Goresbrook U15 v Upminster U15 - Cox & Kings Trophy

Goresbrook’s under 15’s produced their best all-round team performance of the season to date, beating local and biggest rivals Upminster, in a quality game at the Annex Ground on Thursday evening. The homester’s lost their sixth toss on the trot and Upminster decided to bowl first. Brook’s openers Shane Barwick and Bobby Gaymer got a to a solid start pushing the score to 27 until Gaymer holed out to mid-off for 7 in the sixth over. Joel Oliver continued his recent good form scoring a run a ball 18 before he perished. Then Barwick was caught for 22 with the score on 59. After that, runs became harder to come by as Liam Addison hit a ten ball 12 runs, but Stead, Thompson and Scott all fell cheaply. However Brook had record-breaking Ben Irving at the crease still, making his 150th appearance for the colts, the first youngster ever to do so for Goresbrook, and in that time he has amassed over 1500 runs and taken 43 wickets and played as a keeper on many occasion. A real club all-rounder. His first 20 balls faced in this game yielded just 8 singles but he was carrying a nasty hamstring strain which was limiting his running, however when he was joined by Ross McCarthy, the pair upped the tempo with just two overs to go and 'Brook raced from 88 to 106 with Irving hitting 16 off the last over and ending on a fine 28 not out from 27 balls.

In reply, Minster were put straight on the back foot by some hostile bowling from openers Liam Addison and Bobby Gaymer, leaving them reeling at 22 for 3 with both bowlers taking a wicket each. Spin trio Billy Smith, Callum Shepherd and Shane Barwick came on and the match was soon put to bed. Smith took 2 for 18, Shepherd 1 for 12 and Barwick 3 for 14, and with Joel Oliver taking 1 for 21, Upminster were never going to get near enough to the total needed. Barwick took two fine catches in the deep and Ben Irving completed his day with a catch and a sharp stumping as 'Brook won by a comfortable 10 runs.