On a day where the temperature gauge failed to reach double figures, the Braintree skipper who was inserted to bat by the opposition, also failed to reach double figures after miscuing a pull shot and being caught at mid-on for 8. Matt Renvoize struggled to time the ball and made 10 before edging to the wicket keeper and former first team skipper Chris Leech also struggled to get going before chipping the ball to Worne for just 13.

At 59/3 Kesgrave were on top. That was until Dan Chalk and Josh Newman steadied the ship and began to dominate the bowling. First Chalk, who started a little nervous and shaky after picking his bat up for the first time since last year proceeded to hit glorious cover drives to the boundary. Then new vice-captain Josh Newman joined in with the boundary hitting bringing up a crucial 50 which included 3 massive sixes, 5 fours and 12 removals of his lid before departing LBW.

Chalk soon followed in bringing up a brilliant 50 but was bowled shortly after by Ben Garnham for 56.

Dan Garner, returning from his loan spell to Coggeshall was in fine form hitting the ball to all parts of the ground including a glorious 6 onto the mound of mindfulness leaving a huge crater. Bryn Powell helped raised the rate scoring a quickfire 24 from 18 balls and showed the importance of the top order setting a good base. Garner made it to the last ball of the innings before he was involved in a calamitous run out and departed for 71 with Braintree posting a challenging total of 263.

Going out to field Braintree knew the wickets of the openers were crucial to gaining an opening day win and Josh Paget didn't disappoint, bowling a tight line before snicking off Kesgrave Keeper Matt Oliver for just 8. Brilliantly caught by the self-appointed "Best Slip Catcher at the Club" Chris Hinks. The second wicket was hard to come by with the Kesgrave number 3, Nathan Young, playing some rather agricultural shots off of the bowling of both Paget and opening partner Robbie Spalding. He was fortunate to survive when Paget thought he'd had him caught in the covers by Will Robbins who’s juggling effort eventually hit the turf.

The skipper decided it was time to enact the "My bat, My ball" policy and brought himself on from the Mound End from where he succeeded in claiming the next 2 wickets, caught by Paget and Robbins

Louis Cant came into the attack at the Alley Way end looking to claim back to back five wicket hauls for the club and got amongst the wickets immediately taking the scalps of Mackay and Garnham either side of drinks.

Captain Hinks showed how to go from zero to boomtown in the space of 2 balls. One ball to Kesgrave number 7, Balasubaramanian, being blocked with the next ball being dispatched over mid-on for a six which is rumoured to have landed just short of One Stop on Panfield Lane however Cant managed to clean the batsman up shortly after this 6, much to the disappointment of the crowd.

By this point the Kesgrave skipper had brought up a patient 50 but was running out of partners, in a Stokesesque manner he decided it was time to attack and raced from 50 to 100 very quickly. Meanwhile new man Will Robbins had come into the attack and bowled a devastating spell of quick bowling showing the value of bowling at the stumps. Robbins had 3 victims bowled before having the Kesgrave Skipper caught behind for 108, finishing with 4 for 23 in his league debut for the club.

A 62 run victory and a good performance all round giving Braintree just the start they needed in their quest for promotion back to the top flight