20th May 2000

Little Baddow v ECC

After two disappointing performances with the bat a chance was provided by the good wicket to make amends having been put in by our opponents and two players certainly did just that! Having badgered the captain all week, Buck Jones was promoted to his favourite position at the top of the order, but failed to live up to his own billing by departing for just 6 with 14 runs on the board. Who would have known that this was to be the only wicket of ECC's innings. Admittedly the fielding was not of the highest nature and the catching was even worse, but congratulations must go to Ian Gandy for a wonderful 108 not out off 125 balls including 10 fours and 2 sixes. This certainly looked like the Gandy we know and love from two or three years ago and if he can find consistently this sort of performance we will have few worries in the future. Whereas Ian Gandy has hit countless 50s and four previous tonnes this was to be Rob Gregg's first league 50 for the club as he finished on 81 not out off 123 balls including 8 fours. He showed great determination to finish the job he had started and many congratulations must go to him. Gandy and Gregg share an unbroken 199 partnership which saw us finish on 213-1 and kept Nic Woollard pacing up and down on the sidelines like an expectant father! With such a rare batting performance we had to ensure we did not let it go to waste and the bowlers certainly did not, especially Paul Lewis who bowled with great pace and swing taking three wickets for just 10 runs off 9 overs and the ever reliable Geoff Claughton finishing the game as darkness drew in with 3-17. You cannot keep the great man Sheb out of the game as he took three magnificent catches. This has to go down as one of our best all-round performances of the past two years.

ECC 213-1 Jones 6, Gandy 108no, Gregg 81no

Little Baddow 81 all out Lewis 9-3-10-3, Read 10-3-26-2, Mitty 9-4-25-1, Claughton 8-2-17-3 ECC won by 132 runs

MAN OF THE MATCH Ian Gandy