Goresbrook see off Gidea Park and Romford

A varied 3rd XI made the short trip to Gidea Park and Romford on Saturday. Brook won the toss and batted on a fair looking pitch with a pudding of an outfield following traditional British weather in the preceding week.

Puncher and Scott didn’t last long, both falling to the excellent Harry Phillips who wasn’t the only talented youngster to perform on the day. Livett and Walsh steadied the ship with Brook wobbling on 5-2 until Marv walked a quick single and despite an elegant dive was comfortably run out, not the first such dismissal of his long and illustrious career, albeit he usually prefers place his partner in the firing line when a quick single is contemplated.

Walsh fell soon after, walking after feathering behind and it was left to Lee Jones and Gillham Jnr to rescue Brook as the pair put on in excess of sixty runs for the fifth wicket before Gillham was stumped for 27 running down the track to the home sides spinner.

Jones continued in a patient fashion in an innings that would have been worth double its value of 28 had the outfield not been as slow as it was and the returning Matt Friend added some late runs with a fine unbeaten run a ball 26 as Brook finished on 146-7.

Tea was taken as the heavens opened and the subsistence on offer was adequate without excelling. A lack of plain ham sandwiches ruffled the younger players whereas the temperature of the tea was called into question by Livett. The tuna sandwiches were probably the highlight and although the crisps on offer were Walkers there was a distinct lack of cake treats. It seems that just like the players, the tea lady is also easing herself into the season.

Following an hours delay the visitors took to the field and the opening pair of Khondakar and Friend worked over the GP openers. Friend finally made the breakthrough dismissing Ali for 4 in an excellent spell of 1-4 from 6. Khondakar wasn’t rewarded for his efforts but he softened up the GP top order and with the door ajar, Lee Jones took advantage by placing his size 15's squarely into the gap presented.

The young Germanic looking prospect bowled with good lines to remove Fonsecka's off stump and saw off Farrow with an edge behind to the keeper. Jones was denied another shortly afterwards as another fine delivery that appeared to be gloved behind to the smaller Gillham was deemed by the umpire to have hit the GP batsman's knee.

Jones did get a dritte wicket though, seeing off opener Scott to Livett's delight and with that wicket Jones was removed from the attack after a spell that was typically Teutonic in it's efficiency. Goresbrook then turned to the youngsters Billy Parnell and Alfie Atkins to replace Jones and Friend and the pair bowled well in the damp conditions.

Atkins finally found the right lines and his swinging deliveries made life difficult for Burch who finally hit out and was well caught at long off. Parnell's leggies undid Byrne, caught at short cover by the excellent fielding of the Goresbrook skipper, something of a specialist in this under-utilised position. The under 15 captain Parnell then claimed his second with fortuitous lbw decision to remove Fredericks and finally claimed his third, there being no doubt this time that the ball was hitting the stumps, as he bowled Brown.

Aaron Scott talked himself into a bowl and was lucky to go for only 15 in his two overs. Scott learning that bowling a semi drunk first team skipper in the nets does not turn you into an effective Shivil Kaushik impersonator.

Brook finally removed the stubborn U14 Harry Phillips who had earlier dispatched Parnell for a six over mid-wicket to seal a well-earned 40 run victory.