F&HCC Match Report 14/06/2025
During my long drive back up the A1 to Lincs on Saturday night I had plenty of time to contemplate how I would put together this match report. The events at The Paddock earlier in the day were such that I was left with a feeling that I would never be able to do justice to the drama and quality served up by both our First XI and opponents Hornchurch. It is with trepidation that I offer you the following and can only hope it does some justice to the efforts of Khushi, Bilal, Ben Waine, Edwards, Hankins and Vijay et al.
A lost toss saw Hornchurch inevitably decide to bat first on what looked, and played, like a fabulous batting wicket. I think the modern parlance of ‘a road’ probably is accurate. All the more credit then to the start made by Fives and especially opening quick Ben Waine. Operating from The Lane end he found the outside edge of Sorrell’s bat with Feroze making a sharp low grab at second slip look much easier than it was before comprehensively rearranging Luke Edwards stumps with a dynamite yorker. A score of 26-2 represented a wonderful opening from the home side.
Former county pro, George Hankins, joined Lesbourne Edwards at the crease intending to recover the early damage. Hankins watchful and cautious but oozing class whilst Edwards displayed a remarkable eye and Caribbean flair to flay the ball out of the ground and place immediate pressure on the spare balls collection. Suddenly a chance, Hankins mis-queuing Kaumal straight up, only for all rules of physics to be torn to shreds as the ball drifted on the breeze and landed the wrong side of the rope to the despair of the Fives lads.
That element of fortune may have gone the way of the former Gloucestershire batsman, but his afternoon became demonstratively worse when adjudged caught behind by Aryan down the legside off the bowling of spinner Kaumal. When moments later Edwards misjudged a Brad Copper deliver and was bowled Fives were clearly in the ascendancy at 77-4.
However, Hornchurch weren’t National T20, European and Essex League champions in recent times without reason. Despite both starting their partnership together on zero Jalpesh Vijay and Billy Gordon batted in outstanding fashion. Whilst all rounder Gordon was happy to play low risk, board ticking over cricket his partner Vijay was in full flow. The standard of his batting was some of the best seen to date this season as he raced to 68 without the merest glimpse of a chance. The one hundred partnership had just been achieved when Nipo pushed one through that took the edge and Aryan gobbled up the opportunity for a much-needed break through before lunch.
Refreshed by the handsome chilli option during the interval, paceman Waine returned from The Mansion end and took his third wicket as James miscued to mid off with Ed Fluck pouching the simplest of catches. The innings was in the balance at 203-6. One sensed either a Fives mopping up of the tail and 250 all out or a hard-hitting Hornchurch wagging of the tail blasting them towards 350. It was the latter! In fairness to our lads when you must deal with Adeel Malik at 8 and Harry Hankins batting at 9 you could be forgiven for thinking not taking wickets earlier might have been more advantageous. Hankins hit 150 off 80 balls in last weeks league game for some idea of scale. Anyway, both smashed the ball to all parts (mostly out of the ground into neighbouring postcodes) as the board rattled along before falling to Bilal and Nipo.
With a declaration impending Billy Gordon appeared to be given one over to reach three figures but his fine innings was terminated on 89 by a boundary catch by Viv Hassen as Bilal claimed his second wicket. Hornchurch drew stumps and declared on 348-9 with 6 overs to spare that would be tagged onto the end of the Fives innings.
Given the size of the chase one could have forgiven Fives for having a mentality of looking to score 250 to achieve maximum batting bonus points. Surely there was too much to do against a hugely experienced bowling unit to even consider the prospect of a victory.
Another week and another new opening pair for Fives as arguably two of our more ‘technically correct’ batters were dispatched to blunt the bowling attack as Ben Yeats and Aryan Gupta took to the field. Both made a confident start, with Yeats looking in much better nick than early season, as he cut and drove Gordon to the ropes for fine boundaries as he made the early inroads into the total. Alas, that promise was extinguished with an edge to gully as Gordon achieved his revenge as Yeats departed for 18. When the same bowler removed Viv second ball trapped LBW another challenging Fives day with the willow looked likely.
Enter Feroze Khushi. If last weeks innings was skittish and a tad frantic this time around (only his second innings back from a long injury lay-off) it was of the highest quality as Feroze looked the outstanding pro level player, we know him to be. His entire innings was scored at a constant rate of just better than a run a ball and yet he never seemed to take a risk. The running between the wickets was a masterclass as good balls went for at least one and anything remotely short or offline was punished for a boundary. To watch this level of craft for free was a privilege. As good as he is Feroze needed partners and this week he found plenty of support. The travails of previous weeks were cast aside as virtually all of our batting unit suddenly looked to have found form and confidence. Aryan added 26 before he was adjudged leg before to former Lancs, Leics and Hampshire quick Gavin Griffiths. Ed Fluck added 19 before he miscued a pull off the same paceman.
With the board on 124-4 the skipper joined action having dropped down from his normal opening slot and they forged a vital partnership of 89 as Brad batted within himself to support the continuing efforts of Feroze. There was barely a dot ball as entire overs passed with six singles taken down to long on/long off. Hornchurch looked content as they considered Fives to be miles off threatening the winning total whilst our lads were content to take the game ‘long’ and see if there was a potential for a late heave once we were in some kind of range of the target.
