Braintree’s First Eleven visited Bury St Edmunds on Saturday looking for a victory at the Victory Ground that would lift them clear of Division Two’s relegation zone. Unfortunately, they are still fighting for survival as chasing the home sides score of 258 the Dolphins fell 66 runs short.
Bury won the toss and elected to bat on a strip that was being used for the first time and got off to a decent start as they raced to 42 inside the opening 7 overs. Grace Poole was brought into the bowling attack and quickly stemmed the flow and claimed the prize wicket of former Essex and Suffolk’s Justin Bishop, having him caught at mid-wicket by Luke Gouldstone after he’d scored 30. Fellow opener James Sturgeon was soon back in the pavilion too as Grace trapped him LBW when he was on 20.
Robbie Spalding had Cameron Ford (1) caught by Gouldstone and when Tom Curran (19) drove straight to Chris Leech off the bowling of Louis Cant, the home side had been reduced to 83 for the loss of 4 wickets. James McKinney looked to hit some lusty blows, but he was deceived by a quicker ball from Chris Hinks and he found his stumps dismantled.
Ben Curran and Xander Brown set about Braintree’s bowlers putting on 66 runs for the sixth wicket, eventually having scored 69 Curran was trapped plumb in front by Hinks. Sam Aldous came to the wicket and continued the onslaught, as him and Brown put on a further 66 runs. In the final over Aldous (26) was caught in the deep by Josh Newman off the bowling of Cant, Brown remained unbeaten on 59.
Grace Poole was the pick of the Dolphins bowlers, conceding just 30 runs off her opening 8 overs whilst also claiming those two prize wickets.
In reply the Chris’s Leech and Hinks got Braintree off to a good start as both sent loose deliveries racing to the boundary ropes whilst also pushing singles to rotate the strike. When on 20, Leech was first to loose his wicket as he was bowled by Joe Corder. Louis Cant joined his vice-captain at the crease and the pair continued to pepper the boundary. Having scored 33, which included a massive straight six, Cant was adjudged LBW though off the bowling of Yann Johnson.
Josh Newman struck an excellent boundary through mid-wicket but was then caught by Bishop off the bowling of McKinney. Hinks had reached his half century with a flick off his pads, however he lost his stumps to a quicker a ball from Johnson when on 54. Geoff Eveling patiently pushed singles and had moved on to 11 when he decided to give Curran some catching practice with his first aggressive stroke.
Robbie Spalding took a liking to the bowling of McKinney as he struck the ball back over his head and through the trees beyond the boundary, a further 8 runs were scored off the next 3 deliveries however he then somehow managed to run himself out! With Bryn Powell scoring singles and the odd four off virtually every delivery received and with 4 wickets in hand, Braintree were still in a good position to push for victory.
However, the Dolphins tail failed to wag as Luke Gouldstone (1), Grace Poole (2) and Milo Edwards (2) all offered simple catches. Powell did his best to rescue things, but he was eventually bowled having scored 32. Braintree found themselves all out for 192, agonisingly just short of a fifth batting point.
With two games left to play, one of which is against Little Bardfield who occupy bottom spot, Braintree will be looking for victories in both to ensure survival.