Maund's men hit perfect ten

Goresbrook 4th XI 235-4 beat Old Chelmsfordians 4th XI 96 all out by 139 runs

Goresbrook's 4th string won their tenth game in succesion with a dominant performance over Old Chelmsford on Saturday afternoon at Bedford playing fields in Great Waltham.

Captain Keith Maund lost the toss and Brook were put into bat on a good looking but soft pitch in windy conditions.

Dave Leadbeater opened the batting with Adi Kumar and the pair got Brook off to a solid start. Leadbeaters job was to see the shine off the ball and he did this expertly until he pulled his groin attempting another quick single. Up to that point he had been in no danger and although he attempted to carry on gallantly the athletic batsman had to give in to his injury. Kumar was joined briefly by Gillham Jnr who fell lbw playing accross a full length delivery that hit him on the full before last weeks hero Darren Boland came in with the score on 58-1.

Boland increased the scoring rate immediately showing no mercy to the young Chelmsford attack reaching 20 runs off just seven balls. Kumar at the other end decided to take to attack and the pair raced to a fifty partnership in little time. Home skipper David Grainger brought himself into the attack in an attempt to stem the scoring of runs and he did this successfully, bogging down both batsman and he was ably assisted by Alice Wall who ended with a fine return of 2-45 from seven overs.

With the building crowd expectant of seeing Boland secure his second successive half century disaster struck as he fell lbw to returning opening bowler Gregory trying to hit the delivery out of the park. Bolands' dismissal ended the partnership with Kumar of 116 runs, another superb stand following last weeks 100+ resilient effort against third in the table Thurrock. Next in was Billy Parnell who joined Kumar and the pair scored freely with a series of boundaries and singles. Umpire Leadbeater had to repeatedly request that the pair refrained from running down the pitch and he finally lost his composure and issued an official warning to Goresbrook, much to the amusement of the away teams captain Maund.

Kumar reached his half century with another quick single before some elegant big hitting saw him move quickly towards the nineties where he started to falter and runs became difficult to find while partner Parnell was moving scoring at a run a ball. With Kumar on 99 Alice Wall got the second of her wickets with a clever slower delivery that Kumar chipped to mid on. Kumar was distraught with the failure to score his maiden senior century but his happy go lucky smile returned as he walked off to applause realising he wouldnt have to by a jug of squash for the Goresbrook youngsters.

Alfie Atkins came and went for seven before Maund put Chelmsford to the sword scoring an unbeaten 21 from fourteen balls to supplement Parnells unbeaten 24 to see Brook to 235-4 from the full allocation of 45 overs and four batting bonus points.

Chasing 236 to win Chelmsfords innings couldnt have started in worse fashion as opening bowler Daniel Parnell removed Robertson senior, bowling him with a delivery that moved away from middle before dispatching his son very next ball who pushed a short delivery into the hands of brother Billy Parnell at short cover.

Kumar opened the bowling with his mix of spin and removed opener Eddie Cranmer for just six before Parnell grabbed his third wicket, David Cranmer by lbw immediately after a shocking dropped catch by Gillham Snr at point. Gillham's hands were back in working order shortly after, taking a fantastic sharp catch low down at point to dispatch Andrew Robertson off Adi Kumars bowling.

David Grainger was proving a handful for all Brook bowlers, readily dispatching them to all parts of the ground including huge sixes off Khondakar and Billy Parnell. Khondakar grabbed himself a wicket bowling Colin Gregory before Kumar took his third bowling Helen Lodge. Alice Wall backed up her decent bowling with stubborn batting and ably supported captain Granger before falling caught and bowled to Billy Parnell before Lionel Cranmer went to the same bowler by way of another Gillham Snr catch leaving David Graniger unbeaten with a fine 76.

Keith Maund said after play "It was a good dominant performance all round today, I rested some of the senior bowlers to give the youngsters a chance and they responded superbly. I was upset with the official warning given by David Leadbeater, he is an experienced umpire but I and the batsman felt it unfair to receive such a warning, it was a laughable decision and I'll make clear my feelings in due course."

Goresbrook Batting
Adi Kumar - 99
Darren Boland - 49
Billy Parnell - 24no
Keith Maund - 21no

Bowling
Daniel Parnell - 6-3-13-3
Adi Kumar - 7-3-25-3
Tahmid Khondakar - 6-1-35-1
Billy Parnell - 4.2-0-28-2