4's start the season in style

Goresbrook 4's got their league season off to a flyer with a thumping ten wicket victory against Rayleigh Fairview 3's at the Holy Cross ground in Basildon on Saturday afternoon.

The day started badly with Owen Elsom forgetting his cap, Ricci Parnell the new scorebook and Skipper Martin Rooke his trousers. Luckily Darren Boland had a spare pair even if they did only just reach past Bolts knees. He certainly could have done with a pair of his brother Steve's famous Red and Blue socks (both of which are coming out of retirement next week) to hide the trousers shortcomings.

Brook also had to contend with the constant jokes of the home team's sexagenarian county representative Dave Webster who by his own admission had swallowed the Tim Vine joke book. The toss was lost and the hosts chose to bat.

Proceedings were opened by Lee Jones from the graveyard end- the dead centre of town quipped Webster - and Ricci Parnell and both soon found the right line, length and pace to bowl on a flat early season green top. The score had reached 21 when Parnell broke through the defence of Kelvin Hines for 7. Jones found himself bowling to a 9-1 field as he kept a nagging off stump line but he was unlucky not to take a wicket and he was replaced by Alfie Atkins who opened up with a maiden.

Parnell had had a chance spilled by the skipper at short cover but soon got his man when Paige lobbed to Owen Elsom at mid off. Next ball left hander Paul Webster was castled for a golden duck and Fares was fortunate that the hat trick ball swung and missed the stumps by a whisker.

Atkins accounted for Webster who had nurdled his way to 13 predominantly through the gully area, when fine leg was brought up into the cordon and Ricci Parnell dived athletically to his left to nab a fine catch. Fares then decided to not play a shot to one that nipped back to give Atkins a double wicket maiden.

It looked briefly as if we were going to have father and son bowling in tandem but Bev declined the opportunity to bowl to a very young incoming batsman so Owen Elsom took the ball instead having no such compunction and sent Dennison back to the hutch without troubling the scorer. Elsom also did not trouble the scorer any further as he was removed from the attack after one over with the score on 27-6.

Atkins then grabbed two further wickets in a third maiden over as he removed Father and son Dave and Tom Nicholls to catches from Lee Jones and Billy Parnell. Parnell then wrapped up the innings of ten men Fairview with a caught and bowled to leave the hosts all out for 30 in 15.1 overs.

Lee Jones 5-0-15-0
Ricci Parnell 6-1-9-3
Alfie Atkins 3-3-0-4
Owen Elsom 1-0-2-1
Billy Parnell 0.1-0-1-1

Keith Friend 15* and Paul Lowe 13* took to the field and knocked off the 31 runs required without any scares in 8.5 overs to give Brook a ten wicket win.

Connoisseurs of tiffin will be interested to know that in addition to ham, cheese, tuna and egg mayonnaise sandwiches there was also coronation chicken and a tray of prawn crackers on offer.

With the 1's in action next week it is most unlikely that the same 11 will be selected but if the core of the team remains intact then the chances of a successful season should remain high.