Match Report 05/07/2025
1stXI
Fives and Heronians fell to a frustrating five wicket defeat against Brentwood the current national champions, in a game that promised much, but ultimately hinged on missed opportunities in the field and some poor batting at crucial times in the game.
Batting first, Fives were anchored by a century from Viv Hassan, who held the innings together. Despite his effort, the side couldn’t fully build around him, with the innings losing momentum at key stages. Ben Yeats and Aryan Gupta saw off the new ball to put on 48 for the first wicket but found it tough to score with any real consistency. Aryan was out with four balls to go before lunch for a patient 68. At lunch Fives were 164 for 2 from 50 overs leaving 14 overs to post a defendable score.
We should have reached 250 for maximum batting points as a minimum, but some good bowling and some poor shot selections, plus a couple of run outs saw Fives close on 234-9 even though a stronger total looked possible. 30 to 40 runs short, but forced to settle for a score that was below par.
In response, Ben Waine tore through Brentwood’s top order with a fiery opening spell, putting the visitors under serious pressure early on. Ben took the three wickets that fell and at 44-3 and some of their seriously good top batters back in the changing room, saw Fives with a real spring in their step. However, a couple of dropped catches at crucial moments proved costly, as Brentwood steadied and gradually took control with a 120 run partnership for the 4th wicket. Both batters parted within 3 runs of each other to again give Fives a chance to stamp their authority and make Brentwood scrap for every run. Brentwood needed 70 runs so it was game on. Unfortunately, we did not bowl in the right areas. Bowling lots of balls far too short, on a wicket that spun and bounced if pitched in the right areas. Brentwood chased down the target with five wickets in hand, capitalising on the chances Fives let slip. Fives took 8 points and move down one place to sixth in the league
A match with some good individual performances, but one that got away due to a lack of ruthlessness at key moments. Plenty to build on for the weeks ahead.
We are competing with the best sides in the county but at crucial moments we really need to think about the game situation and play accordingly. Half way through the season and there have been many many positives. We hope to be back to full strength for our trip to Buckhurst Hill this Saturday where hopefully we get back to winning ways.
2nd Team
Chasing a towering 300, the second team fought valiantly but ultimately fell 12 runs short in a gripping contest. At the heart of the chase was a stunning innings from Terry Ballard, who smashed a magnificent 139 — a knock filled with class, and power.
Terry seemed to be steering the ship home singlehandedly, expertly rotating the strike and dispatching loose deliveries to the boundary. But with 80 runs still needed and the finish line in sight, Terry’s dismissal turned the game on its head.
His wicket triggered a collapse that left the lower order with too much to do. Despite some late resistance, the momentum had shifted, and the second team finished agonizingly close at 288 and move down to 3rd in the table but still within touching distance of the top two.
3rd Team
A fighting effort from Five’s 3rd XI wasn’t enough to secure victory, as they went down narrowly to Hadleigh in a closely contested match.
Batting first, Five’s were anchored by solid half-centuries from Anand Khandelwal and Aamir Ali, who steadied the innings after early losses. However, wickets fell at regular intervals, and despite their efforts, the team was bowled out for 163, with several overs left unused.
Defending a modest total, Five’s bowlers came out with real intent. Harsh Desai was the standout bowler, ripping through the middle order with an excellent spell of 5 for 31, while Azan Hamid provided valuable support with 3 for 57. Their efforts gave Five’s a glimmer of hope, especially as Hadleigh found themselves under pressure at various stages of the chase.
But in the end, Hadleigh managed to hold their nerve, reaching the target 8 wickets down, sealing a narrow win with some lower-order resilience.
4th Team
The 4s suffered a heartbreaking one-wicket loss to Chingford in a tense encounter. Batting first, Fives were indebted to a composed and unbeaten 63 from the ever-reliable Ben Britton, helping the side reach a total of 159.
In reply, Chingford found runs hard to come by thanks to outstanding bowling spells from Ismail and Giles, who claimed three wickets apiece and kept the pressure firmly on. With Chingford nine down and still needing 25 runs, the game hung in the balance.
However, despite the valiant efforts in the field and with the ball, Chingford edged over the line to secure a narrow victory and take 20 valuable points.