Belhus Cricket Club News Flash

Belhus Youth 87-9
Henfield Youth 88-3

Belhus left their North Stifford headquarters after a pre-tour breakfast in less than ideal weather conditions. Driving rain left many in doubt whether the first match of the tour, a lunchtime start at the picturesque ground at Henfield Common, would actually take place. As the tour party of cars and the Ford Community minibus made its Southbound way, the rain relented and play was soon under way as scheduled. The tour openers for Belhus were Dale Kenyon and Danny Norris; enthusiastic cheers rang out from their team mates in the pavilion as the first runs were scored. However, Belhus lost their first wicket of the match when, with the score on nine in the third over, Norris was caught by his Henfield namesake for one run off the bowling of Lees. In the next over, Kenyon was bowled by Harrison for 13 from seven scoring shots, which included the first boundary of the tour, while Lees kept up the home team's wicket-taking momentum by bowling Joe Summers for one run as Belhus faltered to 19 for 3. Terry Squires became the second tour party batsman in double figures with ten runs, but in the quest for quick runs, Sarah Webb, Tony Ellis and Connor Thomas were all run out without score. However, Webb did manage to halt the Belhus middle order collapse as she featured in five partnerships which yielded sixteen runs. That may not have seemed a breathtaking amount, but in the context of the game on a very damp pitch, courtesy of heavy overnight and early morning rain, the contribution from Webb was potentially a signficant one.

After Owen Jefferies had been caught by Culver off the bowling of Plumstead for two runs, Ricki Ellis and Bradley Sheridan finished undefeated on 11 and 23 respectively, undeterred by the golden duck of Michael Fogg, who was caught behind by Knott, again off Plumstead. Fogg's shock first ball dismissal was unfortunate; he played at a farly wide leg-side delivery and the ball grazed the tow of the bat. Sheridan, meanwhile, struck a huge six over mid-off, from the pavilion end, the ball traversing over the boundary fence and was smartly caught by a spectator on the common. For Henfield, Lees finished with 2-25 from four overs, Harrison and Norris both finished with 1-10 and Plumstead took 2-5 from a solitary over.

Henfield opened their innings with Knott and Plumstead facing a keen Belhus attack of Sheridan and Ricki Ellis. Between them in the first five overs, the conceded just five runs as the home side were still 82 runs short of their target. However, Henfield progressed to 34 without loss after ten overs but then lost both openers without addition to the score. Plumstead was run out for eight runs and Knott succumbed to Fogg, trapped leg before for 22. Number three batsman Culver retrieved the situation by crashing a quick-fire 33 which included six boundaries. He then retired, leaving Harrison and Cooper to finish the job with 9 not out and 10 not out respectively. Sheridan finished a three-over spell by conceding just one run, while Ricki Ellis was almost equally mean, ending with 0-4 from two overs. Fogg returned 1-16 from three overs as Henfield reached their target off the final ball of their sixteenth over.

After the post-match presentations, the tourists made their way to the Hove County Ground, headquarters to Sussex County Cricket Club. There, the Belhus squad were entertained to a fine victory by Essex in the Pro40 tournament. The Essex players were fantastic both on and off the pitch; with several stopping to chat to the team after the game. Darren Gough stopped for a post match photograph with our juniors, the resulting photograph being published in both the Thurrock Gazette and the Thurrock Recorder. It was then on to the Brighton Youth Hostel for some well deserved rest and day two with the pitch and putt tournament and a fixture at Keymer and Hassocks CC.