With our backs against the wall, there was only one way to survive and that was to win and hope Harlow were rolled over by Upminster. On an exploding park wicket, where 140 runs seemed to be a par score, we lost the toss and were put into bat. An early wicket gave us a minor set back but Sulayman Tahir and Zafar Saiyed began to build a healthy platform with some calculated stroke play. However, as Sulayman fell for 42, it opened the door to a flurry of wickets from a mixture of inconsistent bounce and pitch explosions that left us reeling at 104 for 5 . Paul Richardson and Zafar continued the resistance and didn’t panic but began to counter attack at the right moments. As we passed the 200 mark, Zafar finally holed out at long on for a fearless 84 but the tail continued to wag and taunt our local rivals. Aaryan Patel smashing an unbeaten 42 and Jon Gritten’s death touches rubbed further salt into the Ilford wounds as we massed a daunting 277 for 8 on a deteriorating wicket. It would seem that Ilford were licking their wounds at lunch as they decided to take an extended break, leaving the Herons on the pitch waiting for the batters for 15 minutes after the agreed time.

Despite some attacking intent, Abdur Barry picked up an early wicket and we could feel the buzz, however a further onslaught saw Ilford reach 40 for 1 in 6 overs. What was to follow was quite special as a ruthless tactical change by the skipper swapped our leading wicket taker for the extra pace and height of Aaryan Patel. The bowling change gave immediate reward as the batter was rushed and pulled one to mid wicket. This was followed by a rip snorter of a yorker as Aaryan found a lethal rhythm and tore apart their middle order. The frustration of some decisions seemed to fuel his spell as he finished his 7 overs with 5 for 29. With the rain threatening, Sulayman was brought on and began to cause problems but it took a long hop to be plucked out of the sky with one hand by the skipper to break a short lower order attempt to salvage some bonus points. The following over Paul Richardson came back with a point to prove after being taken off in his opening spell. That he did as cleaned up the last three wickets in 4 balls, narrowly missing out on a hattrick that swept away Ilford for 122.

At long last the boys tasted victory again after two months of suffering. It shows you should never give up but thrive when faced with despair. A win when it mattered most as we learned Harlow lost, leaving us 10 points apart on the last day of the season. It promises to be a nail biting end as we need a win against Shenfield and Harlow to lose to league leaders West Essex to stay in the Premier. Will the 3rd XI pull themselves out of the depths of despair or will they be left to crawl down to the first division?

Wanstead 3rd XI vs Ilford - 3rd August

On a freshly cut strip, we lost the toss and were put in the field. An early wicket by Abdur Barry stimulated the Herons, however we had to be patient to break the 3rd wicket partnership. Once we got the break through (at 107 for 2), wickets began to fall at regular intervals as Ilford found themselves 206 for 6. Paul Richardson was the pick of our bowlers with figures of 4 for 82 in his 16 overs but yet again we were plagued by dropped catches and failed to close out the innings. Ilford’s tail wagged as they reached 272 all out in 49.1 overs and on a wearing pitch we needed to bat well to reach our target.

An explosive start with 38 in 4 overs was cut short by a low shooting delivery, dismissing our in-form Sulayman Tahir. Ibrahim Wajid began to mount a come back with a well calculated 39, but as he fell we began to lose wickets frequently as partnerships began to build. At 112 for 5, it looked a tall order but a fine innings by Aaryan Patel (61 not out) and a cameo from Shoab Iqbal (24) began to build some momentum. However, as the rate climbed to 10 and above it was difficult to keep up and we lost 3 quick wickets. it was time to shut up shop to prevent our local rivals from gaining 25 points and moving further from our grasp. Aaryan and Jefferson Drakeford pulled out their Rahul Dravid walls and saw out the draw as we finished on 225 for 8 at the close of play. A draw gaining 8 more points keeps us 9th and we continue to fight for survival as Harlow stay within touching distance at 8th. Next week we face West Essex away, who sit 3rd in the league. There will be no easy games but we will try everything within our power to stay in the Premier.

Wanstead 3rd XI v Woodford Wells - 20th July

After losing the toss, we were asked to bowl first on Woodford Wells tiny, postage stamp sized ground. A disastrous opening saw some very wayward bowling carted to the boundary, starting the game with 37 runs in the first three overs. However, we began to settle as Sulayman Tahir bowled with daring drift and our bowlers began to pick up wickets to stem the flow of the runs; most notably Paul Richardson, who ended with 4 wickets. At 248 for 8 our eyes lit up, knowing 300 or less would be more than attainable, however, their number 9 (who scored a hundred opening the batting for their 2nd XI the week before) entered the fray with clever sweeps and crashing boundaries, leaving the boys bewildered. The rapid 92 by their number 9 coupled with a steady 24 by their number 10 helped to mass a total of 370 all out in 49.5 overs. It was a formidable total after having them on the ropes but one we had no choice but to try to hunt down.

