Wanstead and Snaresbrook Cricket Club

Hornchurch 1st XI v Wanstead 1st XI

An 'end of season' performance by the firsts against Hornchurch on Saturday, highlighted by a number of dropped catches.  At the start of the match, we knew we needed a win or 5 bonus points to ensure 2nd place, but we were unable to achieve either. On a turning wicket, we were asked to bat first and were bowled out for 178 in the 41st over, giving us 2 bonus points. Haaris made 57, Kishen made 40, and Harith 26, but we had no answer to the spin of Malik who took 5 for 23 in 9 overs.  Although we took 2 early wickets, Hornchurch played positively from the start and reached our total with only 4 wickets down in the 27th over, including a century from George Hankins. We earned just a single bowling bonus point, and Brentwood's win meant we finished third in the league.

Wanstead 4th XI v Stanford Le Hope

Putting the opposition in to bat, the Herons kept Stanford Le Hope (who were giving their younger players a chance up the order) to just 42 for 2 from 23 overs at drinks. The senior batters came out attacking to up the run rate, but tight lines from Neil (3 for 41), Nikhil (1 for 30) and Ibby (1 for 14) meant the game stayed well within our grasp. It was then left to Amaan (3 for 0!) and Zaman (1 for 2) to mop up the tail. 12 out of the 36 overs were maidens as we bowled Stanford out for 109, showing how disciplined the bowling attack has become.

Dave Sacree (59 not out) was looking for an early finish and wasted no time getting us to 71 from 10 overs before the tea break. That clearly weighed us down, however, as it took another 11 overs to wrap up the win. In the end, a very controlled performance meant we overtook Stanford at the final hurdle to finish 5th. A very strong second half of the season meant the 4s managed to prevent a third successive relegation - a situation which looked unlikely after being winless from the first 7 games. Plenty to build on next year as we look to climb the ladder again.

Wanstead 1st XI v Buckhurst Hill 1st XI

Another good win for the 1st XI keeps us second in the table, needing 5 points next week to secure the runners up spot. On a tricky Wanstead pitch, we batted first and as is the norm some poor shot selection left us in trouble at 90 for 4. Some sensible batting in the middle overs however, and some explosive hitting at the end got us up to 255 with the standout of the show being Haaris Usman who carried his bat for 133 not out in a magnificent innings. Wanstead bowled well throughout the second innings and wickets were shared around as we bowled out Buckhurst Hill for 227 for a comfortable win.

Wanstead 3rd XI vs Ilford

With our backs against the wall, there was only one way to survive and that was to win and hope Harlow were rolled over by Upminster.  On an exploding park wicket, where 140 runs seemed to be a par score, we lost the toss and were put into bat. An early wicket gave us a minor set back but Sulayman Tahir and Zafar Saiyed began to build a healthy platform with some calculated stroke play. However, as Sulayman fell for 42, it opened the door to a flurry of wickets from a mixture of inconsistent bounce and pitch explosions that left us reeling at 104 for 5 . Paul Richardson and Zafar continued the resistance and didn’t panic but began to counter attack at the right moments. As we passed the 200 mark, Zafar finally holed out at long on for a fearless 84 but the tail continued to wag and taunt our local rivals. Aaryan Patel smashing an unbeaten 42 and Jon Gritten’s death touches rubbed further salt into the Ilford wounds as we massed a daunting 277 for 8 on a deteriorating wicket. It would seem that Ilford were licking their wounds at lunch as they decided to take an extended break, leaving the Herons on the pitch waiting for the batters for 15 minutes after the agreed time. 

