Braintree Cricket Clubs First Xl are still looking for their first Two Counties Division 2 victory of the season as they fell agonisingly 4 runs short when visiting Elmstead Grasshoppers on Saturday. Set 215 for victory the Dolphins found themselves requiring 13 runs off the final over, unfortunately they only managed to score 9.
Chris Leech lost the toss and the Elmstead skipper elected to bat first, however the home top order failed to contend with the opening pace of Luke Gouldstone and Robbie Spalding losing 3 wickets for 22 runs inside 7 overs. Spalding cleaned bowled Nathan Scarff (0) whilst Gouldstone dismantled Jordan Elliott’s (17) stumps and then had Aiden O’Brien (0) caught by Milo Edwards. Felix Bond-Roberts (20) struck Spalding for 3 consecutive boundaries but when attempting a fourth could only find the hands of Edwards.
Chris Hinks was brought onto bowl and quickly claimed the wickets of Arthif Asmul (2) and Jack Cawley (8) who both edged deliveries into the gloves of Matt Renvoize, he then had Craig Watts (22) caught at mid-wicket by Gouldstone. At drinks Elmstead had been reduced to 89 for the loss of 7 wickets. However, there must have been something put in the orange juice as Josh Elliott and Ian Evans put on 62 runs for the eighth wicket.
Gouldstone was brought back into the attack and the stand was broken when Elliott, in sight of his half century drove the ball straight to Spalding in the covers. When Rory Ainsley bowled Zac Pushman (3), Elmstead had scored 166 with their last two batters at the crease, however Evans and Ross Soteriou put on an unbeaten 48 runs for the final wicket. Off the last ball, Evans when attempting a quick single pulled a muscle and ended up in a heap halfway down the wicket, sportingly Braintree decided against running him out.
In reply Chris Leech and Matt Renvoize put on 87 runs for the first wicket, things could have been completely different though as Renvoize having scored just a single had his stumps dismantled by Bond-Roberts, thankfully the bowler had overstepped the popping crease. The stand was broken as Leech having scored 29 was bowled by Soteriou, then the same bowler had Renvoize adjudged LBW when he was on 61, an innings that contained 10 boundaries.
Geoff Eveling and Chris Hinks put on 32 for the third wicket, unfortunately having just struct a six, Eveling (14) edged a delivery from Pushman into the gloves of the substitute wicket keeper. Braintree then lost wickets at regular intervals as Hinks was bowled by Pushman for 23 and the same bowler trapped Bryn Powell (1) LBW. Rory Ainsley (11) was then controversially given out caught and bowled by Josh Elliott, when it was clearly a bump ball and Glen Newman was bowled without scoring.
Robbie Spalding and Luke Gouldstone went on the offensive until Spalding was caught by the substitute wicket keeper having scored 30. This left the Gouldstone and Grace Poole partnership needing to score 18 runs off the final two overs, unfortunately they could only manage 14. Gouldstone finished on 22 not out and Poole was unbeaten on 3