Goresbrook I v Walthamstow I - Essex County Cricket League - Prem Div

Goresbrook’s first string maintained their outside hopes of hanging onto their Essex County Cricket League title with a thrilling 1 run victory over Walthamstow. The win leaves Goresbrook 27 points behind pacesetters Scintilla and 21 points behind neighbours Barking with just four games remaining, so even though 'Brook have to play both sides, the Dagenham club still require both of their challengers to slip up elsewhere, a scenario that Goresbrook skipper Kurt Whisker considers unlikely.

“Scintilla have only lost once this season and Barking are the form side in the league, so it’s hard to see where they are going to drop points, but we just need to keep on battling and put them under pressure.”

It was Goresbrook’s battling qualities that saw them clinch a vital victory on Saturday, as for much of the second innings Walthamstow looked to be in control of their run chase. ‘Brook were indebted to stand-in captain Bryan Atkins for their total of 194 for 9, as Atkins held the innings together with a vital unbeaten 59. The innings had promised much more after a flying start saw Goresbrook reach 40 in just 5 overs as Toby Maund and Jordan Calverley looked at their fluent best, however Asif Bala dismissed both in their early 20’s and although a succession of batsmen got a start, only Atkins was able to convert that to a big score as the Walthamstow bowling tightened up considerably after a loose start, off-spinner Matt Hawkins with 2 for 23 being the pick of the bowlers.

In reply, 194 looked plenty of runs as Michael Rooke and Richard Williams stifled the Walthamstow top order, half of their 18 over opening spell being maiden overs as Stow struggled to 40 for 3, however once the ball started to soften the classy Bala found an ally in Zisan Abedin and they set about rebuilding the innings. Although Abedin was trapped lbw by Shane Barwick, Baughan took up the attack with Bala and in a 10 over spell the Goresbrook bowling looked ragged as the visiting batsmen played some stylish shots and ‘Brook lost the services of paceman Israel Ochwo, who was withdrawn from the attack after bowling two head high full tosses.

Fortunately for Goresbrook just as Bala looked to change gears to take the game away from the hosts, he smacked a Toby Maund full toss straight to Jordan Harris at deep square leg to depart for a fine 60 and suddenly it was anybody’s game. With two inexperienced batsmen at the crease, Goresbrook looked to protect the boundaries and ramp up the pressure and although Walthamstow were keeping up with the required 6 an over, the boundaries that would have clinched the game proved elusive and the batsmen were starting to swing and miss rather than looking for 1’s and 2’s.
Ultimately the game reached the last over with 7 required and 3 wickets in hand and Kane Messenger proved up to the task for ‘Brook. The seamer bowled to order outside off stump and although a fine edge looked to have won the game for Stow off the 3rd ball, a superb diving stop from keeper Chris Burke saved a certain boundary and the visitors could only scramble a single. From the last ball, Stow required 3 to win or 2 to tie, but another edge to Michael Rooke on the third man boundary was safely fielded and a fine throw over the stumps saw Hawkins well short of the tying run, leave Brook winners by the narrowest possible margin.