Despite some attacking intent, Abdur Barry picked up an early wicket and we could feel the buzz, however a further onslaught saw Ilford reach 40 for 1 in 6 overs. What was to follow was quite special as a ruthless tactical change by the skipper swapped our leading wicket taker for the extra pace and height of Aaryan Patel. The bowling change gave immediate reward as the batter was rushed and pulled one to mid wicket. This was followed by a rip snorter of a yorker as Aaryan found a lethal rhythm and tore apart their middle order. The frustration of some decisions seemed to fuel his spell as he finished his 7 overs with 5 for 29. With the rain threatening, Sulayman was brought on and began to cause problems but it took a long hop to be plucked out of the sky with one hand by the skipper to break a short lower order attempt to salvage some bonus points. The following over Paul Richardson came back with a point to prove after being taken off in his opening spell. That he did as cleaned up the last three wickets in 4 balls, narrowly missing out on a hattrick that swept away Ilford for 122.  

At long last the boys tasted victory again after two months of suffering. It shows you should never give up but thrive when faced with despair. A win when it mattered most as we learned Harlow lost, leaving us 10 points apart on the last day of the season. It promises to be a nail biting end as we need a win against Shenfield and Harlow to lose to league leaders West Essex to stay in the Premier. Will the 3rd XI pull themselves out of the depths of despair or will they be left to crawl down to the first division? Find out next week!

Wanstead 4th XI v Old Southendians

The 4s secured safety for the first time in 3 years after beating table toppers Old Southendians at Nutter Lane.  Losing the toss and being made to field, the opposition scored steadily with wickets hard to come by, though decent bowling kept the run rate in check. The seam bowling was tight to start, but there were excellent spells of spin to close the innings. Neil Patel took 3 wickets and bowled well in partnership with Amaan Khilji who was unrewarded for tight bowling at the other end. A mention to Yuvraj Patel for stepping up with the gloves, to Soham Nayak for his diving take early on, and to Nikhil Patel for a stunning one handed catch above his head because he "couldn't be bothered to move"!

After an excellent tea, Zaman Malik and Hassan-Ali Iqbal took to the batting well with a partnership of 76, the former providing an anchor while Hassan-Ali batted aggressively for a quickfire 47. After his fall, Yuvraj came in and both he and Zaman scored half centuries, with another 75 partnership at a decent rate. This solid top order batting kept us up with the required run rate and successfully neutralised two of the top four wicket takers in the league. It was left to Soham to finish the job, hitting 20 runs from just 8 balls to give us a controlled win.

Wanstead 5th XI v Gidea Park

Wanstead's 5th XI were playing away at Gidea Park, won the toss and decided to bowl first on a green looking pitch and overcast conditions. The decision soon paid off as our young fast blowers Ishaan, Ibrahim and Omer bowled with accuracy. Gidea Park found it difficult to score and were 4 down for 40 odd runs after 15 overs. However two of their middle order batters put us under pressure and our change bowlers went for plenty of runs. We also dropped 5 catches in the field. At one stage Gidea Park were on track for a 250 score, but we pulled it back nicely when two strong batters got out. Ibrahim got 2 wickets, Rajesh 3 and Mital 2.

We were chasing 225 to win but weren’t able to put big partnerships together. Omer played nicely with his 47 and Devang 52, but there was a collapse as none of our middle order batters could provide support to Devang. We were all out for 175 in the 39th over.

Wanstead 1st XI v Colchester 1st XI 

A good win for the firsts against Colchester in the league on Saturday in a low scoring match. On a pitch with unpredictable bounce, we were asked to bat first. Although some of our dismissals were due to poor shot selection,  others were got out by unplayable deliveries. Top scorers were Harith with 46 and Hassan with 33, which took him to almost 1,000 runs in all competitions this season.  With Colchester bowling tightly and fielding well throughout the innings, we were bowled out for 196 in the 49th over. 

We needed to bowl well, and Hassan got us off to a good start with 2 early wickets.  Colchester then rebuilt for their third and fourth wickets, and at drinks, the game was in the balance. The introduction of Yuvraj into the attack turned the game in our direction, with him taking 4 for 21 from 8.4 overs, and going past the bat on countless occasions. All of the bowlers contributed, either by taking wickets or restricting the scoring, and Colchester were bowled out for 155 in the 47th over, giving us a 41 run victory.

