Match Report - Earls Colne & Bures vs. West Mersea 11/05/08

Earls Colne & Bures beat West Mersea by 39 runs

Earls Colne & Bures - 275 All Out  (James Bocking 116, Will Clark 63)

Mersea 236 All Out

A great win by an extremely youthful Earls Colne and Bures side on a scorching day at Earls Colne.

After winning the toss Captain Smith (that’s not the one who famously rammed an iceberg in his steamer some years ago, but our Joe) chose the only option that would save his side from baking for 45 overs in the heat - to bat first on an absolute belter! (Very un Earls Colne-like!).

After Henry Pilgrim was bowled following a reasonable start,  James Bocking and Will Clark set about the West Mersea attack,  James in particular hitting some fantastic sixes on his way through 50 to a superb 116 and Will getting his first senior 50 with some super wristy off-side shots, let’s hope they continue it for the rest of the season! At 220 for 2 with 12 overs to go we felt 300 would be within reach, unfortunately some good end-of-innings bowling kept the home side down to 275 all out.

Jane Smith once again provided us with a superb tea. True to form, Wolfie dived head first into the desserts - a man on a mission. I wonder if anyone else from Leeds eats their dessert before the mains?

Mersea’s reply started solidly getting to 90 without loss, and keeping them in sight of the target. Fortunately Joe managed to break the deadlock, after which wickets fell at regular intervals. Keiron Webb bowling one ball off the wicket and then the next ball a snorter was as difficult for the batsmen to pick as it was for Smith to set a field. A barely ambulant and clearly ailing  Mr. Slow bowled one over which he will want to forget, with the ball disappearing over the boundary a number of times (nearly six), (actually, only 5 boundaries - the other ball was a wide!). He would have had a wicket if Patrick had not done his impression of Billy Elliot on the boundary and trodden on his tutu whilst trying to catch a skier, poor old Mr. Slow. Cast aside like an old holey sock, Mr. Slow was removed from the attack by a merciless and decisive Captain Smith, an ignominious end to the silly old duffer’s bowling career (let’s hope!) at the tender age of 1,153. With good bowling spells from James Durkin and Himesh Patel, Mersea were bowled out for 236 - a good effort in the circumstances.

An excellent game of cricket and a great win that puts us in third place. Bardfield next week, let’s keep it up!

Team: Joe Smith (Capt), Colin Bocking, James Bocking, Patrick McKenna, Phil Frances, John ‘Wolfie’ Gibson, James Durkin, Henry Pilgrim, Keiron Webb, Will Clark, Himesh Patel

Contact us - here