Earls Colne versus Copford.  Away, Saturday 28th July 2007

A beautiful day at Copford, with a wedding to watch as well.  Would the batsmen wear pink?

Robert won the toss and elected to bowl on a peculiar looking, mottled strip, which proved to have some variable (mostly low)  bounce.  TK and Smiffy opened the bowling and kept the Copford openers completely bogged down, with just 40 runs on the board after 18 overs.  But crucially no wickets had fallen, so ringing the changes, Rob Gibson and Kieran Webb came on to see if something could be done.  But Kieran struggled with his length (nice problem to have), and the ball found it's way to the boundary too often, and the pressure had been released. Oakers came on and trapped opener C.Moon LBW for 39.  But Copford still stood at a highly respectable 100 for 1 after 31 overs, and looked as if they could make 200.  But Smiffy had other ideas, and started to run through the Copford middle order, taking four wickets in quick succession.  Two players were run out, and TK picked up two late wickets to have Copford eight wickets down going into the last two overs.  Could Smiffy get a five-for?  Could we bowl them out? Two half-chances came and went, and the last over, bowled by TK saw the ninth wicket fall, and the last ball of the innings was spilled by poor Andy Jones, nursing a strapped hand after breaking a knuckle early in the season.

Copford 163 for 9 off 45 overs.  P Gray 50.  J Smith 4 for 37

After a spectacular tea -strawberry and cream scones, melon, grapes, fulsome sandwiches, we set about Copford's total.

New opening partnership Andy Jones and Duncan Clark made a steady start, with 20 runs on the board without loss, but both fell, bowled, with the score in the 20s, bringing TK to the crease, who also fell quickly, caught out and we were up against it a 26 for 3.  But Johnny Lee and Steve Willsher came together and started to rebuild the innings sensibly.  Johnny lee hit the ball so hard he broke a Copford players knuckle, who we substituted as he traipsed off to hospital. A fifty partnership was on the cards, when Johnny Lee fell LBW to the gentle off spin of John Williams for 21, soon to be followed by Steve Willsher for a useful 26, and Himesh fell in the accustomed manner for a cameo 11 runs, bringing Oakers to the crease to keep an in form Rob Gibson company.  108 for 6 after 31 overs.  Batting sensibly, slowly but surely, run by run, the total came within sight.  Four runs per over were required, and both batsmen kept up with the rate, until a hotheaded attempt at a run out, and the resultant overthrows gave us five free runs, and the pressure was off.  Passing the strike from one to the other, just 12 runs were required from the last 5 overs, and the runs were ticked off without any further drama, leaving Rob on 37 ( and a very sore wrist) and Oakers on 27, for a four wicket victory.

Earls Colne 167 for 6.  Gibson 37, Oakley 27, Willsher 26, Lee 21.

Copford 163 - 9.  Earls Colne 167 - 6.  Earls Colne wine by 4 wickets.

Earls Colne remain top of the league division 6 with four games to go.  See www.twocounties.com