Fourth win for U9's

Goresbrook's youngest players made the short trip to Central Park in Harold Hill for this friendly on Sunday morning.

Choosing to bat first on a damp wicket against twelve strong opposition proved to be the correct decision as Liam Elsom and Harry Ivory put on an undefeated 28 in their four overs with both boys hitting the ropes in theirs knocks of 10 and 9 respectively.
Albie Smith 10 and Riley Biggs 3 added 15 including a six for Smith but lost 2 wickets.

Albert Sleight 14 and debutant Miles Brough 2 added 20 without loss featuring some good running between the wickets with Sleight hitting two boundaries . Grace Wood 6 and Charlie Trowell 11 added 24 again both featuring boundaries and Ben Atkins 3 and Bella Boland 16 with both pairs unbeaten.

Skipper Grace Wood chose the two highest scoring batsmen to act as the final pair and Albert Sleight and Charlie Trowell did not disappoint as they added 17 more runs to close out the innings on a mammoth 320-2 adjusted under terriers rules to 310. Four double figures contributions certainly helped build the formidable total and it was pleasing to see that both experience, in the form of Albert, now in his fourth season, and enthusiasm in the form of Charlie in just his second game, contributed evenly finishing with 21 and 20 not out respectively.

Ardleigh Green's reply started out with flurry of boundaries but Harry Ivory slowed things down with a wicket maiden. Thereafter wickets fell regularly; 1 for Albert courtesy of a Albie Smith catch,1 for Riley Biggs and 2 for Ben Atkins including another Albie catch.

There were also 2 runouts, one a pick up and dash to the stumps by Liam Elsom and another a fine throw from the boundary by Riley. Ardleigh Green's total comprised of 5 significant double figures knocks but was hampered by the loss of too many wickets and by the best bowling and fielding performance for quite some time with just 7 wides conceded by the Goresbrook youngsters.

These players have won 4 out of 4 this season and but for the weather and various cancellations and postponements might have had an even stronger record. Final result, Goresbrook U9's won by 31 runs.