With the Herons crying out for a solid foundation we found ourselves succumbing to the pressure, losing 2 wickets in the first three overs. However, enter Sulayman Tahir (“A New Hope”) who manufactured a memorable innings, spoiling the crowd with mesmerising drives and impeccable timing. Whilst he formed the back bone of our resistance, there were eruptions that further unsettled the innings as a run out decision went our way. As Antony Smith went for a solid 28, Shoab Iqbal (29) soldiered on with Sulayman but our stars' exquisite innings of 129 came to an end as he was caught at cow corner. This led to a collapse as we tried to continue the heroic run chase, but the gamble left our lower ordered exposed and they were unable to see out a draw as we were bowled out for 278 in 39.2 overs.

It wasn’t the win we craved but it was a very valuable 8 points gained. It looks like it will be a spicy scrap to the end to stay in the Premier but the difference in points remain tight at the bottom of the league. We go back into battle next week, hoping to defend our fortress at Nutter Lane vs Brentwood who sit 3rd in the league.

Wanstead 3rd XI v Chelmsford - 13th July

On a very slow Chelmer Park wicket, we set out to bat first with the belief of grabbing a much needed eight batting points. Considering we scored over 270 runs in both of our last two innings with the same batters it would seem a simple task if we had the same attitude and approach. The minefield of Nutter Lane had nothing on this wicket, right?

With the skippers backing, Pranav Nair and Sulayman Tahir began their task well with three glorious boundaries and everything seemed to be going to plan until Pranav was painfully thwarted by an incredible one handed catch at point and incoming Antony Smith was stunned by an another sensational one handed grab at extra cover. Two pieces of magic and bottom of the league Chelmsford found their buzz. The Herons fought on with a short period of recovery at 50 for 2 but a hooping in-swinger trapped Sulayman and wickets began to tumble at more frequent intervals with David Sacree left stranded on 19 before he fell. Whatever the Chelmsford fielders had for breakfast I’m sure the Herons craved as two more stunning catches left us on our knees and some soft dismissals decapitated our batting line up leaving us a sorry sight at 85 all out. It was an all time low for the season but we had a chance for some sort of redemption if we bowled with the disciplines they did. Would Tinkerbell bless us with the fairy dust they seemed to have found?

Haider Khan started strongly and there was a belief in the camp with an early strike, but three dropped catches stunted our progress and Chelmsford knocked off the runs in 16.2 overs, ending on 88 for 2. A game we would rather put behind us, but at the half way point in the season the glaring truth is: we sit rock bottom after failing to pick up a single point in that game. The message is simple: find a way to win and pick up points or risk the ruthless road of relegation. We have no time to feel sorry for ourselves but to stay united and focused on playing our best brand of cricket as we face local rivals Woodford Wells next weekend. It is so tight at the bottom that a win could begin to change our fortunes again! Everyone loves an underdog! Believe!

Wanstead 3rd XI vs Harold Wood - 29th June

In search of points, we dared to bat first against table topping Harold Wood and the gamble began catastrophically as we were two wickets down in the first over due to an edge to gully and calamitous miscommunication between the skipper and vice captain. However, a very mature Sulayman Tahir steadied the ship with the skipper and they put on a 94 run partnership that began to silence the Harold Wood faithful until Stephen Ramdial hit one to mid off for 45. Sulayman carried on the good work with experienced David Sacree but was soon dismissed for 72. Another well built partnership between David and Cyrus Malik-Lewis, the latter showing his worth with the bat as he too made a well deserved 45. At 51 David perished, however runs were flowing and the lower middle order continued to wag. The Herons mounted an incredible comeback, ending on 294 for 8 in 50 overs.

The second innings began painfully as we were carted about and Harold Wood began to build momentum at 94 for 0, however some excellent bowling by Mr Reliable (Paul Richardson) saw the back of their two openers and 3rd debutant Taryn Diwan pitched in with two key wickets. Soon Harold Wood were reeling at 166 for 6, but as with most Wanstead 3rd team games this season, there is always a twist in the tail. Enter the Harold Wood Terminator who decapitated our attack before holing out in the deep for 81. We continued to fight on with Antony Smith, George Davies and Sulayman Tahir taking a wicket a piece however we fell two wickets short of victory with Harold Wood ending on 280 for 8 in their 45 overs.

