Goresbrook’s first eleven laid to rest one of the Club’s long standing hoodoos when finally gaining a victory over Woodford Wells on Saturday. Home skipper Ben Kingsnorth won the toss and invited the visitors to bat first on a good wicket at Monkhams Lane.
‘Brook suffered an early setback when ‘keeper Imon Ahmed departed for 1 but fellow opener Lee Jones (12) was joined by visiting Captain Jordan Calverley and the pair posted 50 for the second wicket. Calverley stroked 8 boundaries in a solid 47 before following Jones back to the pavilion, both bowled by Charles Scott. Shane Barwick, celebrating his 28th birthday then set about anchoring the innings and in tandem with Toriqul Islam who hit a sparkling 38, added 85 for the 4th wicket. The left hander produced a series of cuts, pulls and drives, fashioning 13 fours and 7 maximums in a magnificent unbeaten 125 forming the backbone of the Dagenham outfits mammoth total. In support, RH Rony struck a run a ball 25 and Muhammad Attuallah lifted 3 lusty sixes in a quickfire 28. Ted Ivory continued in similar vein smashing the final delivery of the innings over the ropes to breach the 300 mark, completing Goresbrook’s impressive performance with the willow.
After tea, Brook’s bowlers produced a stirring display with the ball supported with some sharp work in the field. Daryl Forward struck early to remove George Wells cheaply and teenager Maswer Mansoor accounted for the obdurate Gaffney for 30. The introduction of spinner Barwick yielded immediate dividends when he trapped Umar Ayeb (19) leg before and repeated the dose the very next ball when sending Claim Holder back to hutch first ball, completing a miserable day for the all-rounder. Harry Douris (65) and Harry Boparai (23) knuckled down to throw the hosts a lifeline, but the former became Barwick’s third victim. Seamer Ivory picked up a brace of scalps to thwart the home side’s reply.
With the target apparently out of reach, Haider Zaman (74 not) and Aaron Boparia (45 not) combined for an entertaining unbroken eighth wicket stand of 124 but the visitors total always looked too tall to surmount.

Goresbrook 1st 313 for 6 from 50 Overs (20 points) beat Woodford Wells 1st 284 for 7 from 50 Overs (6 points) by 29 Runs