Asian II v Goresbrook III - Essex County Cricket League - Div 2

‘Brook’s third string travelled to Walthamstow and enjoyed an entertaining tussle with Asian 2nds. With news reaching the team that the Club’s 1st, 2nd and 4th eleven games were cancelled around noon following another deluge of rain ‘Brook completed a full afternoons cricket on a relatively dry track. Visiting skipper Jo Wilkinson won the toss and invited opposite number Shaheed Malik to bat first, a decision soon vindicated when 16 year old Ryan Paul made an early breakthrough when tempting Hussein to edge to Bradley Winsley on 4. Atif Ali also bagged an early scalp but Saleem Kara (24) and Irfan Ali Tahir (14) introduced some solidity to the home batting line-up. The introduction of occasional bowlers Dunston Alfred and Keith Maund wrought havoc amongst the home defences. Alfred had Kara brilliantly caught at slip by Lee Granger and Maund accounted for Tahir when bowling him off his pads. Loose offerings were punished but the pair continued to buy wickets with Alfred claiming 3 for 20 whilst Maund returned 3 for 30 to put the Dagenham outfit in the ascendancy. Malik fought back with a polished unbeaten 28 but Bradley Winsley’s late two wicket salvo saw Asian slump to 157 all out from 41.3 overs securing full bowling points for Goresbrook.

After tea Brook got off to a poor start, when Nick Read was back in the hutch, for a duck. Alfred (27) and Winsley (17) calmed the visitors’ nerves but 48 for 1 became 77 for 6 with some rash strokeplay being their undoing. 15 year old Aaron Scott belied his years with a mature knock of 17 but no other Goresbrook batsman mustered double figures as Tahir (4 for 24) and Adeel (3 for 6) put paid to any resistance from the tail, clinching victory for the hosts by 50 runs.