Wanstead 3rd XI v Upminster - 22nd June

With a depleted attack we bowled first on a rock hard Upminster wicket. They began blisteringly, however, Paul Richardson kept them on a string and tied them down at one end with his trickery and consistence. At drinks Upminster were 100 for 3 in 25 overs and we were very proud of our efforts. However, after Paul’s tight spell (16-3-48-2) the Upminster engine room began to kick in with a T20 special, clubbing our attack with some formidable striking. They ended on 285 for 4 in 50 overs but we knew with a solid foundation there would be a contest.

Our second innings started off very maturely by Pranav Nair and Pavan Patel with a solid and slowly accelerating 63 partnership before Pavan perished LBW for a well deserved 27. In stepped our vice captain, who batted sensationally with our star of the season, Pranav Nair. Together they showed their, class, intelligence and hard hitting as they put on a fearsome third wicket partnership of over 150. However, when they fell so did our momentum and we achieved a well earned draw, with Antony scoring 84 and Pranav holding out six runs shy of his maiden hundred. The herons ended on 255 for 4 in our 45 overs.

Harlow (207 for 7) drew with Wanstead 3rd XI (158 for 9) - 15th June

With a wet start to the day and losing 35 minutes to rain, we won the toss and stuck Harlow in to bat. With a tight opening spell and the top order seemingly set on building a foundation, we went into the drinks break looking good. After the drinks break and with the foundation set, Harlow started to open up and runs started flowing but with some good bowling and quick wickets from Joel 13/3/60 and Pavan 6/3/40, Harlow ended on 207 for 7.

The Wanstead innings started off with some promise with the top 3 all getting starts but not kicking on and the wickets staring to tumble. Soham Nayak and Jon "The Terminator" Gritten put together a solid partnership but realising a draw was our only option, dug deep with the help of Pavan to steer us to a hard fought draw.

A special mention to Jon Gritten on a very smart and match aware innings of 49 not out to steer us home.

Wanstead 3rd XI vs Upminster - 8th June

With both teams still trying to conquer consistency, it promised to be a cagey affair and it didn’t disappoint. After winning the toss on a freshly cut strip, we put Upminster into bat and the Herons immediately applied pressure at both ends with Abdur Barry (7-0-21-1) and Ahmadullah Jan (7-2-13-0) stifling the opening pair, however it was with little reward as we put down two catches and failed to seize the initiative.

Upminster began to build a solid 3rd wicket partnership as they found themselves 121 for 1. Paul Richardson (9-2-33-0) toiled hard with great frustration as we floored another opportunity and with the third wicket partnership becoming a sore subject, the skipper threw himself on and got a much needed break through, ending with 3 for 29 in 6 overs. A fantastic run out by Paul Richardson and a cameo from David Sacree (1 for 18) left Upminster on 207 for 8 from their 45 overs.

At 41 for 0 we were quietly building confidence and momentum but that was quickly thwarted by two quick wickets. Zafar Saiyed and Pranav Nair began to repair the innings but as Zafar fell we were left with a bit to do at 79 for 3. However, some cleverly calculated counter attacking cricket from Pranav Nair (59) and Stephen Ramdial (38) helped to breathe hope back into the chances of victory. Devastatingly, cruise control was shutdown at 121 for 3 by another flurry of wickets. Suddenly, the Herons found themselves faltering until the tail found its wag. Soon, a helpless situation became close to a certain victory as Neil Patel (24 not out) and Abdur Barry put on a 24 run partnership leaving us 4 runs for victory with 8 balls to spare. A few sharp singles and a host of dot balls left an even more nail biting finish as we needed 2 off the last delivery. Despite Joel’s valiant dive, he was run out off the last ball and the Herons were left in shock. It appears that the dramatic finishes in the T20 World Cup have become infectious with the 3s. Let’s hope the Pakistani World Cup fever subsides and we hit back strong against Harlow on Saturday!

Wanstead 3th XI won by 6 wickets ( 107 for 4) vs Chelmsford (106 all out) - 1st June

An overcast and cold day could not have got off to a better start, winning the toss and sticking Chelmsford into bat and getting a wicket off the first ball of the match. The tone was set and the wickets tumbled. Paul (3 for 26) and Ahmadullah (3 for 15) got us off to an amazing start at 31 for 6. The Chelmsford skipper offered some resistance, but enter Joel with a fiery spell that cleaned up the lower order with 4 for 16.