Cops best innings of the season to date ended on 37 leaving us 213-5 with Feroze on the cusp of another hundred. Huz Umer in all truth maybe isn’t a man for dabbing it down the ground for one. However, Fives equivalent of ‘The Big Show’ probably had consumed one too many Monsters as he attempted to see if he could reach Debden with a slog sweep fourth ball only to find the hands of Griffiths.
Another of Fives slightly out of batting form players joined Feroze who by this stage had reached a magnificent hundred and was looking to push on and see where he could take the innings. If Bilal was out of form, like others before him, you would never have known as he looked in great fettle. Playing the perfect foil to the whirlwind attack now in full motion from the bat of Khushi the scoreboard flew along and one could tell by the body language that Hornchurch were for the first time troubled.
Into the final hour we went with Fives needing 120 odd in a minimum of 17 overs and all of a sudden, those 6 extra overs appeared crucial. Billy Gordon called over to the scorebox with surprised words to the effect of ‘They’re still in this!!!’. Both scorers readily concurred with that assessment.
As well as Bilal was batting in support, it seemed inevitable that Fives fortunes were totally reliant on Feroze getting us over the line. Hornchurch clearly believed that and I suspect that would have been the unanimous view of all fortunate enough to be watching from the side.
Suddenly, a match turning incident of the highest controversy. Feroze was flat out trying to complete a quick two. The ball was returned towards the stumps at his end. I need to tip toe carefully at this point. What is not in any dispute is i) The stumps were broken ii) Feroze was out of his ground and iii) the keeper had failed to take the ball cleanly. All hell broke loose!
I’ll stick to the facts. There was barely an audible appeal but Feroze was given run out. There were animated conversations between players about the appeal and the decision. The decision was overturned briefly and signalled as such before being reinstated by the umpire. Tempers frayed and I would suggest many involved would wish they had acted in a more considered and controlled manner. The outcome was Feroze run out (the ball having struck the wicket keepers head and deflected onto the stumps apparently) for a majestic 130. Oh that and 5 penalty runs added to the Hornchurch total for disciplinary reasons as if the total wasn’t huge enough as it was. 277-7, Kushi back in the dressing room and game over. Well, it would be wouldn’t it?
Next ball to Bilal. Out the middle of the bat and 4. Next ball and Bilal launches it out the ground for a maximum. Hang on, aren’t Fives supposed to be beaten by now?
And on it went. Bilal batting like the love child of Shahid Afridi and Harry Brook receiving unbelievable on field support from Ben Waine and off field support from everyone else. Fives ‘batting fuelled by anger’ was my fellow scorers accurate observation.
Balls were flying everywhere. Former pro-bowlers were brought on – smashed for 15 an over – and replaced by other who received the same treatment. Only one chance was offered and spurned as Bilal deserved his one moment of fortune producing a remarkable knock of 71* in 49 balls with Ben Waine 25* from 24. When Ben flicked the ball off his legs Fives had chased down 353 in 60.2 overs to record a remarkable win.
Obviously, the result always helps but this was a majestic game of cricket that had everything. Chaos too on the periphery of play as the Frog Box committed ‘Hari kari’ during a gust and the scoreboard clock face blew off. The spare balls had reached and gone beyond critical and as the glorious late sunshine cast shadows across our beautiful little ground the umpires settled down to complete the required mass of paperwork. They probably got home around the same time as I hit Grantham!!!
It was always going to be one hell of a season. If we bat like this most weeks, I reckon we’ll be back doing it again in 2026. Chapeau Feroze, Chapeau Bilal, In fact, fair play to all you boys. Outstanding effort from everyone.
The promotion chasing 2’s travelled to West Essex having been denied a win against the same opposition last week by the rain. A fine bowling performance led by Mustafa Kamal (4-27) and Ben Little (3-24) was the undoing of the home sides batting as they slumped to 156 all out.
We recovered from the shock of losing Terry Ballard for a duck to win by 5 wickets with runs from Owen Humphrey (45), Rohan Qureshi (35) and Rishin Patel (24*).
The Third XI batted first and had a challenging start losing early wickets. Strong middle order resistance dragged the score up to 190-7 with Karan Kumar making 50, Rob Allum 38 and Jasbir Singh 20.
Three early wickets put Fives on top but Benfleet recovered well to win despite three wickets for Azan Hamid and a brace for Aamir Ali.
Not a great day out in Walthamstow for the Four’s. Having won the toss and batted their total of 123 all out was disappointing. James McKay with 20 out top score on the day. Despite a battling effort in the field we lost by 6 wickets. Some pretty impressive bowling figures nevertheless with Mohammed Ismail 1-22 (7), Zahid Gul 0-17 (8), James McKay 1-18 (8) and Nikhil Patel 1-29 (8).
More First XI action at The Paddock this weekend as we entertain Hutton. Deano no doubt spending his week trying to source used league balls to add to his list of jobs (hope you boys appreciate his efforts!!!). The 2’s are at Wickford, Third XI travel to Harold Wood to play their 4’s and our Four’s grace Old Chigs where they meet Oakfield Parks.
Good luck to all.
Andy