2's title hopes turned to Ash

The second string came off very much second best for the second time this season to Champions elect Terling on a day when the M&B track played well above it's 19th ranking in the T Rippon umpires poll.

After the visitors won the toss and elected to bat, the wicket provided pace and bounce for a lively opening spell from Shaddai Smith and then provided a surface that Terling's talented left handed opener Ash Nahorniak could display his entire repertoire of shots on and unfortunately for the tiring Brook bowlers, that repertoire is quite sizeable.

Nahorniak gave but one chance in a majestic 141, a top edged sweep just before the drinks break falling tantalisingly short of a scrambling Lawrence Walsh running round from gully and tantalisingly about 3 strides away from keeper Irving who had assumed it was going straight to his cordon partner.

After the reprieve, the opener, who has played minor counties cricket for Herefordshire, accelerated through the gears and flayed the bowling to all parts. Nahorniak was especially strong through the midwicket region to Billy Smith's off breaks and the unfortunate Smith was left to rue the fact that Charlie Thompson on the midwicket boundary was having a Regi Blinker, diving over, round and even under a succession of slog sweeps.

The only bowler to escape with an economy rate under 5 was the wily veteran Richie Williams who relished the opportunity to do the cricketing equivalent of parking the bus, setting a defensive field and bowling to it, before he was withdrawn from the attack due to unfitness after 8 overs for 27.

The other bowler to impress was 16 year old Harry Jackson, who bowled a lively spell at the end of 5-0-32-2, finally disturbing Nahorniak's stumps as he looked to move across and clip to leg and also bowling Terling skipper Taylor, whose rustic 64 had made a full contribution to his side's eventually imposing total of 278-3.

The Goresbrook reply was heavily reliant on a contribution from Craig Irving, who has played most of his cricket in the 1's over the past couple of years. It was therefore unfortunate that he chopped on for 8 in the opening exchanges. From thereon, the Goresbrook innings was becalmed until the drinks break, before it became a succession of short cameos interspersed by wicket, as the Terling bowling also impressed. From one end, erratically bearded youngsters ran in and hit the pitch hard, from the other wily veterans bowled line and length and wobbled the ball around. It was all far too good for the 2's who eventually subsided for 142 in the 39th over with Jackson completing a fine all round effort with 33 and skipper Ivey hitting a few pleasing boundaries in his 21.

The 2's remain in 2nd place and must regroup for a trip to Stock with a heavily depleted side before successive season defining home games against chasers Tillingham and Great Baddow.