'Brook under fire from Upminster

Upminster put an end to Goresbrook's run of three wins with a disciplined performance at Coopers Coburn school on Sunday morning. Under clear sunny skies and a temperature pushing 30 degrees, Upminster won the toss and elected to bat.

George Smith opened the bowling and returned excellent figures of 1 for 7 with an outswinger taken well behind the stumps by the 'keeper. The opening batsman were pressured by the quality of Goresbrook's fielding and two run outs gave the visitors the upper hand.

The second pair for Upminster put their foot on the gas in a partnership worth 32 and this could have been a lot more had the 'Brook fielders not been on their game. Several excellent stops in the field plus a fine catch by Smith kept the scoring rate lower than it could have been. Ben Willis and Callum Owen combined well in the middle of the innings conceding just seventeen runs.

Sam Wood took one for six with the lively Gillham making a fine stumping before youngster Stanley Sleight took two wickets for twenty runs helped by Parnell who took two excellent catches on the boundary.

Upminster batted in a disciplined manner throughout though and Goresbrook had to work hard for every wicket that they took. This was in stark contrast to the Goresbrook innings where wickets were gifted throughout the innings.

Smith and Wood opened brightly. Smith continued his fine unbeaten form for the season before Wood got himself run out by not sliding his bat in. Then Ivory, Sleight (G) and Khondakar then gave their wickets away by dancing down the track and getting comprehensively stumped by Upminsters fine gloveman.

Goresbrook's middle order was bogged down thereafter and chasing runs leading to rash shots that accounted for Owen and Willis. Despite excellent running between Parnell and Gillham in a partnership of 30, it was never going to be enough after the latter holed out to deep mid wicket.

Goresbrook will be ruing the cheapness of the wickets they gave away. At least five dismissals were very soft at best and had they played with the discipline of Upminster they could well have been victors themselves.