Maund stars as 1's prove big trouble for Little Baddow

Goresbrook produced another fine bowling and fielding performance to blow away Little Baddow on a turgid M&B wicket after Toby Maund's outstanding unbeaten 87 underpinned a workmanlike total of 213.

Skipper Kurt Whisker won the toss and elected to bat on a pitch still very soft after heavy midweek rain, disappointingly given the hours spent on the heavy roller earlier this week, a situation that will hopefully be rectified once our newly purchased covers arrive in a couple of week. The captain walked out with fellow left hander Shane Barwick to open the innings and the Cook and Strauss (I couldn't compare Kurt to Matthew Hayden with a straight face..) of Goresbrook ensured a solid start, adding 64 in 17 overs before Whisker fell looking to up the pace. Barwick followed shortly afterwards for 34 and from then on, the innings centred around in-form number 3 Maund, who worked hard to play himself in and then struck the ball with a purity that no other batsmen in the match remotely approached.

Maund hit 5 sixes and 6 fours in his innings, which ended unbeaten when numbers 10 and 11 fell in successive balls in the final over, as Baddow skipper Abinhav Vasu, wicketless in his opening spell, returned to blow away the Goresbrook middle and lower order to take 6 for 20 as no other batsmen could stick around long enough to add a significant partnership with Maund. Off spinner Willan took the other 4 wickets to fall in a tidy 10 over stint of 4 for 30.

The feeling at tea was that 213 was more than enough with Israel Ochwo in the form and fitness of his life and when Ochwo charged in to claim two wickets in his first over, the writing was on the wall for the visitors. Ochwo's opening 7 over spell yielded 5 for 9, the Ugandan born quick bowler extracting enough bounce from the sluggish surface to trouble all batsmen and sufficient pace through the air to clean bowl three of his victims.

Once Ochwo left the attack, Baddow opener Gunerwardana who had resisted stoically, relaxed somewhat and was run out by Whisker, a disappointing end to a dogged effort, given his dismisser has been described as throwing like an old woman tossing a tea towel into the laundry basket. That left Kane Messenger (3-12) and Shane Barwick (1-10) to mop up the tail, the Little Baddow innings ending on 62 all out in the 26th over.

After morale boosting wins against sides whose goal is probably limited to staying up, the 1's face successive games against title contenders Old Chelmsfordians and Springfield with Maund, as is traditional for a Goresbrook batsmen who makes a big score, missing next week's trip to Chelmsford as brother Daniel is getting married...

The 1's will therefore know pretty much where they stand come 7.30pm in two Saturday's time and much will hinge on the form and fitness of Ochwo, who is bowling as quickly and accurately as anybody has seen him (admittedly his first 7 or 8 years are not high on the list of most accurate season in Goresbrook history), especially given the spongy nature of early season pitches. His teammates, especially those who don't field in the slips, are looking forward to seeing him on something offering a bit more lift and bounce...