Brentwood Defeat Champions Chelmsford in Last Game Thriller!
- Oakley Bromfield
- Sep 9, 2021
- 6 min read
In the final fixture of the 2021 season, Brentwood welcomed the league champions Chelmsford, in a game which the hosts required a victory to claim second place. But in order to take the runners up position, Brentwood needed Colchester to travel to Wanstead and defeat them, which unfortunately for them didn’t happen as Wanstead won by four wickets. This meant that Wanstead finished second and Brentwood finished third with only 2 points separating them with Chelmsford more than comfortably sitting in the top spot by 35 points.
Team News:
Brentwood's side was captained by Aaron West with Guy Balmford taking the gloves. Chelmsford named one side from the team that beat Wanstead last week, Andy Styan returns and is back at the number 11 spot replacing Mark Drain.
Brentwood captain Aaron West won the toss and elected to bat first, therefore placing Jack Sterland’s Chelmsford into the field. West opened the batting with Eddie Ballard but his decision to bat first seemed an interesting choice after the Brentwood captain clothed one into the air on the second ball of the innings and was subsequently caught by Jack Cook from the bowling of Liam Keaney. Brentwood were 4/1 after the first over.
The wicket of West brought Guy Balmford to the crease and the two took advantage of some loose bowling from the Chelmsford opening seam attack as the pair rapidly increased the score to 24/1 after three overs. But in Andy Styan’s next over, after he was hit for 18 runs in his previous, the wicket of Ballard was taken as the off stump was dislodged from the ground. Styan bowled Ballard for 21 off 16 and Brentwood were 33/2 after 4 overs.
Jack Hebron joined Balmford in the middle and the two stuck in with Chelmsford still not bowling as sharply as they had done all season. Balmford and Hebron’s partnership lasted 8 overs and the pair put on 30 runs before Chelmsford claimed the next wicket. Hebron departed for 13 off 29 after he wafted at one outside off stump and edged it behind to wicket-keeper Brad Green from the bowling of Oliver Devenish. This brought Richard Horswill to the crease with his side at 63/3 in the 13th over.
Horswill’s stay at the crease wasn’t long as he attempted to go over the top on a Devenish delivery but mistimed it as he was caught by Dan Hagen at deep extra cover. Horswill exited with 11 off 16 and Brentwood were 82/4 after 17 overs.
Ben Sach was now Balmford’s new partner, but the Brentwood number six soon departed as he nicked one behind to Green after the keeper took a good high catch in James Clifford’s first over. Sach left for 4 off 12 and Brentwood were reduced to 90/5 after 20 overs.
With Balmford looking like the only Brentwood batsman to stay for a durable amount of time, he was joined by another batsman in the name of Calum Balsom and just like previous partnerships this one lasted just past 3 overs. Balsom departed due to a J. Clifford delivery which popped up late causing the batter to cut it in the direction of backward point and into the hands of Ben Waring. Balsom left with 7 off 15 and his side at 105/6 in the 24th over.
So, Balmford was joined by yet another partner, this time in the name of Charlie Griffiths and the two delivered a punishing spell to the Chelmsford side. In 7 overs, the two put on a 50-run partnership and it saw Balmford celebrate a half century in the 27th over after 61 balls, 92 minutes, five 4s and one 6. This partnership was quite comfortably Brentwood’s best of the game but was ended on the first ball of the 32nd over when J. Clifford bowled Balmford for a very good 65 off 76. The home side were 155/7 after J. Clifford’s wicket-maiden 32nd over.
Brentwood's number eight batsman Charlie Griffiths departed six balls after Balmford after his leg stump was dislodged by Waring. Griffiths left with 12 off 24 and Brentwood’s score read 156/8 after 33 overs.
Chelmsford took three wickets in three overs when J. Clifford took his fourth wicket of the game as he bowled Harry Phillips out for 1 off 9 and the hosts were placed at 158/9.
Brentwood’s last wicket stand between Ash Casey and Anthony Giles lasted an extremely helpful (for the hosts) 6 overs and 21 runs and was ended when Robert Catchpole took a leaping backwards catch at mid-on from a wayward Giles shot. Styan, the bowler for the wicket, and Giles departed for 5 off 16 and Brentwood finished on 179 all out from 40 overs.