Brentwood 1st XI v Wanstead 1st XI
The 1st XI rescued an honourable draw on Saturday to keep them second in the table. Brentwood won the toss and batted first on a good wicket. With limited bowling options available and Zain getting injured early on, it was tough going, despite creating some chances and pressure at the start of the innings. Brentwood eventually declared on 333 and we set about positivity in the chase. However some poor shot selections left us 53 for 3 off 8 overs at tea. Two more quick wickets fell leaving all hope of a win lost before Harith and Ali Zeb began rebuilding. Ali Zeb batted well under increasing pressure before unluckily being dismissed but Harith held firm and batted extremely maturely. Against an increasingly frustrated Brentwood team, Harith remained unflustered to reach his a chanceless first 100 for the 1st XI (and only our second in the league all year!). Nabeel Aziz also scored a brilliant 100 but unfortunately this was balls faced for a well made 48 not out to leave us on 271 for 7 and securing the draw.

Into the one day games and league cup semi-final next weekend as we head into the last part of the season.

Wanstead 2nd XI v Chingford 2nd XI

The 2nds lost their top spot in the league on Saturday following a close defeat against Chingford. Despite missing a number of our regular bowlers, we managed to restrict Chingford to 187 for 8 from their 50 overs. Zoraiz took a wicket in his first over, then Chingford started to put together a second wicket partnership that was broken thanks to a fine catch by Pavan off the same bowler, but a further 4th wicket partnership of 85 was in retrospect, decisive. Zoraiz was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with 5 for 50.

Zoraiz then opened the batting with a solid 38, before a 'blast from the past' partnership between Arfan (45) and Tom (41), including a number of quick singles and twos, put us in a good position at the start of the last hour.  Unfortunately we kept losing wickets, and were bowled out for 181 to lose by 6 runs.

Gorsebrook 3rd vs Wanstead 5th XI

After winning the toss, Ash decided to bat first on a very dry looking wicket anticipating it to get worse to bat on in the second innings. We soon realised that it was a wrong decision as the balls started bouncing head high from a good length, however openers Rajesh and Ibrahim provided a watchful start until Ibrahim hit one straight back to the bowler and Rajesh soon followed. We lost two further wickets quickly but Yuvraj and Zaman steadied the ship in the middle order against some good bowling. Yuvraj played some attacking shots for his 33, Zaman then continued to play tactically, mixing his attacking and watchful play as required. Zaman was out in the 45th over on 87 trying to get to his 100. The 5ths finished on 216 all out.

In the second innings, Ishaan provided an ideal start, getting one of their openers clean bowled, however we were soon put under pressure by their strong middle order. Mital (3 wickets) and Hardik (2 wickets) supported by some good catching provided us with 5 dismissals but we couldn’t stem the flow of runs, especially from their top scorer (62 runs). We reintroduced Ishaan who bowled brilliantly with the old ball getting their top scorer caught on the boundary by Dean. The opposition needed 8 runs in the last 2 overs with 1 wicket left. Ishaan and Dean came to the team’s rescue again with Dean taking a great diving catch to get us over the line. Gorsebrook finished on 208 all out and Ishaan took 5 wickets for 30 runs.

Loughton 1st XI v Wanstead 1st XI 
Dukes Essex League Cup quarter final 
The 1st XI beat Loughton in the quarter finals of the Dukes Essex League Cup on Sunday. 
After winning the toss and chosing to bat, we put on a competitive score of 297 for 7 from our 45 overs. Haaris provided the backbone of the innings, scoring a patient 100, with useful support from Yuvraj (43) and Kishen (50). Joe (20), Eshun (18) and Nabeel (24) pushed the score along at the end. 
Marley took a wicket in his first over, but Loughton then put on a big second wicket partnership of 144. It took the introduction of Nabeel into the attack (with Kishen taking over behind the stumps) along with Ali to turn the game in our favour. They both bowled well, with Ali finishing with 3 for 45 and Nabeel 4 for 49, as we bowled Loughton out for 245, winning by 52 runs. We move on to play Woodford Wells in the semi-final later this month. 
Wanstead 1st XI v Hutton 1st XI 

