Belhus pip Brook in Final

Goresbrook U9's travelled to Orsett's School Lane ground for a five team 8 a side tournament on Monday.
A round robin format with subsequent semi final and final was arranged on Orsett's 2 pitches

2 wins against Stanford le Hope and Belhus and 2 losses to Orsett and Chelmsford gave Brook third place in the table and a semi final against Orsett.
The semi got off to a disastrous start as 4 wickets were lost in just 2 overs including 3 in 3 balls but a superb bowling and fielding performance helped acheive a comprehensive victory and revenge for the 5 run group game reverse.
Brook returned to the main pitch expecting to be facing the hitherto unbeaten Chelmsford in the final. But they were greeted by jubilant Belhus players who had suprisingly but deservedly beaten the favourites by 2 runs.
The final itself was quite a low scoring affair with Belhus scoring 238-1 with Ben Atkins grabbing the wicket.
Brook's reply was going well until the final ball of the 6th over when Ben was run out attempting an audacious single and the pressure was on last pair Liam Elsom and Stanley Sleight who needed 16 from 12 balls but Stan holed out to mid on. 13 from the last over was too great a target and Belhus emerged victors by 5 runs in a friendly but hard fought encounter.
Results
Game 1 GCC 261-1 SLHCC 241-6
Game 2 O&TCC 239-2 GCC 232-2
Game 3 GCC 238-4 BCC 228-4
Game 4 CCC 260-1 GCC 230-2
Semi final GCC 235-4 O&TCC 206-4
Final BCC 238-1 GCC 233-2

Top scorers (aggregate) through the day were:
Stanley 46
Albert 39
Ben 23
Liam 21

Wicket takers were:
Ben 5
Ollie 3
Grace 3
Stan 2
Archie 2
Albert 1
Bella 1
Liam 1

In all the youngsters played six 8 over games so got through 96 overs throughout the day. Bear in mind that our adult sides play 80 or 90 overs depending on their division so credit must go to a bare bones squad for a highly creditable performance on a long hot day.