Braintree cc’s 2nd XI’s wait for a win continued as they were hammered by 9 wickets at home to Stowupland.

Dave hale and Matt Kent were patient early on before Hale was bowled by a Yorker, and Kent was solid along with Geoff Eveling before he was run out for 11 with a direct hit. In general, the innings never really got going and even after 4 quick boundaries from Grace Poole, she fell, bowled by Argent attempting a big shot. Eveling stayed put while Major Singh was the aggressor, striking a quick 50 with some huge sixes, before Eveling and Andrew Sherry departed in quick succession, Singh continued to attack before he was caught on the boundary for a well made 67. The last 4 wickets then fell for 25 innings, wrapping the dolphins’ innings up on an under par 183, on what was a fairly flat wicket.

Things did not improve much for the dolphins in the bowling and fielding facets, and though they did not bowl badly, the batsman, bar Roche, never looked like getting out. He battled for 26 before Poole snicked him off, caught simply by Kent. Theo other 2 batsman Marsh and young Du Toit, provided a masterclass on how to bat on flat pitch on a hot day running the fielders ragged and punishing anything loose, Du Doit especially with some attractive shots down the ground. Marsh and he eventually finished on 65* and 79* respectively.
A disappointing defeat on a scorching day, the dolphins will hope to bounce back this week away at Wivenhoe.