BRENTWOOD I........................229-8 dec

HORNDON ON THE HILL............197-9

(Match Drawn)

(Shepherd Neame Essex League Division One)

Saturday marked the end of the first half of the league season and Brentwood, with only one victory to their name, badly needed to beat Horndon-on-the-Hill to escape from the relegation zone.

They came tantalisingly close, but the winning habit eludes them.

Batting first, Brentwood got off to a poor start. However, two batsmen who have consistently been in good form this season came to their rescue.

Skipper Micky Davis led from the front with a splendid innings of 80, and Danny Hazle was again in good touch with a solid 60; and with Stuart Fomes contributing a brisk 28, Brentwood were able to declare on 229 for eight.

The Brentwood bowling effort was dominated by a superb spell of left-arm seam bowling by Danesh Kayani, who bowled with accuracy and guile to return seven for 49 from 20 overs.

However, despite some close calls, Brentwood were unable to dislodge Horndon-on-the-Hill's last pair, the host club finishing on 197 for nine.

The 12 points gained by Brentwood offered some consolation.

Brentwood second team continued their winning ways with a comfortable win over Harold Wood that keeps their promotion hopes alive.

On another good batting track at the Old County Ground, Harold Wood were never allowed to score with the freedom they might have wished.

Opening bowlers Paul Lattimore and Stuart Townson kept it tight, but it was left-arm spinner Ian Belchamber who made the decisive breakthrough, taking the first four wickets at a cost of 52 runs.

The declaration came with Harold Wood's total standing at 188 for six from 52 overs.

The Brentwood opening pair of Ian Coleman (71) and Dave Berry (50) got them off to a perfect start with a stand of 96 in good time, and Chris Boon (25) and Tom Davey (18 not out from only 12 balls) saw Brentwood home at 189 for five.

Curiously, although Brentwood's third team occupied fourth place in the league table prior to Saturday's game, they had not hitherto won a single game but they remedied this against top-of-the-table Wickford.

Winning the toss for the first time this season, skipper Ken Lingwood put Wickford in to bat and they accumulated a reasonable total of 203 for nine from 52 overs, Rob Coote taking three for 38, Dean Goddard two for 33, and Paul Webb two for 51.

Brentwood had few problems in reaching 206 for four from only 38 overs, with Steve Morritt (50no) in good form and well supported by Barry Brooks (43) and Jason Swan (37).

The fourth team lost a cliffhanger to Horndon-on-the-Hill, the winning runs coming off the penultimate ball of the game.

Brentwood made a rousing 204 for three, with skipper Alan Houston (86no) leading the way and Dwight Johnson (69) also among the runs.

Horndon replied with 205 for seven with one ball to spare, Neil Webb (3-29) being the pick of the bowlers, and Alan Houston taking two for 14.

Brentwood's young fifth team found Trojans too strong. Trojans totalled 201 for nine (Daniel Latham 3-21, Conor Myers 2-35, Carl Manterfield 2-38).

This proved too many for Brentwood who were all out for 123,Simon Manterfield scoring 31.

On Saturday, Brentwood first team host Ardleigh Green in a Shepherd Neame League match (2pm start).

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