Thurrock CC 1st XI – 252-6 (game reduced to 38 overs a side)
Barking 1st XI – 172ao
Despite the squalling showers and the biting breeze, the filthy weather conditions only shaved 45 minutes off of this fixture at blackshots. But despite the good track the game lacked a polished edge as it was minds and bodies that suffered most from the unseasonable rain.
Thurrock lost the toss and were inserted after the rain delayed start and Andrew Hills made an aggressive, if inelegant, start. His 25 set the tone for the Thurrock innings as Umar Ayub continued his impressive start for the home side. Joined by Abdul Stanikzai, Ayub kept the run rate ticking along before uncharacteristically top edging a pull in sight of his half century. Tony Hans then took up the charge and with Stanikzai plundered the visiting attack that struggled to raise its level.
The pair had pushed Thurrock into a commanding position before Stanikzai posted his fifty and then fell shortly after, unlucky to be given out caught behind. Hans followed for a well made 31 and the late innings explosives were supplied by the ever entertaining and inventive Iftikar Ali who slogged, smashed and sliced his way through two bats and to 40 not out.
Needing to chase from the off Barking opener Shillingford set off like a train, smashing the ball all round the ground in a single handed attempt to knock off the required runs. His aggression seemed to pay off at the visitors soared toward three figures as Thurrock found themselves as damp in the field as the weather. But that man Stanikzai turned things around again with the ball this time. His superb eight over spell put constant pressure on Shillingford and his fellow batsmen, and indeed with the applause for Shillingford’s fifty ringing round the ground, Stanikzai pegged back his leg stump and Thurrock’s fears were put to rest.
Abdullah Yasini then introduced his spin to great effect. With a soft ball making power hitting difficult, he lured circumspect shots that ended with catches in the deep, twice Umar Ayub making the ground and holding on. Yasini’s three wickets and Stanikzai’s brace meant it was all but over for the visitors and a woeful mix up resulted in the run out that sewed up the innings and the win for Thurrock.
Thurrock CC 2nd XI – 148ao
Hornchurch Athletic 3rd XI – 121ao
Thurrock’s second string made the best possible start to the season with their second win in a row, but it wasn’t without its hurdles.
Batting first in the dreadful weather, skipper Matt Diprose and veteran Joe Singh made an excellent and, though they didn’t know it at the time, vital start to the innings, not allowing the home side’s new ball pairing to settle. Indeed, it took Hornchurch until first change to make the breakthrough, and Duncan Bailey duly obliged. He removed Diprose (35) and Singh (22) before adding a third at the cost of just 18 runs from his nine overs. His discipline proved a turning point in the innings as Thurrock found scoring harder and harder. Phil Dowes toiled away in the wake of the visitors decimated upper order, but could do nothing about the folding of the tail. Jay Keeling proved to be the most adept at origami as his seven over burst at the death yielding wickets with unerring regularity, picking up 5 for 20 and wrapping up the Thurrock innings with Downes stranded on 20 not out.
In rely Hornchurch also made fine use of the hard, new ball with Pedraza and Nullmeyers making early inroads into a total that, while modest, would prove a test for Hornchurch. And so it proved as Thurrock’s improved discipline with the ball and the appalling conditions once again bogged down the batsmen. For Duncan Bailey, read Paul Gelder as Thurrocks diminutive swing king clicked in the dying embers of his spell and succeeded in removing Pedraza for 38 and Nullmeyers for 26 before adding a third to finish with 3-38 from his allotted 9.
WhereThurrock had Downes to graft in the middle order, Hornchurch found a gaping hole and two of Thurrock’s fine crop of youngsters combined in a ten over spell to scrub the last vestiges of Hornchurch’s resistance from the sodden earth. Steve Brooks and Stewart Farr were unforgiving with the ball. Wickets fell around the token resistance of Duncan Bailey (22), but when he fell to Farr (3-14) it enabled Brooks to claim his 3rd wicket for 19 and seal the points for Thurrock.
