F&HCC Match Report 12/07/2025
First XI Stymied at Buckhurst Hill
After two tough weeks with fixtures against sides at the top of the table the First XI made the short journey to Roding Lane to face relegation threatened Buckhurst Hill. No doubt both sides had ear-marked this game as potentially winnable and consequently it was heartening that we were able to select from a full compliment with players returning from suspension and other abstractions.
It was also business as usual in the score box, despite the best efforts of my car (currently contravening multiple sections of the Road Traffic Act) and TfL who chose to shut down the Essex section of the Central Line for the day. Enormous thanks to those who stood in whilst I was away and a formal doff of the cap to Steve Poulter for his excellent match reports.
Captain Copper won the toss and elected to bat. The decision was probably half tactical and half self-preservation given the thermometer mercury was pushing 80 degrees at half ten in the morning. Ben and Aryan were despatched to see off the new ball against the dangerous Hill seamers although Hendro Puchert opening salvo was as uncomfortable and stiff a delivery as you’ll see in First XI cricket – it ended up in the hands of second slip! Nevertheless, Senior Puchert is formidable, adroit and experienced campaigner who was back on a metronomic length thereafter. At the other end it was fire and brimstone from 16-year-old Essex quick Aditya Singh.
Just as it looked as the Fives batsmen were becoming established Aryan had to drag himself from the wicket having been adjudged caught behind off the now fully loose Puchert. I think it’s fair to say Aryan may not have been entirely happy with that decision. A minor ripple turned into a dangerous riptide in the tenth over as young Singh struck twice removing Viv Hassen to an aerial shot well caught at mid off and then producing a ‘jaffa’ to demolish Ben Yeats stumps.
Batting was far from easy at this stage, as one end in particular produced exaggerated uneven bounce, and Fives needed a period of stabilisation that was afforded by Feroze Khushi and Ed Fluck. The pair consolidated and then as the bowling changed began to score more freely. Ed, in particular, started to find the boundary with some attractive shot making whilst Feroze accumulated without risk.
With the scoreboard approaching one hundred, and with-it Fives starting to take the ascendency, Ed was trapped leg before sweeping spinner Johal departing for a well made 43. The fifth wicket fell at 116 when Kabs edged to slip after Johal got one to leap off a length outside off stump and it was a game very much in the balance. Enter a refreshed and holidayed skipper.
The post lunch partnership between Brad Copper and Feroze was crucial and the largest within the match. The pair added 90 taking Fives score beyond the 200 mark. For Brad it was a return to his best of previous seasons as he played with a freedom ticking along at almost a run a ball whilst Feroze anchored the innings. Feroze reached his half century in 85 balls and then began to open up, brutally straight driving to excellent effect.
How many superb innings at any level are ended by a low full toss? Chalk up another for the dissertation as Feroze nailed one from Essex 2’s spinner Dwivedi straight into the hands of Johal on the long off boundary to conclude his innings on 77. At 201-6 the minimum requirement was maximum batting points at 250. That was achieved and more. Brad made a notable 61 and then the lower order contributed led by Ben Waine with 27 and Bilal Kamal who added 19.
The innings reached the mandatory close on 277-8 (64 overs). It definitely felt better than par and one wondered exactly what the home sides approach would be in chasing.
Frankly, the answer to that question was never clear. Hill opener Jaspal flayed the ball to all parts early on but then went into his shell to ever increasing levels as the field became less attacking. The fear of defeat, given the context of the season, appeared to carry greater weight than any real attempt to chase down the target. So, with Hill only making an apparent half-hearted effort to gain victory what of Fives efforts to grab the ten wickets required?
Given the generally batting friendly weather and a pitch that had long lost its demons and become relatively benign as the day progressed it was clear Fives would need to take every half chance on offer. Good grief where do I begin. My missed chances notes were in danger of reaching essay proportions by the close. To be fair, all of those many chances were tough but at First XI Premier League level they must be taken more often than not. The count was up to eight though by the time we started to hold on to anything and the victory had slipped from our collective grasp.
Jaspal was the chief beneficiary of our profligacy – five opportunities squandered before Bilal held a return catch (off a low full toss – add another!) – the Hill opener benefitting to the tune of 68 runs. Kaumal and Ben Waine had taken a wicket each early and Jaspal’s late departure from the middle left Hill 138-3 with only 21 overs remaining.
Sandun Dias obviously considered our lads needed additional catching practice and happily skied another couple – again tough but again shelled in the field. His batting partner Rashid made the mistake of presenting a far easier chance that Bilal comfortably held on the deep mid-wicket boundary but only 30 runs had been added in 10 overs as the required rate headed towards double figures.
With the game seemingly out of reach Hill, one assumes confident of being in a position they couldn’t lose from or perhaps just confident nothing would be caught, began to play with purpose and aggression. Almost to rub salt into Fives wounds we then witnessed two of the best catches of the season to date. Ben Yeats took one whilst fully extended diving backwards at mid on to see off Dwivedi followed by Viv Hassen holding yet another Dias skier after he made ground and dived full length to make the grab.
Alas, time ran out with Hill closing on 211-6 as both sides played a game of who can secure an additional bonus point (a sub game won by the home side).
Kaumal ended with 3-55 in his 21 overs, Bilal took 2-42 and Ben Waine the other wicket. Brad and Viv bowled well without reward in the wicket column.
A frustrating outcome but Fives secured 13 points to Hill’s 9 and given other results elsewhere we pulled further away from the drop zone so far from a total disaster.
A couple of miles away at The Paddock the Second XI were disappointed to lose to Oakfield Parks. Rohan won the toss and fancied a bat. Leading from the front he made a fine 44 but despite all the top order getting to double figures nobody could go on to make a telling score. Shahrukh Irfan added 41 and James McKay 34 but 206 all out isn’t often enough at home.
And so it proved as despite a real fighting effort from Fives the visitors got home by 3 wickets in the penultimate over. The crucial difference being an individual score of 95 from Mannan Arora. Terry Ballard was the star with the ball taking 4-31 in 11 overs whilst Shahrukh Irfan, Mohammed Adams and a run out accounted for the other wickets.
Much better news from the Third XI who beat Brentwood 4’s in a very tight finish. A very good bowling effort restricted Brentwood to 189 all out with Aamir Ali destroying the tail taking 3-4 in 3.4 overs. Earlier, Asim Shamsudin took 3-52 and Azan Hamid 2-40.
In a game that fluctuated repeatedly Fives got home with 3 wickets in hand. Aamir Ali capped a match winning performance with 47 (from 40 balls), supported by Nitin Nagpal (36) and towards the finish Sahib Sungeen who made a vital 35 not out. Sahib received vital late support from Asim Shamsudin who made 23.
The 4th XI found themselves on a challenging deck away at Parks. They bit the bullet and batted first and made a very handy 249-6 in their 40 overs. Owen Humphrey led with 60 from 70 balls whilst Gary Norris got runs again with 50 off 43. Zahid Gul added a handy 37 in a good batting effort from the side.
A fine fielding effort that included three run outs went along way to secure the victory by 37 runs. Musa Zafar, Owen Humphrey and Gary Edwards all took a brace of wickets each as 20 points were secured.
Title chasing Colchester are the First XI visitors this coming week to The Paddock. They possess the best seam attack we’ve faced this season to date in young Essex prospect Gladwell and Auckland pro Wheeler in action. The Twos have the joy of travelling in return to face their 2’s, the 3’s go to Wickford and the Fourth XI grace Old Chigs as they entertain West Essex.
Go well all and have a lovely week.