A frustrating draw for the first team against Hutton in the league on Saturday. We won the toss and batted, with Tom and Hassan putting on an opening stand of 177 before Tom was out for 97. Harith scored a breezy 43 and Hassan was eventually out for 101. We declared on 304 for 5 off 53 overs, with Ali not out on 37.
Early wickets from Eshun and Zain gave us a good start, and the spinners then started to work through the Hutton batters, reducing them to 195 for 7. We were then held up by an eighth wicket partnership from Hutton, who finished on 249 for 8, losing the 8th wicket to a run out in the final over, looking to get another bonus point.  We took 14 points from the game and remain second in the league.
Wanstead 3rd XI vs Ilford 
On a freshly cut strip, we lost the toss and were put in the field. An early wicket by Abdur Barry stimulated the Herons, however we had to be patient to break the 3rd wicket partnership. Once we got the break through (at 107 for 2), wickets began to fall at regular intervals as Ilford found themselves 206 for 6. Paul Richardson was the pick of our bowlers with figures of 4 for 82 in his 16 overs but yet again we were plagued by dropped catches and failed to close out the innings. Ilford’s tail wagged as they reached 272 all out in 49.1 overs and on a wearing pitch we needed to bat well to reach our target.
An explosive start with 38 in 4 overs was cut short by a low shooting delivery, dismissing our in-form Sulayman Tahir. Ibrahim Wajid began to mount a come back with a well calculated 39, but as he fell we began to lose wickets frequently as partnerships began to build. At 112 for 5, it looked a tall order but a fine innings by Aaryan Patel (61 not out) and a cameo from Shoab Iqbal (24) began to build some momentum. However, as the rate climbed to 10 and above it was difficult to keep up and we lost 3 quick wickets. it was time to shut up shop to prevent our local rivals from gaining 25 points and moving further from our grasp. Aaryan and Jefferson Drakeford pulled out their Rahul Dravid walls and saw out the draw as we finished on 225 for 8 at the close of play. A draw gaining 8 more points keeps us 9th and we continue to fight for survival as Harlow stay within touching distance at 8th. Next week we face West Essex away, who sit 3rd in the league. There will be no easy games but we will try everything within our power to stay in the Premier.
Wanstead 4th XI (258 for 7) beat Belhus (116) by 142 runs
A dominant win for the 4s, taking all 25 points against strugglers Belhus.
After losing the toss and being put in on a freshly rolled pitch on a warm day, a solid opening partnership between Dan Parsons (34) and Yuvraj Patel (37) saw the 4s get to the first drinks break without losing a wicket. Wickets did finally start to drop, but not before Faz Kassam struck a wonderful 74 from 73 on return from a couple of seasons out. Zafar Saiyed also made a swift 32 before some lower order runs took the score past 250.
The skipper and Qais Uzair took the new ball, with a frenetic start as Belhus came out smashing and edging plenty. The openers were eventually unseated and the wickets fell steadily, with Callum taking 3 for 42. With plenty of spinners in the side, the bowling was changed regularly and the wickets started to fall. Amaan took 2 for 17, Neil 2 for 5, and Abu 3 for 9 as Wanstead wrapped up the win comfortably.
Words can't do justice to the catch taken by Qais to start the final collapse, but it can safely be described as one of the best catches taken in any XI this year. A sprint along the boundary from long on towards cow corner, a full stretch dive, and a one handed grab just above the ground. Exceptional scenes.
Wanstead 5th XI (184 all out) lost to South Woodford 4th XI (186 for 7 from 37.3 overs)
After losing the toss, the 5ths were put into bat by a strong South Woodford bowling side. After a stable start, we lost wickets in clusters. Ritesh (60 not out) held the innings together with Rajesh contributing with his well made 36. 
In the field we started well with 3 wickets from Haaris who demonstrated quality fast bowling with accuracy, well supported by Ishaan with his control at the other end. There were a number of credible LBW shouts throughout the innings but unfortunately, none were given. We continued to take wickets but with tired bodies and minds, our bowlers lost accuracy towards the end and a few lapses in the field allowed South Woodford to cross the line in the 38th over.

