Match Report - Earls Colne & Bures vs. Colchester & East Essex 26/06/05

 Colchester & E E - 321 for 3 (45 overs)

Earls Colne & Bures - 183 for 9 (45 overs)

(Henry Pilgrim 58, Himesh Patel 52)

Colchester won by quite a lot of runs!

An eventful day's cricket at Earls Colne in which E C & B were utterly outclassed by a formidable team from Colchester containing several overseas players.

The day had not started well for us, arriving with just 10 players and necessitating the recruitment of Matthew Jupp from the tennis court to complete the side! This eleven included Earls Colne worthy Peter Webb, dragged kicking and screaming out from behind the Rec. Club bar, out of retirement of some 10 years. Mr. Slow and Joe Smith struggled to contain the Colchester openers necessitating the introduction of Wiggy after 15 overs. Sadly, Wiggy pulled a muscle in his side after just 4 deliveries and had to withdraw from the attack and sadly, the rest of the game! With few bowling options available, Mr. Slow recruited wicket-keeper James Lee as a bowler with Himesh Patel assuming the role of 'keeper!  Sadly, Himesh himself lasted only a few deliveries before he too was felled, by a ball which passed between the grille and the peak of his helmet, straight onto his nose! Eventually, and following the calming influence of umpire David Lowe, poor Himesh was patched up and escorted from the field and onwards to hospital for a check-up. E C & B reduced to 9 men, and with no obvious wicket-keeper available! We need not have worried! Showing true Dunkirk spirit, old stager Peter Webb stepped forward to claim the gloves and do the job, one that he had last done some 14 years previously!

The rout continued. Despite Colchester sportingly providing two substitute fielders, the Colchester batters flayed the makeshift E C & B attack and hitting some very big sixes in the process. Twice play had to be halted due to lost ball, with the umpire coming to the rescue by producing one from his bag before that too was lost following another colossal six over and beyond the tennis courts. A weary E C & B nine finally crawled in on all fours at half past five for tea, another fine effort from Kayleigh Webb.

The E C & B innings did not start well, with James Lee quickly back in the hutch, to be replaced by a newly-checked-out Himesh Patel, apparently none the worse for his nasal rearrangement courtesy of the ball! In partnership with Henry Pilgrim the two youngsters rattled the score along with each enjoying half centuries, a maiden senior one in Henry's case and despite the incessant chatter though ultimate applause, of the Colchester fielders. A further period of defiance followed, with Wily Old Fox Webb nurdling a few around and Oliver Sills enjoying some lusty blows but the innings capitulated to 168 all out with poor Wiggy facing just one ball (left handed!) and in obvious agony before retiring hurt. 

A day we will want to forget as a team, but further evidence of improvement from the youngsters gives us hope!

The walking wounded (in no particular order of delapidation) - James Lee, Henry Pilgrim, Himesh Patel, Joe Smith, Peter Webb, Oliver Sills, Colin Bocking (Captain), John Gibson, James Bocking, Adrian Wigan, Matthew Jupp.

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