Thurrock CC – Match Reports 11/12th May
Thurrock 1st XI – 251/4
South Weald 1st XI – 85 all out
Thurrock continued their successful start to the season with another resounding win in the Mid Essex Division 1 encounter away at South Weald on Saturday, thanks to excellent all round performance from all-rounder Dan Laird with contributed 50 and 5 wickets in an outstanding individual performance. The home side won the toss and asked the visitors to bat first, openers Warren and Ayub fell early to leave the Thurrock side tottering precariously with an excellent opening spell from Chambers (2/31) but an excellent rear-guard effort led by in form skipper Nick Henry (42) and Laird (59) laid a platform for the late charge from the middle order led by Rob Baker (72 not out) and Matt Hills (33 not out) to leave the Thurrock side on a daunting 251/4 going into the tea interval. The visitors reply began well with openers Chambers (19) and Thacker (21) set steadily about the bowling before Chambers was run out by Jordon Warren, Madder then removed Thacker thanks to an excellent catch in the gully by Henry. After that it was the flame haired pair of Paul Gelder and Dan Laird that ripped through the South Weald line up with Gelder claiming 2-9 off 6 overs and Laird 5-6 off 3.4 to record an emphatic 166 run win. Thurrock continue their campaign next week away to Great Totham.
Thurrock 2nd XI – 106 all out
Great Waltham 2nd XI – 155/8
Thurrock 2’s fell to a disappointing 49 run defeat at home to Great Waltham on Saturday after a decent performance in the field which restricted the visitors to 155/8 off their allotment of 45 overs. The home side felt they were well in the game at the interval after good bowling performances from Terry Hills who picked up 4 wickets, and Michael Parker who adroitly used the conditions to pick up 2-13 from his allocation of 12 overs, with Brooks picking up the other 2 wickets to fall. The hosts reply never got going and the only score of note came from Dan Groves who scored 38 as the lower order were unable to repeat the heroics of last Saturdays 1 wicket win as the visitors eased to a comfortable 49 run win.
Thurrock 3rd XI – 79 all out
Wickham 1st XI – 80/3
The 3’s were left to rue a poor batting performance that left the hosts chasing a sub standard score. After being inserted by the hosts, it was Gutteridge doing the early damage removing the top order by removing Richardson and Qureshi, Alan Fullbrook (16) and Troy Slaney (29) attempted to regain the momentum for Thurrock before McCoubrey (3-8) and Abbott (4-23) ripped through the middle and lower order to bring the innings to a premature end. In wet conditions the hosts then knocked off the target for the loss of just 3 wickets in just 13.5 overs with a wicket a piece to Shahmeer Qureshi, Simmons and Mclellan, with Hunt being the pick of the home side batting with an unbeaten 31 to seal the win.
Downham & Bellingham – 182/7
Thurrock Sun 1st XI – 184/4
Thurrock travelled to South London to play Downham & Bellingham in a traditional early season friendly and emerged victorious by 6 wickets thanks to fine bowling display from opener Dan George, and some lusty hitting from Mason Wren. The home side batted first and posted a competitive 182/7 from their 40 overs with the main contributors being Powell (62) and Barnes (50), there was little other support from the rest of the D & B line up as George with an excellent 3-18 off his allocation of 8 overs, and veteran all-rounder Matt Hills chipping in with 2-28 at the end to leave the game well poised going into the second innings. Wren got the Thurrock reply off to storming start striking several lusty blows before falling for an excellent 64 as he dominated the opening stand. Lee Downes also hit a well played 34 as the visitors reached their target 6 wickets remaining as the light began to draw in.
Thurrock Sun 2nd XI – 214/7
Island Taverners CC – 205/7
Blackshots played host to hard fought game which went down to the last over as the Thurrock prevailed by 9 runs over visitors Island Taverners on Sunday. The home side won the toss and opted to bat first and posted a very competitive 214/7 from 40 overs with excellent contributions from opener Jordan Owen (74) and Mark O’Neill (71) who helped rescue the innings after the fall of 3 quick wickets left the match evenly poised, their partnership as well as a composed knock from Nick Henry (41) meant that the home side were optimistic going into the tea interval. The visitors reply got off to a poor start as opening bowler Lee Henry struck early, after that the Shircroft brothers threatened to take the game away from the hosts with an excellent century partnership (L. Shircroft 67, A. Shircroft 58) to leave the Thurrock side on the rack before Michael Parker bowled L. Shircroft as the hosts fought back and regained the momentum. After an excellent spell by Parker (1-25) and fellow death bowler Tyrone Owen (3-27) left the game going into the final over with Taverners still requiring 12 to win as Owen kept his cool and bowled an excellent final over to leave the visitors 9 runs short.
