Ivey's Stock of bowlers runs dry

Craig Ivey's depleted side put up a valiant fight, but were eventually bettered by Stock's second string in a 500+ run afternoon on the picturesque village green. The hosts won the toss and elected to bat on a good looking pitch and initially at least, struggled to make inroads against Joe Barwick's mellow drifters and Richie Williams more awkward looking seamers.

Both opening bowlers bowled straight through for similar 1 for early 30's returns, leaving Brook in a decent position, but having played 2 of their bowling cards up front. That decision didn't seem a problem as Tamid Khondakar and Billy Smith eased into their spells, but after Khondakar removed Herley for a stubborn 35, the hosts wicket keeper Chris Westwood entered the fray and the ball suddenly started leaving it.

In tandem with Gamby, Westwood started to set about the bowling, taking a particular liking to the next two bowlers into the attack, Craig Ivey and Lol Walsh. Walsh, bowling leg breaks with the short clubhouse boundary behind him, was landing the ball well, but the Stock batsmen swung through the line and cleared the rope, fence and occasionally next house with regularity. By Walsh's third over, the game was being played out to the incessant ringing of telephones as mothers on the estate behind the ground called round to order their kids inside, lest they be hit by a red spherical object, and by the sixth over, as Walsh's personal tally headed for 70, the local bowls club were playing out their game with hard hats on.

Walsh did finally pick up the wicket of Westwood, for a violent 90, with a cross seam skidder, but Gamby then started to open up and as Walsh exited with 1-66 from his 6 overs, Ivey fell only 1 short, a stumping ensuring that he finished with 1-65 from his 7 overs.

The most successful bowler was the u13 star Khondakar, returning at the death after his mandatory 10 over break, who had Gamby well held for 83 by Charlie Thompson in the final over to finish with 2-44. Fellow u13 Danny Gilliam also made a fine 2nd XI debut, his keeping being tidy throughout on a day when the Goresbrook fielding was anything but.

The reply start inauspiciously as Dunston Alfred picked out midwicket, who took fine low catch, in the first over, but then the blonde bombshells, Charlie Thompson and Aaron Scott added 100 in 17 overs without playing so much as a cross bat shot, as bad balls were despatched and they got full value for their shots on an excellent surface with fast outfield and short boundaries.

Unfortunately Scott then chipped up a catch to cover to depart for 39 and with new batsmen having to start, the rate started to increase. When Thompson finally lost patience and charged the wily left arm spin of Fielding to be stumped for a superb 84, the writing was on the wall, although an entertaining partnership between skipper Ivey (71*) and Williams (29) delayed the inevitable for a while, but when Willliams took a leaf out of Thompson's book and charged down the wicket to be stumped by about 12 feet, Brook were done, and an entertaining last over's hitting from Ivey, ensured that Brook made the 250 mark to go down by 23 runs.

The 8 bonus point haul ensured that the 2's kept their noses in front of Saturday's opponents Tillingham, but Ivey's men now have no margin for error if they are to make the 2nd promotion spot.