Buckhurst Hill 1st XI v Wanstead 1st XI

A comprehensive 7 wicket win by the firsts against Buckhurst Hill kept us at the top of the league on Saturday.  Captain Kishen won the toss, put Buckhurst Hill into bat, and proceeded to take full advantage of the conditions, putting on a bowling masterclass. He finished with 7 for 29 off 15 overs in a total of 80 all out, supported by Zain who took 2 for 2 before he had to retire mid-over with a slight injury.
Our reply got off to a flying start, thanks to Tom and Hassan putting on a partnership of 51, before Tom fell for 26 to a superb one handed catch. We lost Robin shortly after, but Hassan calmed any nerves with 3 fours in an over.  He finished on 42 not out as we reached 81 for the loss of 3 wickets in the 15th over.

Wanstead 2nd XI v Hornchurch 2nd XI

Only a few things are guaranteed in life; Wanstead's 2nd XI winning another toss is one of them and when won, electing to bowl first. Hamza steamed in for an over before unfortunately getting injured. Marley and Finlay started tidily getting to drinks (17 overs) at 83 for 3. Post drinks, Hornchurch restarted well, getting 41 off the next 5 overs before Abhay and Zoraiz took a couple of crucial wickets, getting us back in the game at the second drinks break (156 for 6 off 34 overs). The same bowling partnership polished off the tail, ensuring no wag and finishing off with combined figures of 19.3 - 2 - 40 - 6, leaving Hornchurch all out for 174.

Zoraiz and Pav started the innings looking to continue their fine opening partnership and as things look set, we lost our first wicket for 40. Hornchurch consistently chipped away, leaving Wanstead on 113 for 4 and a sudden flurry of wickets reduced Wanstead’s score to 118 for 6. All of a sudden the game which looked like a relatively simple chase now looked like a mountain to climb on a deteriorating pitch. Finlay and George put on a crucial 30 run partnership before the skipper threw away his wicket at the worst possible time. With 25 runs to win and 2 wickets in hand the game was truly in the balance. 

George and Krish, the ninth wicket partnership, chipped away… ones here, twos there - and the score scrambled to 160. George then decided this was the over (against the opposition captains' bowling)… dot, dot, 6, dot, 4, 4 - a huge over going for 14. Scores were now level and the tension was relieved. Fittingly, George hit the winning runs, finishing on 30 not out off 47, causing celebrations to erupt around Overton Drive . A big shoutout to Krish, putting everything on his wicket with 7 off 34 as it also wouldn’t have been possible without his contribution! 
A great close win for the Wanstead 2s who still sit 16 points clear in the league.

Wanstead 3rd XI v Woodford Wells

After losing the toss, we were asked to bowl first on Woodford Wells tiny, postage stamp sized ground. A disastrous opening saw some very wayward bowling carted to the boundary, starting the game with 37 runs in the first three overs. However, we began to settle as Sulayman Tahir bowled with daring drift and our bowlers began to pick up wickets to stem the flow of the runs; most notably Paul Richardson, who ended with 4 wickets. At 248 for 8 our eyes lit up, knowing 300 or less would be more than attainable, however, their number 9 (who scored a hundred opening the batting for their 2nd XI the week before) entered the fray with clever sweeps and crashing boundaries, leaving the boys bewildered. The rapid 92 by their number 9 coupled with a steady 24 by their number 10 helped to mass a total of 370 all out in 49.5 overs. It was a formidable total after having them on the ropes but one we had no choice but to try to hunt down.