With the sun starting to break through, we started the relatively comfortable chase. Pavan provided the backbone of the run chase with a well made and much needed 39, and he was well supported by Dave with a classy 25 to get us back to winning ways.

Wanstead 3rd XI Vs Harold Wood - 25th May

A less than flattering display in the first 23 overs saw Harold Wood 142 for 0 after winning the toss and bowling first. However, in the second half of the innings, the Herons fought back with greater discipline and belief, preventing the game from being completely out of our grasp. With the intensity raised and catching improved, Harold Wood ended on 268 for 3 in their 45 overs.

Losing an early wicket meant we needed to consolidate before we kicked on and that was done successfully by Antony Smith (32) and our in-form Shoab Iqbal, who began to anchor the innings before perishing on 55. Pranav Nair (55) again showed his talent with the bat as we stayed within reach but a comical run out saw his demise and we began to fall further behind the run rate. With all of the Harold Wood players posted on the boundary for the last 12 overs, we found it difficult to find a rhythm with the bat and whilst we edged closer, we lost a flurry of wickets once our set batsman had departed. We ended on 241 all out, which was a great effort after being 32 for 1 in the first 12 overs with the ball skidding below shin height on many occasions and seeing the back of a few of our senior batsmen. Another harsh lesson learned in the field, but with a few strike bowlers back next week, we hope to rekindle the impressive form we displayed in our first outing at Nutter Lane.

Wanstead 3rd XI v Woodford Wells - 18th May

On the minefield of Nutter Lane, we set to battle with the Wells. Losing the toss proved costly, as a few pitch explosions shattered our top order, leaving us at a potentially fragile 22 for 3. However, the wall of Wanstead (Shoab Iqbal) showed his experience and metal as he dropped the anchor and ground out a solidly smart 46 in a partnership of 76 with Paul Richardson (43), who began to dust off the cobwebs with the bat and show his authority with a few fine strokes. At 98 for 4, the cracks could have become wider but Pranav Nair, like a young Luke Skywalker, took out his lightsaber and sliced the attack to pieces scoring a fearless 48 to save face of what could have become a very tragic scorecard. At 175 all out we had a chance, but it would call upon some very disciplined bowing. Did we have it in us?

A wayward start with the ball sent a few cries for help, however we soon began to turn the screw as Abdur Barry found his form from last week clutching two wickets for 34 in his 9 overs. 55 for 2 could have been 60 for 4, but we were left gasping at two dropped catches. Despite a minor set back we managed to keep the momentum with another double act of heroics from Paul Richardson (2 for 22) and Pavan Sunkara (2 for 32), tensely balancing the game on a knife edge at 116 for 6. A frustrating partnership guided the Wells closer at 148 for 6, however a flurry of two wickets from Tariq Zaman and Neil Patel began to peel the smiles off the Wells faces. At 154 for 8, we should have driven it home, but a cluster of heart-breaking strikes from the Wells lower order left us with a loss. In the end Woodford Wells finished on 178 for 8 in 42.4 overs with extras (36) being their second highest total.

On Saturday we face an away trip to Harold Wood. Whilst we have many things to continue to learn and build upon in our next game we can be proud of our fight in the field and the sparks of quality shown with the bat and ball. Come on the 3s!

Wanstead 3rd XI vs Harlow - 11th May

After losing the toss and breaking our opening stand early on, the top and middle order grafted intelligently, building a platform to accelerate during the middle to latter stages of the innings. Leading the way was our valiant vice captain, Antony Smith, who showcased a masterclass of drives, pulls and clean hitting to bring up his maiden 3rd XI hundred. Coupled with captivating cameos from Pavan Patel (35), Zafar Saiyed (27), Ahmadullah Jan (20) and Stephen Ramdial (33), the Herons steered their way to a very competitive 261 for 8.

An expensive start with the ball sent a few nerves jangling but up stepped our wiley campaigner Paul Richardson, who revelled in the pressure and began to wreak havoc in the Harlow top and middle order taking 3 for 27 in 9 overs. On debut, Abdur Barry (9-1-1-32) showed his promise as he bowled with clever control and helped to magnify the pressure from the opposite end. Credit must also be given to our remaining bowlers who stuck to the task and were supported in the field by some incredible catches to help us bowl out Harlow for 185 to win by an emphatic 77 runs.