Competitive cricket, whether played at the village level or in professional leagues, thrives on skill, strategy, and teamwork. At the heart of the game is the battle between bat and ball, where bowlers aim to outwit batters with pace, spin, and swing, while batters counter with precise timing and calculated shot selection and this was on display by the Braintree 2’s this Saturday.
Braintree travelled to what Google officially describes as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in East Bergholt looking to bounce back from last weeks defeat. With a mixture of 6 over 40’s and 3 under 16’s. Led by Geoff Eveling the toss was one and a decision was made to bat first on a beautiful early summer day.
Dave Hale and Ian Johnston were reunited and strolled to the crease to open, looking to start with intent. Whilst Johnstons technique will never appear in the MCC handbook unless you look for the word ‘filth’, he started with an exquisite cover drive for the ages to put pressure on the bowlers before gifting a first wicket in adult cricket to Joseph Newman.
Lee Fulgrabe heading to the wicket brought no respite to the bowlers. Whilst he couldn’t match Johnstons strike rate, he batted longer and for a controlled 35 including a huge 6 before being bowled.
During the savagery at the other end, Hale accumulated well, and saw off the bowling of Phillpot, one of the more important shots of the day.
With Fulgrabe being bowled it brought captain Eveling to the crease, keen to pressurise the bowling and fielding with scampered singles wherever possible. Eventually this approach proved too much to Hale, who was bowled trying for a big shot to stop having to run.
Walton turned up at the crease and started his innings by kicking his first ball to the boundary. Despite considerable confusion about the difference between a foot and a cricket bat, the runs initially appeared as leg byes before being amended to runs.
Walton and Eveling put together a wonderfully contrasting partnership, full of hard pushed running from Eveling and substantial shots from Walton - one six sailing over the longest boundary at square leg. The pair put on a very important 78 run partnership, before Walton was caught for 44/48 (delete as applicable) - a fantastic innings for him.
With just a few overs of the innings remaining it was left to Eveling to pass his 50 and for the dashers at the other end to come and go whilst pushing along the run rate - Andrew Sherry and Major Singh both falling whilst upping the run rate - Sherry on the boundary looking for another 6, and Singh being stumped - but both sacrificing themselves for the team with strike rates well over 100. Hollingsworth added further firepower at the end, remaining unbeaten with Eveling. Holding the innings together Eveling walked off with a well batted 76 not out.
After a very enjoyable provided tea, the Sherry’s opened the bowling, with Braintree looking to make early in-roads. They were miserly in their approach, with tight lines being supported by excellent fielding around the team. With Theo Sherry having to finish his spell, at 12 overs East Bergholt stood at 39-0, far behind the run rate, but with wickets in hand.
Whilst Andy Sherry was keen to toil at one end, Theo was replaced by the magic of Major Singh. In his first appearance of note in years, he showed the quicks how it should be done, bowling Harris with his very first ball. He continued to spin his magic, having Barran caught behind, before having Burdon caught by the youngster Joe Chaplin, showing commendable composure under a steepler. At this point Major had bowled 3 overs, conceded no runs and taken 3 wickets, whilst Sherry continued to bowl through his spell for no credit at the other end.
Having bowled through, Sherry retired to the slips and Eveling came on to bowl spin in tandem with Major. Again it was spin that brought a breakthrough, Patel being caught by Sherry off the bowling of Eveling. By now it appeared clear (certainly to the home umpire) that defeat was coming for Bergholt, but Braintree stuck to their task, with the youngsters being lively in the field throughout. Eveling kept his end tight, including threatening to ‘Mankad’ a teenager on debut in the search for a wicket.
It was time for Fulgrable to show off his fielding skills, as he took a catch diving forward full length of Singh’s bowling. The pair then combined again, Fulgrabe being moved in the field by skipper Eveling to stand at close quarters and take a sharp chance, giving Singh his 5th wicket. Fulgrabe still had time for a further catch, running backwards and with a little skip taking a catch for the returning Theo Sherry. Thomas Mellon then took a further catch off Theo Sherry, giving both the fielder and bowler reward for outstanding displays.
All that was left was for Dave Hale to mop up the lower order, taking a caught and bowled chance himself, before finishing the innings uprooting the off-stump of Smith who had proved the resistance of the innings.
A great performance all round from the batters, bowlers and fielders with everyone returning with credit.