Rainham shine

Needing a win to be in with a chance of snatching the Havering league title from Hornchurch, Goresbrook's U11's struggled to perform at their best and succumbed to a 16 run defeat at Rainham.
Inserted on a bright and breezy late summers morning the innings got off to the worst possible start when Frankie Boland was bowled by a grubber first ball. Boland, partnered by Nathan Dowridge, soon made amends with boundaries off successive balls but the loss of a second wicket off the final ball of the pairs 4 overs meant only a net score of 5 runs. The next pair of George Sleight and Krishan Kumar added 26 for the loss of a single wicket but their attacking credentials were somewhat hampered by the lack of accuracy from the bowlers they faced. Matthew Elsom and Stanley Sleight added 14 for the loss of one wicket but the last two pairs of Ted Ivory with Pawan Singh and Tyler Fredericks with Tommy Smith struggled somewhat against Rainhams most accurate bowlers and between them added 27 for the loss of 4 wickets leaving Rainham a modest Terriers adjusted total of 242 to chase.
The boys found themselves right up against it when Rainham's opening pair added a mammoth 35 for no loss. Matthew Elsom made the first breakthrough in the 6th over and then regular wickets fell; run outs by Tommy Smith and Pawan Singh and clean bowleds by Stanley Sleight, Tyler Fredericks and Tommy Smith but Rainham kept inching further ahead and had the game in the bag with 4 balls to spare.
This loss, following some outstanding performances with both bat and ball from virtually every member of the squad in recent weeks, came as quite a disappointment to coaches and parents alike although none could deny how well Rainham played on the day.
Four squad members move up to the u13's next season; George Sleight, Matthew Elsom, Nathan Dowridge and Frankie Boland; and it is hoped that the grounding these boys have received over the past few seasons leaves them in a position to develop and hone the skills they have learned without the safety net of second chances afforded by Terriers cricket.
Goresbrook 242-8
Boland 10
G Sleight 6*
T Fredericks 6
T Smith 4*

Rainham 258-6
Elsom 1-9
S Sleight 1-7
Fredericks 1-5
Smith 1-2