Edge of nowhere?

Brook's fourth string arrived at Beaulieu Park on the eastern outskirts of Chelmsford to find a green oasis amid an arid parched outfield.
Batting first Wickham's opening pair of Rob and Rich Hunt rode their luck as they flashed at everything with any width at all and even the slightest contact got a full return on a lightning fast outfield. Daniel Parnell bowled well without luck and his father Ricci recovered from a Harmisonesque opening ball to concede just 5 from his 5 over spell.

Alfie Boland then entered the attack and got the first wicket in the 17th over courtesy of a Keith Maund catch at cover. Home skipper Ross Rogers looked to drive at every opportunity and hit the ropes 3 times before twice edging Owen Elsom behind the second of which Alfie Atkins took low down.

Thereafter wickets fell regularly but the runs still flowed and some good field placing, some determined chasing and Bobby Granger showing everyone that he had listened (sort of) to his dad and to his coaches, displayed "the longest barrier" ( a full length body block) whilst backing up to a Alfie Boland throw kept the run rate in check. Andrew Pauling nabbed a wicket to an Alfie Atkins catch as did Daniel Parnell to a running Pauling catch at Mid on.

Ricci Parnell returned to nab two wickets both bowled, one of which swung in before seaming away around the batsmans' drive and Owen Elsom grabbed a second to a Ricci Parnell catch in the deep. Wickham closed on 201-8 from their 40 overs.

Brook's reply faltered immediately as Martin Rooke chipped to square leg but the two Alfies: Boland and Atkins staged a recovery as they advanced the score to 45 before Atkins fell at the introduction of the mercurial Bob Williams. two balls later he did to Ricci Parnell exactly as Parnell had done to him and beat the bat with a beauty. When Boland then fell for a well crafted 26 to the first ball of the next over Brook were in serious trouble at 45-4. That soon became 57 -7 as following two fours Lee Granger stood in front of a straight one and then Bobby Granger and Daniel Parnell ( correction Maund, correction Parnell- thank God I've got a rubber says Shan) fell in quick succession.

Owen Elsom joined skipper Maund in the middle and both felt that with sensible batting the total was still gettable. This pair had put on 46 with a plethora of boundaries and byes when having just dispatched new bowler and Ricky Ponting look alike David Rutter to the long on ropes thick edged the next ball in the same direction straight down the throat of mid on. A tall order had just got taller and the loss of Andrew Pauling who gloved Williams behind for his fifth wicket meant Maund had to try and do it with no 11 Frankie Boland.

Boland played straight and kept his nerve while Maund continued to hit any bad ball and farm the strike. Maund went to his 50 with a four and with runs coming from virtually every ball the home fielders began glancing over at the score board with increasing regularity. However mission improbable became mission impossible when Boland was trapped in front leaving Maund undefeated on 57.

Brook lost by 56 runs but the margin belied how competitive the game actually was and was a fine advert for Division 11 cricket.