Too Writtle too late

Goresbrook’s 2nds crashed to defeat at Division Two champions-elect Writtle as a catastrophic batting performance left them well short of a competitive total. At one stage Goresbrook has lurched to 58-9 as a succession of batsmen played shots that were even more ill-advised than their haircuts (and this in a team that is being called the worst coiffured XI in Goresbrook history) against an accurate attack, but a stand of 52 for the last wicket between u15 keeper Danny Gillham jnr and skipper for the day Matt Friend at least gave Brook something to bowl at.

The little and large pair, both sons of promotion chasing 3rd XI stalwarts, played opposite roles to those their fathers typically play, young Danny occupying the crease and working the bowling around for an unbeaten 15 and Matt crashing the ball to the boundary (although not wielding the bat like an axe as Gillham snr prefers to do) for a belligerent 38, as the 2's set what at one stage looked like an unlikely three figure target.

In the event the 2's bowled and fielded pretty well in defence of that meagre total and took 5 Writtle wickets, but the damage had been done earlier on and the hosts cruised home as a result of an unbroken partnership between Jones 24* and Harsha 28* in the 25th over meaning Goresbrook now look consigned to a mid-table campaign to contemplate on the long trip to Tillingham next week.