Adi is the Daddy

15 year old Adi Kumar played a starring role as Goresbrook made it 3 wins out of 3 to start the Mid Essex season. Kumar was only called up from the 2nd XI on Friday after the late withdrawal of Toby Maund, but the young all-rounder showed that he is more than capable of flourishing at 1st team level already, as he hit a superb 57 not out coming in at number 6 to ensure Goresbrook didn’t waste a strong start.

Earlier skipper Kurt Whisker had no hesitation in batting first on an excellent surface at the M&B Club and Whisker and opening partner Charlie Thompson added 109 in 21 overs before Thompson fell for 41. Whisker reached 68 before he fell, but with Joe Curley and Jordan Calverley falling in quick succession, the Goresbrook innings required another significant contribution to push up towards 250, as they entered the last 10 overs at 182-4. Kumar provided that, as despite changing partners regularly as Rayleigh took wickets, the youngster ran hard and found the boundary on six occasions as his wristy strokeplay regularly found the gaps in the field, Brook taking 80 from the last 10 overs to set Rayleigh a daunting 262-7 from their 45 overs.

In reply, the visitors started well, as Matt Friend and Israel Ochwo were unable to make a breakthrough with the new ball, Ochwo being hampered by a shoulder injury that looks likely to keep him out for a few weeks. However, the introduction of spin put the brakes on the Rayleigh innings. Billy Smith, in excellent form to the start the season, took 2-28 from his 10 overs and Shane Barwick took 1-34 from his full entitlement as Rayleigh slipped behind the required run rate. With overs starting to run out, that meant the Rayleigh batsmen had to go after Goresbrook’s 5th and 6th bowlers and Kane Messenger and Adi Kumar were up to the task. Messenger picked up 2-48, but it was Kumar who did most of the damage, picking up 5-37 from 8 overs of hard spun off breaks, the last wicket coming off the very last ball of the 45 overs, Jordan Harris stumping last man Abley.