Runs Galore As Seconds Gain Promotion

Scorecard

Where to begin? What a day, and what a night to follow it.

With last weeks rain making sure that our promotion push went down to the last game, Rayleigh Fairview still needing points to guarantee their saftey and an untimely call off of the Peverel game last week meaning that champions Rankins had little to play for against Canvey, this was probably as big a game as we have had in a long time. Luckily, across the team we rose to the occasion rather than being daunted by it.

After last weeks monsoon, the weather was about as good as you can ask for cricket - nice and sunny, with a gentle cool breeze so as it wasn't unbearable. The Coxtie Green wicket once again looked like the sort that batsmen want to roll up and take round with them, just as it has for pretty much the last 3 months since the weather perked up. I had no hesitation in opting for first use on winning the toss.

What we were faced with was quite possibly the quickest spell of bowling we have seen this year from the Fairview skipper. He enticed Gunnar into nicking off to the 4th ball of the innings - 0/1, and not entirely the early statement we wanted to make. I came to the crease to join Ash, and the wide variety of bruises that I am currently sporting highlight that perhaps not everything exactly hit the bat. As the ball got almost noticably softer every ball on the rock hard surface, the two of us decided to dig in for a bit so that we would hopefully be able to make hay a bit later on when the conditions for bowling had deteriorated.

For once, a plan actually worked. Ash batted with increasing maturity, and having got off the mark with a big 6 over square leg he moved the ball around the gaps well. The lightening outfield gave real value for shots, and soon we were off and running, picking up a boundary an over without really putting too much effort in. Ash departed for a well compiled 50, and as Ian came to join me we looked to press the pedal to the floor. Three booming sixes from Ian, including a glorious effort scorched over extra cover, got us moving and for a while it seemed like a score of 300 might be an outside chance. Credit to Rayleigh Fairview though, they bounced back in the last 10 and pegged us back pretty well - after a few hoicks from me that reached the boundary, Ian wasnt quite on my wavelength when I tried to run to the wicketkeeper (who was standing up to the stumps), and he only had himself to blame when he was narrowly run out by about 10 yards. I then went in the next over, and the good bowling ensured we had to make do with a still pretty imposing 277/5.

If there is one thing we have struggled to do this year, it is defend big totals on good batting tracks. Great Waltham and Rankins both spring to mind immediately, so we had to make sure we got a good start. Dinesy and Cilla both nipped one out early, but Rayleigh Faireview still motored along at close to the asking rate. It's here that I have to give massive credit to all 4 bowlers - from a potentially dodgy situation at the first drinks break, they all pulled their socks up, bowled to a plan and stifled the innings.

As the runs began to dry up, the chances began to come our way. A couple of catches went down, it felt like there was a run out on aolmost every over, and it was clear that something had to give. Dinesy, into his last over, provided the blow - knocking over the middle stump of their skipper who had hit a very fluent 40. From a normally mild bowler, Dinesys big pumped up celebration confirmed what a big wicket that was. Cyril replaced him, and his figures of 6 an over don't really do justice for how he bowled as a couple of late sixes ruined them a touch.

At the other end, Albert was midway through another masterclass, giving absolutely nothing away. A deserved couple of wickets towards the end of his spell, one to an excellent catch on the line from Cilla, effectively ended the game, and Cyril nipped in with a couple of his own. As Rayleigh Fairview started to bat for bonus points, the game lost a bit of spark, and we went into the final over needing 2 wickets to win the game with maximum points. Cilla needed just 5 balls, as Dave effected a run out early on in the over. Finally, off the penultimate ball, the ball was lofted down to long on. Crossy, who along with Beaney and Gunnar had been magnifcent in patrolling the field all day, pouched it safely and the celebrations begun. With the firsts winning the Premier league in such stunning style, it was nice that we could join in with their celebrations which carried on long into Sunday morning.

All in all, a great season for us as a team and a club as a whole. For our part, we have been able to move the younger guys on - either by them taking on new responsibility in the seconds or latterly making the step up to the Prem successfully. Seeing the likes of Dave, Crossy, Ash, Sean and numerous others make real steps forward this year has been great. In the end, we were promoted by only 10 points, so those games against Peverel away, Atte-Bower at home, Stock (twice) and East Hanningfield away where we have looked at of the game at various points but have swung the game round through fine team and individual performances have made the difference. We know how tough it is at the next level up, so will need plenty of that again next year. For now though, 8 months off to rest and get ready to go again!