Braintree 2’s picked up a very important win at home to relegation rivals Sudborne Hall, therefore opening up a 33 point gap between the 2 sides, Braintree in 10th and Sudborne in 11th.



Skipper Andrew Sherry lost the toss and Braintree were out in the field searching for an early breakthrough and with the score on 8 it came as Daniel King trapped Peter Clift plumb in front. Sudborne eased along at a steady pace with many edges flying through the slip cordon for four along the way. These were mainly off the bowling of Daniel king, who rarely missed his length in his 12 over spell of 2-43, a great effort from the opening bowler who is playing for his first season in nearly 10 years. With one of his worst balls of the day, he picked a well deserved second wicket as he bowled the other opening batter, Noel, with a high full toss. After some good batting from Jackson and Robson, and soon after sweeping Shaun Gould for six, Dave Hale had Jackson caught at cover by the ever reliable Joe Osborne, who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. After batting well to reach 64, young bowler Callum Lazarus got the big wicket of skipper Robson as he was well caught on the long on boundary by Ian Johnston who was also on hand to take the catch for the next wicket in the same position. This time it was off the bowling of Leigh garner, who bowled with good control in the latter stages of the innings. The innings was finished off well by Nisbet and Lockyer, who made 38 apiece. After starting slowly, young Nisbet unleashed 3 crunching boundaries in one Andrew Sherry over. He seemed to like pace on the ball, and did not look as comfortable against Leigh Garner’s gentle medium pace. Sherry eventually got the wicket of Lockyer but it was an overall tough bowling day for the skipper, conceding 50 runs in 7 overs. In the last over of the innings, after miss reading the spin of the ball, Sherry launched a throw, more in frustration than anything else, and had Jenkin run out at the non strikers end without facing ball. Sudborne eventually finished on 231-7, 20 or 30 more than Braintree would have liked. However, on a typically flat Braintree wicket and with a short boundary on one side, the home side knew it was a gettable total.



Braintree’s opening partnership of Dave hale and Matt Kent made a steady start in the pursuit of 232, and after striking 4 sweet boundaries, Hale was cleaned up by a very full delivery that crept under the bat. That brought Adam Westall to the crease and just after hitting his first boundary, chipped up one up to mid off to give Peter Mark his second wicket, the score now 47-2. At the other end, Matt Kent was playing in a more restrained fashion than usual, knowing he was a key man in the chase. After playing and missing a fair few times, he reached his first half century of the season, a crucial innings from the opening batter. Ian Johnston got the innings moving in his trademark fashion, slapping the ball in all directions, including a classy shot through the covers on his way to a quick-fire 22. After he fell with the score on 82, that brought the skipper to the crease and along with Kent, they started to build a meaningful partnership, Kent much more fluent after reaching his half century. Kent went on to make 106, an incredible innings from the opener when it was needed most. To make it even sweeter, it was the first of his career, an emotional moment for him. Along the way, he struck 12 fours and 3 powerful sixes along with some well run threes into the deep pockets of the ground. Even though he did not have much of the strike, Sherry was playing in his usual attacking fashion at the other end, punishing anything remotely short. He took particular liking to the off spin of Nisbet, flat batting multiple boundaries in to the leg side. He eventually finished on 59*, another great innings from the skipper that takes his season tally beyond 500, the most he has ever made in a season by far. Kent eventually fell for a magnificent 106, and that brought the birthday boy Joe Osborne to the crease and he hit the winning runs with his typical late dab, making the already aching Sherry run another 3. The chase was done comfortably in the end, Braintree wining by 6 wickets in just 38.5 overs. Considering that after 20 overs, they were only on 70, it was over remarkably quickly in the end.



A great 18 point win for the dolphins and they will hope to get another as they make the long trip to Worlingworth next Saturday