1s hit the rocks against Westcliff

A depleted 1st XI held on for a draw in SNEL Division Three after being second best to promotion favourites Westcliff for large parts of the afternoon. Makeshift opener Jordan Calverley batted throughout the Goresbrook innings for a dogged unbeaten 49 from 105 balls, the right-hander having to shut up shop after a middle order collapse saw Brook slump to 117-2 to 138-7.

Earlier, after winning the toss Shane Barwick inserted the visitors and Shaun Ross ensured that the Goats were on top in the early running with two quick wickets and when Barwick chipped in with a run out, Westcliff were 12-3. However Matt Renvoize then rebuilt with Finlay Mackay, the pair adding 120 for the 4th wicket to give Westcliff a good platform for a big total. By this stage Mackay was starting to cut loose and although Barwick removed both he & Renvoize in quick succession, keeper Lewis Groves joined forces with Alex Hatton to start another partnership, Groves ultimately finishing unbeaten on 57 as Westcliff reached 239-7 in their 50 overs.

The Goresbrook reply started well with Joe Curley to the fore with 30 and then Barwick (40) joining forces with Calverley to take the score past 3 figures. However visiting spinners Adil Ali and Alex Hatton were starting to control the innings and Barwick’s dismissal was a precursor to 4 additional wickets in quick succession, leaving Calverley with little option but to dig in for the remaining overs, a task he achieved with few further alarms, other than to his own blood pressure when he occasionally looked up to see the alarming sight of Billy Smith padded up.

Barwick's men head down the A13 again next week to Stanford le Hope where they again expect to be without Kurt Whisker (hammy) and Toby Maund (thumb) although Kane Messenger and Arul Gopalasamy are expected to return to bolster the seam bowling and lower middle order shot-making ranks.