Match Reports

A beautiful sunny day agin, and visitors Ipswich lost the toss.  We elected to bat, having only nine players (late withdrawals).  New club member Chintesh Patel top scored with 31, but almost every player registered double figures, and Colne finished on a respectable 159 for 7.

After a great tea provided by Tony Hayns (water melon included, Tony you are excelling yourself), Ipswich were straight out of the traps with a volley of boundaries by opener Pryke, who passed the 50 mark inside 6 overs! Chintesh Patel and Oakers managed to stem the flow, with Pryke being clean bowled by Chin, with the score on 100. Mason came back on and bowled a superb second spell taking two wickets for just 9 runs, and Smith bought a wicket with his fluky off breaks and the game was back in the balance at 133 for 4.  Then followed a slow and patient accumulation with the last 38 runs taking 15 overs.  But Ipswich nudged past the line with no further loss.

Earls Colne 159-7.  Ipswich 160 – 4.

Ipswich win by 6 wickets

Ipswich 18 points, Earls Colne 5 points

Saturday’s game at Felixtsowe was played in sunny and breezy conditions, while several games further inland were rained off.  Colne lost the toss and were put into bat on a shocker of a pitch.  Uneven bounce, slow, plus an incredibly slow outfield meant that a score of 150 might win the game.  Wickets fell a regular intervals but a nice little partnership between Oliver Kearin and Mark Harris, plus some late runs from Oakley and James Flood brought the team home to 132 all out in the last over – a far more respectable scoreline than it looks.

After tea, Felixstowe got off to a painfully slow start with just 36 runs scored in the first 18 overs.  Two wickets fell in quick succession, but Coleman had other ideas, scoring freely.  A couple of bowling changes brought a wicket each for Flood and Oakley, but Coleman was scoring too quickly and the total was reached with just 4 wickets down.

Felixstowe win by 6 wickets.  Points  20 – 4

On Sunday, Daryl Sleeman was seeing the ball large, and got Colne off to a brisk start with the bat, but heavy rain interrupted the fun and the match was abandoned after just 6 overs.

This week we welcome four new players to the club.  One we have seen before, but not since he was 17, and now he’s 33!  Welcome back James Flood!

Jack Holdgate has joined us from Halstead and plays his first league game at Felixstowe Corinthians this Saturday, having already trailled in a casuals game two weeks ago.  He brings with him Tim Williamson, also from Halstead.  Last but not least Chintesh Patel, Indian, aged 29, lives in Halstead an saw our roadside banner and gave us a call.  Very good looking bowler and batter in the nets.  All four play this Saturday.  Is it a record to have four new players in one game??

Welcome to all of them.

A shocking weekend with two heavy defeats.  Saturday’s team limped to just 100 all out against a young and rampant Haverhill side.  Only club chairman Les Abbie managed a respectable performance with an unbeaten 32.  Haverhill romped home with the loss of just one wicket.

Sunday’s side fared no better with Stebbing scoring freely and closing their innings on 265-4.  In response Colne we all our for just 62.

Oh dear.  Next week we live to fight again, let’s raise the game!

The selection committeee will now be formally meeting on Tuesday evenings to select the teams for the coming weekend.  Please let team captains know, or respond to the general callout so we know your availability by Tuesday evening. Thanks!

We just need one more home match covered, our last game on Saturday September 1st.  Any volunteers please?

 Postcript – many thanks, teas are now covered until the end of the season

Charlotte Oakley- 28 July

Tony Hayns – 11 August

John Perfect – September 1st

Earls Colne lost today in their home game versus Wormingfrod, by 58 runs.  Full report follows.

After heavy afternoon rain on Friday our ten man side were happy to get any cricket at all.  Braintree had covered their pitch but it was still extremely soft, with a squidgy and sodden outfield.  Having lost the toss, Braintree chose to bat and soon our ten man team was making quick inroads into the Braintree top order.  Smith picked up three wickets in as many overs and Braintree were teetering at 30-3.  But ex Halstead opener Merrell had other ideas, and after a cautious start spanked a fine century, aided and abetted by youngster Grayson who also scord 67. A score of 250 looked likely, but Smith returned to account for Merrell and two other tail-enders to take 6-72, and limit Braintree to 226-9.  Brooker and Mason contributed with one wicket each, with a run out on the last ball of the innings accounting for the ninth wicket.

After tea the wicket had dried a little and batting conditions looked easier.  Willsher and Brooker took the score past 30 in the 9th over and were progressing serenely when Willsher changed his mind mid-shot and was bowled off his pads.  Brooker followed shortly afterwards, caught for 22.  When Mason and Hayns also departed, Colne looked to be in trouble at 55-4.  But a great little partnership of 67 between Higgins (27), and 13 year-old Toby Phillips (24) took us to within 100 of the Braintree total with 14 overs to go.  Could an upset be on the cards?  Smith joined Oakley and the pair added 21 before Smith was unluckily run out on a poor call.   Oakers was left to marshal the tail, and added a further 11 runs in partnership with Ashley Philips.  157-8, with the last pair at the wicket and hopes were draining away.  Adam Page strode to the crease and batted in the only way he knows how (just tonk the damned thing!), and the score progressed quickly with Oakers joining in the fun with a straight six off Merrell.  With 5 overs to go the score stood on 188, and an upset still seemed a remote possibility.  Ten runs later the luck ran out, with the score on 198, Page was clean bowled for 19 with Earls Colne all out for 198 with 19 balls still left to be bowled. Oakley 40 n.o.

How might it have been with eleven?

Braintree 20 points. Earls Colne 8 points  Full scorecard here

Timeline 0947 – heavy overnight rain has left the outfield sodden, with no chance of play.

A great day out for the casuals XI with several new faces.  James Monk and Ollie Kearin returning to the club, Jack Holgate in his first game, and Mark Harris in his second, brought a refreshing look to the Earls Colne line up.  Mersea won the toss and elected to bat in a 40 overs a side competition.

Earls Colne used 8 bowlers, with great all round performances for all, including Steve Willsher who took a wicket in his first ball for more than ten years!  Neville ‘Noddy’ Goodwin scored a good fifty, and the Mersea side finally closed their innings on 167 runs.

After an excellent tea provided by absent skipper Tony Hayns (his car had broken down but Oakers had selected 12 players owing to a miscalculation so we were ok!), Earls Colne started with the early dismissal of Mark Harris, chasing a wide one and being caught behind for just one run.  But Ben Mason, our new batting colossus strode to the wicket, knowing exactly how to score and repeated his performance of the previous week with 58 and out lbw.  Ollie Kearin contributed a handsome 36, Jack Holgate a useful 10 (before being bowled by an eight year old leg spinner with the slowest ball ever bowled).  100 runs were required in the last 20 overs, and with two overs to go, 11 were still needed.  Adam Page got out of bed to stroke a magniificent 4 before being clean bowled.  A tantalising finish beckoned, with 5 required from the last over. Dave Brooker came to the crease.  Taylor Nicholson took a single putting Dave on strike, who struck the next ball to the boundary, and victory with two balls to spare.  A great day out, and a wonderful, morale-raising victory.  Well done to all who played.