Braintree Cricket Club got their 2023 Marshall Hatchick Two Counties, Division 2 campaign underway last Saturday with a home game against newly promoted Witham Seconds. Unfortunately, chasing a target of 178 for victory they agonisingly fell just 8 runs short.
Braintree captain Chris Leech won the toss and elected to put the opposition into a bat on a pitch that was slowly drying out in the morning sun. His decision was quickly vindicated as soon as the fourth over when Luke Gouldstone tempted Jack Bamford (11) to offer Chris Hinks a straightforward catch. Hamad Arshad (5) soon followed his teammate back to the pavilion as he cut a delivery from Robbie Spalding straight to Dan Chalk. Jack Pawsey joined Michael Glynn at the crease and the pair moved the score on to 66, however having scored 14 Pawsey was trapped LBW by Spalding.
Geoff Eveling was brought into the attack and he frustrated the visitors, conceding just 22 runs off his 12 over spell. Unfortunately, he was unable to take the wicket that his bowling richly deserved. Glynn and Ollie Cooke slowly put on 53 runs for the fourth wicket, however the introduction of Chris Hinks quickly split the partnership. With only his second delivery the Dolphins vice-captain had Glynn caught behind by Matt Renvoize for 39.
The Witham middle and latter order failed to deal with Hinks’ spin and their batters came to the crease and trudged back at regular intervals. Jack Sambrook (0) edged to Chris Leech, Carl Bragg (12) was clean bowled whilst Ben McKendry (8) and Andy Lund (3) were caught by Rory Ainsley and Gouldstone, respectively. Only Cooke had shown any resistance, however after scoring a valuable 62 he was drawn out of ground and Renvoize whipped off the bails.
After their allotted 45 overs Witham accumulated 177 runs, with Hinks finishing with the excellent figures of 6 wickets for only 15 singles.
In reply Braintree got off to a good start as openers Chris Leech and Matt Renvoize put on 64 runs for the first wicket. Unfortunately, having just flicked the ball off his pads for six Renvoize, having scored 22, was caught by Paul Bellehewe off the bowling for Hamad Arshad. Geoff Eveling joined his skipper at the crease and the pair continued to push the score along albeit at a rate of less than 3 runs an over.
Leech, who earlier had nonchalantly lifted the ball into the car park for 6, passed the half century mark but when on 57 he misread a delivery from Carl Bragg and found his stumps dismantled. Although having lost just the two wickets, tight bowling and good ground fielding by Witham meant that Braintree going into the final 10 overs still required 57 runs for victory.
Jack Sambrook was brought on to bowl and in his second over he clean bowled Eveling who had scored 34 and just a few deliveries later Dan Chalk (5) suffered a similar fate. Having struggled to score runs early on debutant Bryn Powell hit a delightful cover drive to the boundary ropes and then next delivery deposited the ball over long on into the churchyard. However, looking to hit quick runs Powell when on 24, became Sambrook’s third victim as he could only find the safe hands of Bellehewe.
At the close the Dolphins had brought themselves within 8 runs from victory, with Rory Ainsley unbeaten on 14. Despite the loss, the mood in the camp was positive with everybody looking forward to next week’s visit to Kesgrave.