|
Bluehouse travelled to Southend to take on the mighty Echo Monarchs and
Trojans, a team surely destined to be playing premiership cricket in two
seasons time. The home side won the toss and elected to bat on a good
looking surface and it was a depleted Bluehouse attack took the field
without Geoff Cox (injured), Ben Lee (unavailable), and brave Jack Cox
playing but nursing a nasty hand injury.
Trojans soon got into their stride, class openers Gary Vann (31) and Kevin
Grant (100) batting superbly despite some good bowling from Bluehouse. Runs
kept flowing but Bluehouse stuck to their task well, in particular Brynn
Hawkins did a superb job sweeping up on the boundary and Simon Cooper clung
on to two steepeling skiers. Pick of the bowlers was probably Andy Flint
with 2-53 off 11.2 overs as the home side closed on 249 all out.
The Bluehouse reply got off to a great start with Andy Herridge (54) and
Simon Cooper (35) putting on 91 for the first wicket in 19 overs. The home
side were clearly rattled, but then in what turned out to be a major turning
point, Herridge was run out after a tragic mix-up with his opening partner.
Cooper fell soon after, and Bluehouse were left to regroup through Nigel
Pegg (36) and Andy Lynch (21). The breaks had been applied though, and with
the run rate mounting the game looked to be slipping away from the visitors
as leg spinner Karangutka (12-3-39-2) turned the screw. Brian Fayers (37*)
led a determined late charge that took Bluehouse to the brink of a
sensational victory, but sadly with 19 needed off the last over Bluehouse
were not quite able to get there.
So, we had lost, but we had again proved that we could raise our game and
compete with the best teams in this division. What we need to do now is
follow this up with a win over lowly Willow Herbs next week at Wickford. |