With the Herons crying out for a solid foundation we found ourselves succumbing to the pressure, losing 2 wickets in the first three overs. However, enter Sulayman Tahir (“A New Hope”) who manufactured a memorable innings, spoiling the crowd with mesmerising drives and impeccable timing. Whilst he formed the back bone of our resistance, there were eruptions that further unsettled the innings as a run out decision went our way. As Antony Smith went for a solid 28, Shoab Iqbal (29) soldiered on with Sulayman but our stars' exquisite innings of 129 came to an end as he was caught at cow corner. This led to a collapse as we tried to continue the heroic run chase, but the gamble left our lower ordered exposed and they were unable to see out a draw as we were bowled out for 278 in 39.2 overs.  
It wasn’t the win we craved but it was a very valuable 8 points gained. It looks like it will be a spicy scrap to the end to stay in the Premier but the difference in points remain tight at the bottom of the league. We go back into battle next week, hoping to defend our fortress at Nutter Lane vs Brentwood who sit 3rd in the league. Can we finally get the win we desire? Stay tuned!

Wanstead 4th XI (134 for 8) beat Horndon on the Hill (133) by 2 wickets

A tale of collapses at Nutter Lane as the 4s continued their upturn in form with a needlessly close win against Horndon on the Hill.  Sat just one point behind the opposition at the start of play, the skipper won the toss and elected to bowl knowing the depth of batting should have left any score chaseable.  The Horndon openers seemed to like the seam bowling, taking what felt like plenty of runs as the sun came out. The first wickets eventually came, but Horndon sat at 119 for 2 looking to build a formidable total. Spin was brought on after drinks, and this proved to be the silver bullet as Horndon's batting fell away completely with the loss of eight wickets for just 14 runs, including 5 wickets with the score unmoving on 122. Pavan Sunkara took 5 wickets for 13 runs, and Neil Patel took 3 for 5. Both bowled excellently and completely changed the game.

Setting out to chase a modest 133 in 61 overs, Zafar Saiyed took the initiative early on hitting all corners of the ground with a quick-fire 39. With the top order all making starts, the 4s found themselves 132 for 5, needing just two to extend our unbeaten run to 4 weeks. Clearly, the magnitude of the occasion was too much, as Horndon somehow took a hat trick. The skipper has to take a fair chunk of the blame after taking off his pads before the first of the three wickets, showing his ability to jinx even the most comfortable of wins remains alive and well. Another big win sees us jump to 6th in the table, potentially with ambitions to look upwards rather than downwards for a change.

A fantastic weekend for the 1st XI, with a win on Saturday taking us to the top of the league,  and another on Sunday taking us into the last 8 of the National Club Cup. 
Wanstead 1st XI v Wimbledon 1st XI 
A comprehensive 68 run win for Wanstead's 1st XI in the National Club Cup on Sunday. 

Having lost the toss, we were asked to bat first, and after a slightly delayed start, reached 41 without loss when the serious rain arrived. When we resumed, Wimbledon bowled tightly, backed up with some excellent ground fielding, until Kishen (37 not out) and Yuvraj (39) went on the attack to get us to a respectable total of 183 for 6 from 31 overs. This score was subsequently adjusted to 190 via Duckworth Lewis, then reduced to 174 off 27 overs, following another rain shower during the innings break. 
Wimbledon's innings got off to a flying start until 2 wickets in an over by Eshun (2 for 24) put the brakes on. Further tight bowling from Jahansher (3 for 19) and 2 wickets in 2 balls from Hassan (3 for 23) put us in the driving seat, and Wimbledon were bowled out for 106. 
Wanstead 1st XI v Chingford 1st XI 
Wanstead beat Chingford in the only Premier League game to take place on Saturday to go top of the league. 
Once the rain finally stopped, Wanstead won the toss and put Chingford into bat. Off 32 overs, Chingford reached 114 for 9, with Hassan taking 4 for 38, and Zain bowling through the innings and taking 3 for 49. 
Needing 115 off 28 overs, Tom and Haaris put on an opening stand of 72 before Haaris was bowled for 25. Hassan (14 not out), then joined Tom (70 not out) to win the game by 9 wickets with overs to spare. 

