The Braintree 2’s made the long trip to Mildenhall fully aware that a tea wasn’t being provided by the opposition and intending instead that their batsmen help themself to some buffet bowling.
After winning the toss and inviting the home team to bat, Josh Paget and Theo Sherry bowled lines tight enough Pablo Escobar would be proud of them. Keeping the batting honest, it took until the 10th over for the breakthrough, leaving Mildenhall a Boycott-esque 17-1. Watching the paint that had been applied to the pavilion beforehand would have been of greater interest for the home spectators.
The wicket in itself fell to Theo Sherry, bowling Khan, although the set up was thanks to Jeremy Hollingsworth, who the ball before inadvertently kept him on strike with a throw that, when aiming at the bowler's end, instead reached mid-wicket via the ozone layer.
A change of bowling brought Joel Ainsley on, who once again proved his class having the other opener, Handy, caught behind in regulation manner by Hollingsworth, standing up to the wicket and showing what a fantastic keeper he still is.
Horrex came and went without troubling the scorers, pulling a shot to Paget at square leg who took a nonchalant catch at knee height without moving to Give Andy sherry his wicket. Neil Clark was the next to fall, again a victim of Paget’s safe hands having top edged a full toss from the bowling of Andy Gowers to square leg once again.
Whilst wickets fell at one end, James Taylor continued to hold down another end, increasing the run rate and starting to bring about a more challenging total. He was aided by a strong innings from Alex Collings who was run out pushing for a second, and by Martin Taylor, who himself eventually fell victim to Josh Paget - showing that he could catch his own wickets as well with a sharp caught and bowled.
Spin was only introduced in the final overs by Braintree, with the sight of Rory Ciccarelli-Ainsley bowling an over at the death.
All in all, a total of 190 was a challenge, but showed that with patience it was achievable.
After a tea of mixed pasta/rice/muffin dishes the opening pair of Dave Hale and Ian Johnston were united for the first time in league cricket this season. Noting the pace at which Mildenhall had started their innings, Johnston decided he didn’t much fancy that, cracking the first ball he faced for a ‘save your legs and lean on the bat’ 4 through cover. The openers soon found they’d scored more in 1 over than Mildenhall had in 10. Johnston soon departed to the bowling of Ready however, attempting one too many attacking strokes.
This brought Jamie Foyster to the crease, and the experienced pair showed how a run chase should be dealt with, Foyster mixing up using his bat and his thigh pad to deal with the bowling. All the while Hale continued serenely at the other end, the two of them putting a 100 partnership, including Hale reaching a very classy 50 by dispatching the bowling of Martin Taylor for 6.
Foyster eventually decided he had done enough to put the team in a winning position and broke the heart of any fantasy owners by going back to a moon ball from Lee Chipchase and demolishing his own stumps, including causing the death of a bail. A very well batted 39 off 74 balls showing that there are many different ways to manage a chase.
With Hale joined at the crease by Cicarrelli-Ainsley, and enough runs left for him to make the first century of the season he showed true team spirit in enabling ‘byes’ to get in on the run chase action, and leaving it to Cicarrelli-Ainsley to finish the chase swiftly with some bludgeoning hits on one leg, having tweaked a calf in attempting a forward defensive shot, finishing on 40 off 30 balls and Hale a well worked 83 from 83 balls.
Overall a fantastic all round performance from Braintree on a ground that has not historically been kind to them - winning by 8 wickets with 12 overs to spare