Chelmsford Take One Step Closer to Title with Sterland 100 and Fantastic Bowling Display!

Chelmsford Cricket Club claimed a comfortable victory against Chingford on Saturday in the Essex League Premier Division to move even closer to the league title. This game marked the return of ‘overs cricket’ which is 45 overs per side at a 12:30pm start.

Blue skies over Chelmer Park for Chelmsford vs Chingford.

Team News:

Chelmsford named a side with two changes from their last resulted game against Billericay two weeks ago. Robert Catchpole misses out so Aaron Beard replaces him and Andy Styan returns so has his number 11 spot back after James Liddiard filled in.

As for the visitors, Alex Stokoe is the captain and opener Harry Houldsworth takes the gloves.

Chelmsford’s captain, Jack Sterland, won the toss at Chelmer Park and elected to bat first with resident opening partner, Dan Hagen. The pair were looking good reaching 25 without loss after the first seven overs but the partnership was broken when Hagen was caught by Alfie Taylor from the bowling of Chingford skipper, Alex Stokoe. Hagen departed for 10 off 18 and Chelmsford were 25/1 after 8 overs.

Things got worse for the home side as another wicket fell in the next over. Chelmsford’s number three, Ben Clifford, was caught by Liam Lannen from the bowling of George Duke after trying to attempt a reverse sweep. B. Clifford left the field with just 1 run from 6 balls.

The Chelmsford team warming up before the game.

James Clifford joined Sterland and the two lasted a decent eight overs before Chingford claimed their third wicket. Lannen had J. Clifford playing one into the hands of Christopher Baldock and had to leave for 13 from 22. This brought Aaron Beard to the crease, but he had to depart without score just four balls later as he was bowled by Lannen, the Chingford bowler claimed two wickets in one over to put Chelmsford at 64/4 after 18 overs.

J. Cook was Sterland’s next partner but worryingly for the hosts the partnership only lasted 14 balls as J. Cook was bowled by George Duke in a wicket-maiden 21st over. Oliver Devenish was next in for Chelmsford and settled the falling of wickets with Sterland as the pair stood strong to see off eight overs and bring Chelmsford’s score to 85/5 after 29 overs.

However, Stokoe cleaned up Devenish’s stumps in the 30th over to claim a wicket-maiden and the sixth wicket of the innings.

With Chelmsford at 85/6 after 30 overs, it was fair to say they were looking at a batting collapse, but luckily for them they still had the brilliantly inform Jack Sterland still at the crease.

In the 32nd over, Sterland reached 50 in 91 balls after 114 minutes of play and five 4s. A vital half-century from the Chelmsford captain as he looked to carry his team towards a defendable total. Devenish’s wicket brought Brad Green to the middle and the partnership of Green and Sterland proved to be a crucial one as the pair survived twelve and a half overs together, putting on a brilliant 71 run partnership. Green’s wicket was eventually claimed by Taylor though after he was caught by Lewis Dixon in the 43rd over and exited for 13 from 37.

With two overs to go Sterland was eyeing up his century and after some intelligent running between the wickets from Liam Keaney and himself, the Chelmsford skipper claimed his 6th century of the season. An extremely important knock once again from Sterland who goes to a total of 1449 runs in all competitions this season. In the penultimate ball of the innings, Taylor caught Sterland out from the bowling of Lannen and he departed for an outstanding 106 from 138. Keaney ended the game with a boundary to place Chelmsford with a total of 177/8 after 45 overs.

Jack Sterland removed his helmet and received plaudits from his team mates and spectators at Chelmer Park after reaching another century.

Chingford’s chase of 178 to win didn’t start in the way they’d hoped as Chelmsford seamer, Andy Styan, took the first wicket in the second over after Alex Agedah played one into the hands of J. Cook. Agedah leaving with 2 off 10. Styan then bowled Chingford’s second opener, Harry Houldsworth, in the fourth over and he also left the field with just 2 runs to his name. Chingford were 8/2 after 4 overs.

The visitor’s case to win the game worsened as Styan incredibly claimed two wickets in the 10th over, belonging to Dixon and Taylor. J. Clifford caught Dixon out for 1 off 22 and Taylor was bowled for a duck after facing three balls. Styan’s superb bowling pinned Chingford to a score of 21/4 and alarmingly looked out of the game already. Styan with four wickets to his name.

Keaney stepped up to take the fifth wicket in the next over as Beard caught Baldock. Like Taylor, Baldock departed with a duck after facing just three balls. The away side fell to 25/5 after 11 overs and victory looked like an impossible target. Andrew MacGregor and Ross Simmons were the two batsmen at the crease and the pair somewhat plugged the rapid rate of wickets as they lasted seven overs together whilst putting on 15 runs, until MacGregor was adjudged LBW in the 19th over from the bowling of Ben Waring. MacGregor put on a good 24 runs from 45 balls considering the struggle of run scoring from his teammates.

Chelmsford's pre-match catching practice proved to be worth it as they were excellent in the field.

Lannen joined Simmons, but a partnership wouldn’t form as Waring bowled Lannen on the first ball of the 21st over. The Chingford batsman only adding 1 to the total. In the next over, Stokoe looked for a quick single only for Simmons to be brilliantly run out by Waring with a quick shy at the stumps from an angle which the Chelmsford man only had one stump to aim at. Simmons out for 1 off 24 and Chingford were at a sore score of 45/8 after the wicket-maiden in the 22nd over.

Stokoe and new-in Latif would only put on a 4-run partnership as Waring claimed another wicket in the 25th over after Stokoe was caught by J. Cook at short leg. The Chingford captain departed with 6 from 17 and the wicket-maiden from Waring had the away side at 49/9.

The last wicket stand of Latif and Duke wasn’t prolific because Waring bowled Latif on the first ball of the 30th over to claim his 4th wicket of the game and victory for Chelmsford. Chingford finished on 63 all out.

This win for Chelmsford means they are one step away from winning the league title with it firmly in their hands. If they beat Hadleigh away this Saturday and Brentwood beat Wanstead, then the title belongs to them with two games in hand and celebrations at Chelmer Park will begin.

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