Watch the video below to see James Clifford's dismissal of Harry Phillips:
Chelmsford’s reply of 180 to win started not as they’d hoped as captain Sterland, also the league’s leading run-scorer by a staggering 321 runs, was out after attempting to loft a Charlie Griffiths delivery over mid-off only to be caught by Ash Casey. Sterland departed for 9 off 14 putting him to a brilliant season total of 1010 runs and his side were 12/1 after five overs.
After taking the big wicket of Sterland early in the innings, Brentwood were quick in claiming the second wicket too when Harry Phillips wiped out Ben Clifford’s middle and leg stump in the 8th over. Chelmsford’s score read 21/2 and B. Clifford was dismissed for 7 runs off 11 balls.
James Clifford joined Dan Hagen at the crease but like Ben, the Chelmsford number 4 batsman's stay at the crease wouldn’t last long. In the 13th over J. Clifford was bowled by Charlie Griffiths after the Chelmsford all-rounder attempted to cut the Brentwood spinner. This meant that J. Clifford had to depart for 9 runs off 13 balls and Chelmsford slumped to 36/3.
Catchpole was Hagen’s fourth partner of the innings with Chelmsford needing a stable partnership to occupy the crease. The two batsmen adequately fulfilled this as they dug in whilst playing a variety of attractive shots whilst the Brentwood bowlers delivered a bad ball. The pair lasted nearly 12 overs together and put on an admirable 50-run partnership in the 25th over but unfortunately for the away side in said over the wicket of Catchpole was lost. Catchpole was run out by Aaron West after attempting a quick single with Hagen and had to depart for 18 off 42 balls after settling into the game well. Chelmsford were 85/4 after 25 overs.
This brought Devenish to the crease and a very good partnership between himself, and Hagen blossomed. The two left-handers combined across 12 overs, to put on an important 61-run partnership, in which saw Hagen reach a gritty and key half century in the 33rd over. The Chelmsford opener celebrated his 50 after 189 minutes, 89 balls, five 4s and two 6s.
Watch the video below to see Hagen smash a six off the bowling of Brentwood captain Aaron West:
However, soon after the 50-partnership was achieved in the 36th over, it was broken two overs later as Hagen slogged a Ballard delivery into the hands of Hebron. Hagen departed for a classy 64 off 106 and Chelmsford were 146/5 after Hagen’s wicket.
Hebron was back in on the action in the next over as he bowled Devenish for 24 off 43 after the Chelmsford all-rounder played one onto his own stumps. Chelmsford were reduced to 161/6 after 39 overs.
Watch Brentwood claim the wickets of Chelmsford's left-handers' Hagen and Devenish:
Jack Cook and Brad Green were the two batsmen at the crease now, however a partnership wouldn’t form as J. Cook edged one behind to keeper Balmford off the bowling of West and departed for 8 off 6, five balls after Devenish’s departure. A good catch behind the stumps from Balmford.
West and Brentwood were in a rhythm which didn’t end with J. Cook as two balls later, new batsman Keaney, was bowled by West. Keaney attempted to push at one outside off-stump which resulted in him playing it onto his stumps. The Brentwood captain claimed two wickets in the 40th over and this placed Chelmsford at 162/8, requiring 18 runs to win off the last 5 overs with two wickets to spare.
Watch the video below to see Brentwood dismiss Keaney:
Green was joined by Waring and the pair cautiously crept towards the total with a glimmering hope that they could snatch a close victory. But Waring’s hopes of making it across the finishing line ended when he attempted to pull a short ball/bouncer from Hebron which ended up clipping his glove and into the hands of keeper Balmford. Waring departed for 6 off 10 and Chelmsford required 7 to win off 12 balls with 1 wicket remaining.
Watch Hebron claim the wicket of Waring (playing in a spare 'Sterland 20' shirt) below:
Chelmsford’s hopes of ending the title winning season with a win was dependant on Green and Styan but was quickly squashed, three balls after Waring’s wicket, as Styan was bowled by West, leaving Green stranded at the other end unbeaten with 7 off 14.
Brentwood’s 5 run victory over champions Chelmsford wasn’t enough to see them into second place as Wanstead beat Colchester, so third place is where Brentwood finished. Wanstead took runners-up, two points clear of Brentwood with Chelmsford running away as deserved winners of the 2021 league title.
Comments