Thurrock CC 2nd XI – 148ao
Hornchurch Athletic 3rd XI – 121ao
Thurrock’s second string made the best possible start to the season with their second win in a row, but it wasn’t without its hurdles.
Batting first in the dreadful weather, skipper Matt Diprose and veteran Joe Singh made an excellent and, though they didn’t know it at the time, vital start to the innings, not allowing the home side’s new ball pairing to settle. Indeed, it took Hornchurch until first change to make the breakthrough, and Duncan Bailey duly obliged. He removed Diprose (35) and Singh (22) before adding a third at the cost of just 18 runs from his nine overs. His discipline proved a turning point in the innings as Thurrock found scoring harder and harder. Phil Dowes toiled away in the wake of the visitors decimated upper order, but could do nothing about the folding of the tail. Jay Keeling proved to be the most adept at origami as his seven over burst at the death yielding wickets with unerring regularity, picking up 5 for 20 and wrapping up the Thurrock innings with Downes stranded on 20 not out.
In rely Hornchurch also made fine use of the hard, new ball with Pedraza and Nullmeyers making early inroads into a total that, while modest, would prove a test for Hornchurch. And so it proved as Thurrock’s improved discipline with the ball and the appalling conditions once again bogged down the batsmen. For Duncan Bailey, read Paul Gelder as Thurrocks diminutive swing king clicked in the dying embers of his spell and succeeded in removing Pedraza for 38 and Nullmeyers for 26 before adding a third to finish with 3-38 from his allotted 9.
WhereThurrock had Downes to graft in the middle order, Hornchurch found a gaping hole and two of Thurrock’s fine crop of youngsters combined in a ten over spell to scrub the last vestiges of Hornchurch’s resistance from the sodden earth. Steve Brooks and Stewart Farr were unforgiving with the ball. Wickets fell around the token resistance of Duncan Bailey (22), but when he fell to Farr (3-14) it enabled Brooks to claim his 3rd wicket for 19 and seal the points for Thurrock.
Heavily depleted by commitments to the overrunning football season, Thurrock’s thirds put up a valiant effort in the miserable, discouraging drizzle, only to slip slightly short.
Blessed with only an all spin attack, Thurrock skipper Wayne Simmon was gifted an early wicket, but little else for some time. Kenny Sims and Danny Skipper chipped away at Thurrock’s disciplined, determined, but ultimately timid attack and carved out the visitor’s first fifty in a watchful manner. Though the run rate was never escalating, Simmon’s knew he had to force the issue, and by juggling his spinners did just that. He himself removed Sims for 23, then Jay Shojahi cleaned out Skipper for 23, but again it was the home sides only success for some time. Callaghan and Gibbs had been happy to tick along until the final overs and as Rainham moved past three figures they began to open up. Callaghan attacked and made his way to 40 before youngster Callum Sellars’ patience and accuracy paid off. Callaghan departed for 40 and Sellars bowled out with 1-26, but the damage was done. Stephenson returned and added Gibbs (29) and another victim to his earlier wicket to finish with 3-27, and Simmons nipped out another for his 2-26 and the innings closed interestingly balanced.
Thurrock’s innings progressed in much the same manner as the poor weather poured more rain on any attempted fireworks from the batsmen. Teja Govind (12) and Dean Henry (13) supported Jay SHojahi as the home side tried to set a solid base from which to attack from, but Rainham’s bowlers never let them truely get away. Shojahi made a valiant attempt to take control of the game, but when his 30 came to an abrupt end, stumped, it allowed Alan Aviss to sneak in a wreak havoc with the middle order. Aviss’ 3-19 from his allotted 9 overs was a double edge sword, picking up wickets and applying pressure, and by the time Skipper Simmons and young Elliott McCarthy managed to right the Thurrock ship, the overs were draining away. In the end it proved too much. McCarthy selflessly run himself out for 21 and Simmons’ 27 was brought to an abrupt halt by Danny skipper. Time was up for Thurrock and Rainham would be sailing happily home with the points.
