3's gather momentum

Goresbrook 3's maintained their strong start to the season with an impressive 6 wicket victory against Fives & Heronians 4's at the MABA on Saturday.

With Ricci Parnell unavailable, Joe Skippy-Barwick assumed the reigns, but regardless of who tosses the coin, the 3s bunch of grizzled vets and enthusiastic youngsters are a well grooved machine in these early days of the season and bowling first the early breakthroughs were made by Owen Elsom courtesy of two George Sleight catches and a low 2nd slip catch by Binky Walsh. However Fives 4th wicket pairing then consolidated against the change bowlers to leave the visitors in the ascendancy and Barwick with decisions to make following a contemplative drinks break salmon.

Enter Ted Ivory, who struck with his first ball and then, twice in two balls, enticed identical drives into the hands of Bobby Granger who juggled the first once and the second twice before safely pouching the ball as much to his own as his teammates delight.

Andre Thoufick then threw in to run out the Fives skipper to leave the visitors seven down, but they regrouped and looked to bat the full 45, with Paul Atkins bowling a testing spell before Owen Elsom returned to snaffle a caught and bowled and Andre Thoufick gave Elsom a five wicket haul when he caught a lofted drive at mid on, Fives achieving their goal by finishing on 178-9 from their 45 overs.

Walsh and George Sleight got Brook's reply off to a healthy start with a partnership of 62 but it was then Walsh and Michael Wilson who amassed a hard hit 84 partnership before Walsh fell 3 short of well deserved half century, but with a significant enough contribution to achieve the epithet 'evergreen' in the Dagenham Post for the first time since 2016.

Wilson continued on his merry way and reached his own 50 in 44 balls but he then fell with just 11 runs required leaving the spritely duo of Dave Leadbetter and Keith Maund to see Brook home with 16 balls to spare for their second win of this inaugural SNEL campaign.