BRENTWOOD I.............................244-6 dec

ARDLEIGH GREEN...............................89-9

(Match drawn)

(Shepherd Neame Essex League Division One)

Although there were many encouraging features to Saturday's match, the fact is that, for the second week running, Brentwood failed to secure a win with their opponents nine wickets down and on the ropes.

As a result, Brentwood remain in the relegation zone; and they should not be so nave as to assume that they are too good to go down.

Brentwood batted first in sunny conditions, on another good batting track that offered little help to the bowlers.

Nevertheless, Brentwood got off to their usual poor start, and the omens were not good when the fourth wicket fell at 63.

But this brought together the in-form Micky Davis and Gary Jones.

They put together a stand of 165 for the fifth wickets with a commonsense approach to batting, allied to some blazing shots both sides of the wicket.

Skipper Davis made a magnificent 105 not out, while Jones' innings of 87 suffered nothing by comparison and the declaration came at 204 for six.

For the first half of the season, Brentwood lacked the services of Richard Whitehall on account of his teaching duties at Brentwood School.

He underlined on Saturday his importance to the Brentwood attack, generating pace and extracting lift from a bland pitch.

Two early wickets for Whitehall put Brentwood in the ascendancy, and Ardleigh Green quickly abandoned any hopes they might have entertained of bettering the Brentwood total.

With Brentwood holding on to some difficult chances -- a tricky long leg catch by Nigel Porter, a superb effort by Nick Haste at short leg, and a snorter of a slip catch by Ian Coleman were particularly memorable -- the wickets fell.

Hopes were high when the ninth wicket fell with the best part of 10 overs remaining but, despite a clutch of fielders round the bat, the last pair batted through without too many alarms to the despair of Brentwood and their supporters.

Whitehall had the excellent return of five for 42.

Brentwood second held on for a draw against Leigh-on-Sea.

Leigh made 196 for nine, with skipper Stuart Townson taking four for 40 and Ash Patel three for 58.

This appeared to be within the capabilities of a strong Brentwood batting line-up; but it was not to be, Brentwood finishing on 170 for nine, Tom Davey (33) and Chris Boon (32) the top scorers.

Although it was a setback to their promotion ambitions, Brentwood remain in the top two in the league.

Having discovered the art of winning only the previous week, Brentwood thirds repeated the trick with a comfortable victory over third in the table Chelmsford.

Chelmsford were bowled out for 165, with Rob Coote (4-38), James Apicella (3-36), and Paul Webb (2-30) all in good form.

This proved no problem for Brentwood, with Jason Swan racing to 106 not out from only 100 balls, a superb maiden century.

Brentwood overtook the Chelmsford score for the loss of only three wickets, leaving them with an interest in promotion matters.

Brentwood fourths also had an easy win, bowling out Basildon for 134 (Alan Houston 4-14, Andy Fryd 4-49) and knocking off the runs for the loss of only three wickets (Chris Eaton 47no, James Reilly 36).

Brentwood fifth team found it difficult going against Westcliff's fourth team.

Westcliff made 226 for five (Ryan Webb 3-63) before Brentwood were dismissed for 66, with Roger Mahadeo (39) the only batsman offering much resistance.

On Saturday (July 24), Brentwood's first team are away to League leaders Chelmsford in a Shepherd Neame Essex League game. The second team entertain Harlow at the Old County Ground.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.