Daryl drives the 2's Forward

Craig Ivey's second string survived a tough battle with former Morrant league foes Eastwood, the 2's surviving to win by 5 runs to maintain their perfect start to the season.

After being inserted, veteran Andy Livett fell early on for the hosts and he was followed by Charlie Thompson and Ivey before the score had reached 40. However the 2's rallied around Keith Friend, not for the first time in similar situations, Friend digging in for 40 and adding just short of 100 runs with Stuart Greaves (22) and Billy Chapman (28), however when Friend fell, Goresbrook suffered another mini-collapse, as Lawrence Walsh departed for his 50th Goresbrook duck shortly after Cobra Mumtaz went for 1.

Fortunately however Daryl Forward is a resourceful lower order batsman and he pushed the score up to what ultimately became a winning total, the young seamer hitting a fine unbeaten 34 featuring some hefty sixes and a deft reverse sweep as Brook closed on 186-9.

In reply Eastwood were up against it in the early proceedings as Forward and Joe Barwick took early scalps, reducing the visitors to 11-2. However despite a typically miserly opening spell of 1-22 from the ginger ninja (the warmer late afternoon conditions proving conducive to Barwick's drift if slightly inflammatory to his temper), Eastwood's Lovett and Tindall batted their side into a strong position as their side passed the 100 mark without further loss.

It took the introduction of Billy Smith into the attack to break the partnership, Smith eventually dismissing both men, as Brook started to gain the upper hand again, taking wickets at regular intervals and drying the run rate up. When the 6th wicket fell at 139, Eastwood's equation was 48 runs from the last 5 overs, but successive double figure overs of Ivey and Smith keep them in the hunt. Ultimately however the returning Forward and Mumtaz had enough in hand to restrict the visitors to 181-9, a handy runout from Charlie Thompson helping proceedings, leaving the 2's level on 100 points after 4 games with next week's opponents Turling.