This weekend saw the start of the new County Cricket campaign up and down the country but the recreational game has been enjoying its return over the last few weeks.
Following the Prime Minister’s announcement at the beginning of July regarding cricket’s return, Club sides have pulled on their whites once again with a number of new safety precautions in operation, such as restrictions on changing facilities and the use of spit to shine the ball.
The return has also seen a renaming of the Shepherd Neame Essex League divisions to former Essex County Cricket Club Captains, such as Gooch, ten Doeschate and Fletcher.
This weekend has seen a number of the Essex First Team players feature for their respective club sides in the region to get some valuable match practice since lockdown.
Walter Shines For Billericay against Shenfield
Billericay 296-2 (40.0 overs)
Shenfield 216-4 (40.0vers)
Billericay won by 80 runs
Paul Walter provided the fireworks, hitting an unbeaten 166 off 122 balls carrying Billericay out of sight against Shenfield in a high-scoring Gooch Division encounter at Blunts Wall Road.
The Essex man struck no less than 24 boundaries and five 6’s as Billericay posted a sizable total just shy of 300.
Skipper, Darren Ironside, was also amongst the runs, reaching fifty on what proved to be a difficult day for the bowlers.
Having lost George Ballington early, the Shenfield response grew but ultimately didn’t gather enough momentum to trouble the home side. Tom Ballington continued in-form batsmen theme finishing on 94*, while Ollie Ekers fell two short of his half-century – Ironside taking 2/44.
Paul Walter came up against his Essex teammate, Jack Plom who ended with figures of 8-0-44-1.
Buttleman Century Helps Brentwood
Brentwood 321-6 (40.overs)
Colchester and East Essex 244 (39.3 overs)
Brentwood won by 77 runs
Essex wicket-keeper/batsman, Will Buttleman, hit a century while Ben Allison was also heavily amongst the runs as Brentwood roared to a ‘Gooch Division’ victory over Colchester and East Essex at the Old County Ground.
Buttleman hit 109 off 93 balls before falling to Charlie Watts, while skipper Allison remained unbeaten on 82 as Brentwood – offered the opportunity to bat – posted a huge 321.
The chase was always going to be a tall order for Colchester. Charlie Fernandes top-scored with 41 – Jack Levy the pick of the Brentwood attack with 4/40.
Elsewhere
Academy player, Robin Das struck 72 not out for Wanstead & Snarebrook as they defeated Harold Wood by 8 wickets.
Match summaries courtesy of Brian Jeeves – Yellow Advertiser (www.yellowad.co.uk/category/sport)
