Thurrock Cricket Club’s U12 “A” team, as expected, clinched the South Essex District Cricket Board’s indoor title at Grays School on Friday. But it was a close run thing as their opponents in the final round of matches, Belhus “B”, threatened to become party poopers with a display that tested the Blackshots-based team to its limit. Belhus “B” required ten runs from the final over, but Thurrock’s Joseph Surrey kept his nerve by taking two wickets with his first two balls of the deciding over.
Initially, George Benson was caught by Harry Millsom for 13 runs and twin brother Henry was bowled next ball. Billy Mann struck his first delivery to the boundary wall but two excellent deliveries from Surrey ensured that there was no further score and forced the innings closure at 73 for the loss of four wickets with a deficit of just four runs. It could hardly have been tighter. Earlier, Thurrock “A” had scored a modest 77 runs for the loss of just one wicket, with Owen McNamara undefeated with 25 runs, while Surrey and Joshua Clarke helped the cause with 11 not out and nine runs respectively.
The Belhus “B” attack was accurate; Jamie Fairweather produced the best economy rate as his two overs cost just six singles, while George Benson claimed the only Thurrock wicket to fall when he bowled opener Clarke for nine runs with the third delivery of his second over to end a valuable opening partnership worth 45 runs. His three over spell expended just eleven runs.
Supporting George Benson in the Belhus innings was Liam Waters, who showed good technique with 12 not out, but Clarke was the pick of the Thurrock bowlers as his two overs cost just seven runs. McNamara picked up 1-15 from two overs but Surrey’s match-winning exploits from the final six deliveries earned figures of 2-12 from two overs.
Meanwhile, Belhus “A” secured second place with a 27-run success over Basildon and Pitsea. Batting first, the North Stifford-based team scored a testing 96 for the loss of five wickets as Tyler Kohl top scored with 19, Zak Wilson contributed 13 and Billy Turley was undefeated at the close with ten runs to his name. Basildon’s wicketkeeper Charlie Blerkom continued his good work behind the timbers with two excellent stumpings as Nadeem Sadath and George Borley picked up 2-22 and 2-26 respectively, both from three overs. In reply, Basildon and Pitsea closed on 69 for the loss of four wickets, as Kohl completed a fine all-round match with 2-14 from three overs and Turley chipped in with 1-14, also from three overs. Charlie Blerkom was the lone Basildon batsman in double figures, credited with 14 runs.
In the evening’s remaining fixture, Stanford le Hope (72-1) defeated Thurrock “C” (70-4) with a comfortable 5.3 overs to spare. Stanford’s Michael Edwards showed his all-round prowess with 22 runs and then recorded the second best bowling figures of the tournament with 4-14 from three superb overs. Freddie Hales scored 10 not out, also for Stanford.
