3's undone at Navestock

At the picturesque Navestock ground stand in skipper Owen Elsom walked to the middle with his NAG counterpart Vic Simmons to toss up and after discussing local rules and the RAF fly past on its way to see the Queen at Buck House and a million other things came back ten minutes later having lost the toss and been asked to bat first.

Things looked good when Aaron Scott cut his first ball for a boundary but things soon began to disintegrate when he played round a straight one 4 balls later. Charlie Thompson then fell first ball to a one handed catch at point. Soon after Atif Ali edged to slip and Jo Wilkinson was undone by a skidder from Freddie Flintoff lookalike (well perhaps in his, Flintoff's that it, younger days) Jack Gildersleeve and Brook were in serious trouble at 10-4. A mini recover ensued with Dunston Alfred (18) and Tommy Puncher but with Alfred battling to curb his attacking instinct chances were given and, before long, taken on the square leg boundary. 33-5 became 37-7 when Puncher, having played circumspectly, edged behind and Ben Irving fell for a duck.

Harry Jackson and Kaylen then settled in and after a while began to open up, Jackson smiting three fours and a six that ended up lost for several minutes in the ploughed field across the Midwicket boundary in his entertaining 27. Kaylen also joined in the fun with a four and a six but after the demise of Jackson the tail failed to wag and Kaylen was left stranded on 16* in a total of 92 all out in just 33 overs.

After a sumptuous tea Brook took to the field quite aware of what was required of them- wickets, and quickly. Elsom teased Williams into trying to repeat his lofted drive for four the previous ball straight into the waiting hands of Ali at mid on, then following a drop at gulley Kaylen took a screamer of a reflex catch in the same position and Archer played on to give Elsom 3-8 from his opening 8 overs.

Ben Irving, cajoled and encouraged (or more accurately perhaps, berated!) by his elder brother who was scoring on the boundary, then bowled a lightning quick spell, blighted only by some front foot follies, for the return of 1-12. This brought Elsom back into the attack and he continued to bowl tightly and gained the wicket of steadfast opener and Navestock groundsman Geoff Wright, who had batted for nigh on 2 hours and 103 balls for his 24. Kaylen had taken the ball at the other end and, bowling with accuracy, gained 2 wickets. Ali was then brought into the attack and got a wicket straightaway but this was all too little too late as Vic Simmons had settled in and playing a nudge here and a wink there got Navestock home by two wickets with some 19 overs to spare and leaving Brooks men to rue a substandard total that didn't quite give them enough to bowl at. Nevertheless the performance in the field was of the highest quality..... now the batting just needs to come up to scratch.

Goresbrook 3's 92 all out: Alfred 18, Jackson 27, Kaylen 16*
NAG 2's 93-8: Elsom 12-5-12-4, Irving 7-1-12-1, Kaylen 8.1-2-16-2, Ali 3-1-6-1