George Dabby’s account of our first game against this north Essex team.

A quick review of the action…

Oliver Riches opened up the bowling with Chris Ancil on a fine day in Essex. On a green seamer, they both displayed remarkable control with the swinging ball and produced one of the best opening spells I’ve seen as a Bushman. Oli and Chris picked up two each and that included three batsmen who all looked like they’d spent some time with ECB coaches and a Saturday team.

Great Canfield never quite recovered from this opening spell and some energetic Bushman fielding. They were strangled by Clyde Jeavons, who bowled eight miserly overs and picked up the wicket of their top-scoring batsman. The ‘kiddy killer’ strikes again, our man chopping on to a ball that cut in off a good length.

Special mention also to Andy Popperwell, who took his first wicket of the season.

And to Mowbray, who kept superbly all game.

Great Canfield were restricted to just 118 off 40 overs.

We got off to a flyer after tea. Our two ringers, Jack and Peter, got us to 40 for no loss before Canfield’s young quick bowler produced a fabulous spell that saw off our openers and Chris Ancil. But we soldiered on. Oliver chipped in with the bat this time for a quick 20 while the Skipper dug in for an unattractive 30-odd. Had it not been for Howard’s heroics at the end, it may have been a tense finish.

Well done all!