3rd June 2000

Rettendon v ECC

After such a disappointing display versus Corringham seven days earlier this result simply had to go our way and consequently it did. Before the match all did not look so rosy with the emergence that Geoff Claughton would not be available to us until 3 pm or as it turned out 4.05 pm. With this in mind I was eager to win the toss and bat but conditions at Rettendon were heavy under foot and runs looked hard to come by and it subsequently turned out to be a good toss to lose as Rettendon decided to bat first. Opener Rowarth looked more than useful and one of the turning points of the match came when Paul Lewis had him trapped controversially LBW for a fluent 10. One over after Peter Read had picked up the important wicket off consistent scorer Maybury caught at gully by Eric. After this Rettendon scored slowly hitting the rare bad ball that came their way but wickets continued to fall as Tony Mitty bowling as straight as usual took 4-15 in his 12 overs while at the other end Peter Read tied them down for his 2-19 in his allotted 12 and again Paul Lewis took wickets when required in his spell of 3-18. There was even time for the late arriving Jitts to take his usual wicket with his first ball as Rettendon finally slumped to 62 all out in the 37th over. With the wicket playing slow and low and with our batting not performing consistently this was still going to be a stern test. Buck went early to a controversial LBW decision given by his Zeus companion Jitts who claimed Buck was boring him to death. When reliable Rob Gregg went for a hard fought 7 off 45 balls it was left to three of ECC's more experienced batsmen to lead us home. Ian Gandy looked in no trouble before being dismissed by Grubber for 19, Geoff Claughton played solidly for his 7 not out and it was left to golden bollocks Sheb Woollard to hit the winning runs as he finished 19 not out off 70 balls. The only further casualty was Mark Williams, although he received a standing ovation when scoring his first runs of the season! This was a very encouraging maximum point win and proved yet again we have the best bowling attack in the Division.

Rettendon 62all out Lewis 9.3-2-3-18 Read 12-2-2-19, Claughton 3-0-6-1 Mitty 12-3-15-4

ECC 65-4 Jones 0, Gregg 7, Gandy 19, Woollard 19no, Williams 4, Claughton 7no ECC won by 6 wickets

MAN OF THE MATCH Tony Mitty