Jack of all trades

With the teams departure from M&B delayed by a late running Atif Ali leading to a subsequent late arrival at Saltcoats Park in South Woodham Ferrers, Goresbrook 4's found themselves batting after stand in non playing skipper Darren Ivory lost the toss.

It was a toss however worth losing as Alfie Boland, after opening partner Billy Parnell fell for 5 with the score on 13, timed the ball immaculately, regularly smiting the ball to the boundary as he brought up his 50 in 46 balls. After last weeks comeback Steve Rooke carried on where Dave Leadbetter's forefinger left off with a lovely late cut for 4 off his first ball and he and Boland compiled a century partnership in rapid time before, having reached 75 off 80 balls with 13 boundaries, Boland inexplicably missed a straight one from the evergreen Colin Cruikshank.

Atif Ali got from the boundary to the pitch with far less incident than his journey from Notting Hill Gate via Ilford and a £45 Uber journey to the ground with just a short detour by way of McDonalds. He and Rooke proceeded to up the pace nicely with plenty of lusty blows; Rooke bringing up his 50 off 59 balls with a lofted drive straight down the ground, and Ali his own 50 in 49 balls. Rooke then accelerated briskly with 2 maximums picked off leg stump before he brought up his century from just 85 balls. However another attempted flick came up from a leading edge into Rookes right cheekbone (see twitter feed for photo).

Jack was all for just getting on with it but was persuaded to obtain medical treatment, and retired hurt on a undefeated 102 with16 fours in addition to his two maximums. Famously Jack wears his trusty pink collared (it was originally red in 1990) Church Elm FC shirt under his cricket shirt and the veteran was delighted for nostalgic reasons that he was once again scrubbing bloodstains out of that jersey as this was once a weekly occurrence in the days when he patrolled the middle of the park with an iron fist.

With just 2 and a half overs remaining Darren Boland came to the crease but he was unable to follow up his previous weeks heroics as he was bowled 3rd ball. A couple of further wickets left Ali unbeaten on 57 as the innings closed on 261-5.

The pick of the bowlers was Sam Curtin whose 4-52 would have been more apt for his skipper PC Jason McGarry.
(Younger readers may wish to Google Camberwick Green- Older readers should just relive their youth).

SWF3's reply was soon well behind the rate as the opening batsmen found Ricci Parnell and Owen Elsom very difficult to get away but it was the introduction of Ted Ivory into the attack that got the initial breakthrough- Ivory's first senior wicket caught on film for posterity by his mother. (see facebook for video)

Braces for Billy Parnell and Bobby Granger and one for Andrew Pauling however were all that the visiting attack could manage as SWF shut up shop and restricted Brook to 3 bowling bonus points.

The 145 run victory gave Goresbrook 24 points leaving them uptown top above Rankins 3's by 2 points in Division 11 for a further week.
Next up is a home fixture against league new boys Oaklands.