Five for Barwick as 1s chase 220 at Woodford

Goresbrook bounced back from their first defeat of the season last week against Harlow, beating bottom side Woodford Green by 4 wickets to move within a handful of points of the promotion places in what is shaping up to be a very tight Division Three of the Shepherd Neame Essex league.

After losing the toss, Brook laboured at times in the field in the face of some aggressive home batting on a good pitch on the small Woodford Green ground, the hosts skipper Hussnain Kazmi getting his side off to a flying start with a 23 ball 38. However Shaun Ross picked up a couple of early wickets to keep Goresbrook in the game and then a fine stint of 16 overs 5 for 41 from skipper Shane Barwick underpinned the Goresbrook effort, with wickets falling at regular intervals, despite several dropped chances, to ensure that the contest was always relatively even.

Only a fine 65 from Samar Rivzi pushed the home side over 200, but he lacked support from the tail and when he was last man out bowled by Richard Williams, Goresbrook were left to chase 220, not too daunting a prospect on a ground where even a mishit could clear the square boundary.

The Goats response was always ahead of the required rate after a run a ball 26 from Joe Curley, who tested the mishit theory with what was quite possibly the shortest six of all time and despite the loss of Shane Barwick (15) and Kurt Whisker (0) in quick succession after Curley fell, a stylish 61 from Jordan Calverley took the score onto 134 before he was bowled by Kazmi. The loss of Afzal Hussain then made it 155-5, but any prospect of a collapse was stemmed by a superb innings from 15 year old Alfie Horan. Horan, who has been prolific in Goresbrook’s Sunday league side, played with tremendous composure as he first joined forces with Arul Gopalasamy (19) and then after Gopalasamy fell leg before wicket, he watched as Sivakumar Subramanian finished proceedings with a hail of boundaries, Goresbrook chasing down their total with nearly 10 overs to spare for the loss of six wickets, Horan ending unbeaten on 34.

With the pacesetters having to settle for draws at the weekend, Brook move to within six points of 2nd placed Ardleigh Green, who they visit on Saturday.