On Saturday, the 3’s looked to continue their fine run of form. The sun, a relentless adversary, beat down on the parched outfield, turning the cricket pitch into a sun-baked canvas. It was the kind of day where the air shimmered with heat, and the distant hum of aircraft was the only sound louder than the thwack of leather on willow. In these dog days of summer, every cover drive wasn't just a stroke; it was a brushstroke of defiance against the oppressive heat, a testament to the sheer will of the players. As the coin spun high, glinting against the azure, cloudless sky, there was an unspoken agreement: today's cricket would be less about personal glory and more about enduring the elements, together. The stage was set for a truly scorching encounter.
Captain Calum won the toss and chose to bat in the heat, providing Lockhart and Johnston an opportunity to move forwards with their industrial opening partnership. As always Lockhart started studiously, putting away a loose ball in the first over, but otherwise respecting the bowler. As always Johnston did nothing of the sort, hitting his first ball of the innings for 4 runs off his legs.
As the bowling remained tight, Lockhart eventually tried to hit out, being caught by a ball slightly slower than he expected and being taken by a one handed catch off the bowling of Dines. After some trademark biffing Johnston soon fell himself trying to hit the bowler halfway back to Braintree, leaving Braintree on a precarious 38-2. This left both captains, MacLeod and Karl Parker at the crease. As well made as anything CK clothing-wise they made a strong partnership, Parker punishing anything on his favourite side, and MacLeod being more circumspect showing in the heat how to wear down the bowlers.
Parker eventually fell for a swift 28 off 25 balls, with Charlie Garner joining his skipper in the middle. Again, an approach of grinding was taken by the pair, tiring the bowlers out before Garner fell, being bowled for a watchful innings.
This brought Calley Foyster to the crease, sporting a wonderful pair of batting pads borrowed for the occasion. She immediately took the attack to the bowlers, looking to push the run rate. Captain Calum, after a hugely impressive innings in the heat decided that it would be better for the team for him to sacrifice himself, and his chance of getting a 50, by playing on.
To the crease came Shub Alhat, a man who has tried so hard this season, but struggled with the bat. HOWEVER first ball - bang 4 runs. And it continued, with Foyster biffing away at one end to record her highest senior score in more than 5 years, the pair put on a partnership of over 50 very important runs. With Foyster then being adjudged LBW the lesser sighted Lazarus came to the crease and followed the role perfectly by giving Alhat as much strike as possible to enable him to smash anything around. Eventually, to round off a wonderful innings, Alhat crashed the last ball of the innings down the ground to reach a well earns first 50 for the club, leaving a target of 232 for West Mersea to chase.
After a change of innings, the heat had managed to increase with the cloud cover burning off. Knowing that extras had contributed 47 to the Braintree total, including 32 byes Johnston took the wicket keeping role, knowing that it was not going to be easy.
Thankfully the bowling was on it from the off, making a keepers life much easier. As always, Leigh Garner and Lucas Hale began finding angles immediately. Hale got the early breakthrough, having Law caught by the safe hands of Karl Parker. Garner continued to toil from the other end, as always swinging the ball like a banana and causing chaos in the upper order. He bowled his first victim, before panic set in and people tried to bash him out the attack, leading to catches being taken by both captains - with captain Calum acting like his Hemsworth Hollywood friend in the way he collapsed after taking an easy catch.
After Hale’s allotted overs Lazarus replaced him, and once he found his line and length caused further problems, including getting a well-earned wicket, Johnston running from behind the stumps to take a catch at short cover.
Garner’s spell ended with another miserly over, and the ball of the day which missed everything, finishing with 3-35. Whilst wickets were falling around him however, the Braintree team struggled to dislodge Mallick, who continued to bat like a significantly experienced player at a higher level. He continued to keep up at the run rate, but Braintree attacked the other end.
The introduction of spin from both ends brought about carnage, with Foyster keeping things quiet, leaving Charlie Garner to show his dad how to deal with matters. His first wicket was an LBW, before he got going, having the wicket keeper caught by a standing up Johnston, and then very next ball collecting a plumb LBW. Sadly, the hat-trick ball amounted to nothing, but Garner knew he had control, and whilst Mallick continued his innings, whilst offering compliments to the bowler, Garner eventually wheedled out his 4th victim, bowling with a spinning spitting ball that couldn’t be kept out.
Mallick continued to be dangerous, but even he had worked out that, with another 50 runs required, he was likely going to need to get most of them despite going through his century. To show the unity in the Braintree team despite his best efforts, the two captains combined, with MacLeod bowling him a ball that he could only pull to the safe hands of Parker to bring the innings to an end - his own innings being 112 of the West Mersea total of 181.
Another win for Braintree and a learning opportunity - considering the heat and conditions the players should all be proud of their performances