but they knew it was defendable, and after being fuelled by a tea of extra large cookies, anything was possible. Paget took the new ball, however he required an even newer one after just 4 balls with Harrison taking an aggressive approach and hitting him straight down the ground for six. The Yorkshireman had the last laugh however, as the last ball of the over was taken well in the slips by Sherry senior, Bury 10-1. Andrew Sherry soon got in on the act again, his inswing too good for Howland, who was sent back to the pavilion for a duck in the second over, Bury 10-2. A collapse looked likely, yet Baldock and Smith frustrated Braintree, with the former aiming to hit down the ground. What ensued was perhaps village moment of the year, as Baldock hit one off Sherry to Singh Shera at mid off, who proceeded to catch it then fumble the ball onto the ground. The batsman were unaware and met in the middle of the pitch, primed for a run out opportunity, yet the chance was somehow missed. Sherry then had one dropped by Varghese at mid on but the wicket came just before drinks, as some inventive fields caused Baldock to hit Paget to Singh Shera at mid on, who held the catch, Bury 64-3. With the opening pair having bowled their overs, captain Gowers turned to the left arm spin twins of Eveling and Varghese. Eveling quickly got to work, forcing a loose drive from Smith who edged for Sherry to take a great one handed catch at slip, his son proclaiming it was ‘the fastest I’ve ever seen him move’. At the other end, Varghese bowled exceptionally well against the slope, first having Bhavsar caught by a surprised captain Gowers at point and then having Harrison caught and bowled, the score now 108-6 with Bury in trouble. The new man Dinesh could have proved to be a problem for Braintree, targeting the short boundary and hitting Varghese for two sixes and a four of his first three balls. However the wily leg spin of Adcock was to be his downfall, bamboozled by the quicker slider which cannoned into the base of his stumps. All the while, Varghese continued and was denied multiple clear stumpings, with Jerry HolLingsworth unlucky not to be rewarded for his work behind the stumps. Varghese had Harrison LBW, leaving Bury needing a further 33 runs with only one wicket remaining. Malcolm struck two boundaries, but attempted one too many, as he skied one of Varghese and Joe Osborne took a very good catch running in from a wide long on. Bury were all out for 157, a win by 20 runs for the dolphins second team, with Varghese taking 4-31.
Overall, an enjoyable and close match for the second team, but a crucial win to keep them in the race for promotion.