Wanstead 3rd XI v Upminster

With a depleted attack we bowled first on a rock hard Upminster wicket. They began blisteringly, however, Paul Richardson kept them on a string and tied them down at one end with his trickery and consistence. At drinks Upminster were 100 for 3 in 25 overs and we were very proud of our efforts. However, after Paul’s tight spell (16-3-48-2) the Upminster engine room began to kick in with a T20 special, clubbing our attack with some formidable striking. They ended on 285 for 4 in 50 overs but we knew with a solid foundation there would be a contest.

Our second innings started off very maturely by Pranav Nair and Pavan Patel with a solid and slowly accelerating 63 partnership before Pavan perished LBW for a well deserved 27. In stepped our vice captain, who batted sensationally with our star of the season, Pranav Nair. Together they showed their, class, intelligence and hard hitting as they put on a fearsome third wicket partnership of over 150. However, when they fell so did our momentum and we achieved a well earned draw, with Antony scoring 84 and Pranav holding out six runs shy of his maiden hundred. The herons ended on 255 for 4 in our 45 overs.

Wanstead 1st XI v Loughton 1st XI

In a game that ebbed and flowed all afternoon, Wanstead's first team eventually won by 26 runs.  Wanstead batted first and reached 143 for 3 at the half way point, but stumbled after the drinks break, losing wickets regularly.  Kishen top scored with 55, and most of the lower order added useful runs, but 245 all out was slightly under par.  A blistering opening spell by Zain reduced Loughton to 49 for 3, before a stand of 76 saw Loughton half way to their target just past the 25 over mark.  3 wickets then went for 10 runs, including a superb catch by Eshun, hopping on one leg on the boundary to ensure he didn't step over the rope! This seemed to put Wanstead in the driving seat, but then a 77 run partnership for the 7th wicket appeared to have Loughton coasting to victory.  2 wickets and a run out by Yuvraj and a final wicket by Eshun changed the story yet again as the last 4 went for 5 runs.

Wanstead 2nd XI vs Billericay 2nd XI

Heading into the final overs game, Wanstead’s 2nd XI looked to continue their perfect start and after winning the toss, Wanstead decided to field. A quick start by Billericay and Wanstead got their first wicket on 53 off 7.3 overs. After a tight squeeze from us, Billericay stumbled to 79 for 3 off 16.6. Post drinks, a sloppy, lacklustre fielding performance from the 2s gave Billericay a life line which allowed them to get past 200 - a final score of 215 for 8. 

A new opening pair of Abdullah and Aryan contributed to a dominant start for Wanstead, ensuring a 100 run partnership for the first wicket! Unfortunately shortly after, Abdullah fell on 70 (off 55 balls) after an aggressive start, with Wanstead on 109 for 1 off 16.2 overs. Shortly after, Aryan followed with Wanstead on 144 for 2 and with Rod and Harith there needing 72 to win. A composed finish, with Rod reaching 51 comfortably and keeping his head calm in order to allow Harith to also reach 50, needing 6 off the last ball to do so.  A great end to the overs game and looking forward to continuing our form into the timed games!

Wanstead 3rd XI vs Upminster 

With both teams still trying to conquer consistency, it promised to be a cagey affair and it didn’t disappoint. After winning the toss on a freshly cut strip, we put Upminster into bat and the Herons immediately applied pressure at both ends with Abdur Barry (7-0-21-1) and Ahmadullah Jan (7-2-13-0) stifling the opening pair, however it was with little reward as we put down two catches and failed to seize the initiative. 

Upminster began to build a solid 3rd wicket partnership as they found themselves 121 for 1. Paul Richardson (9-2-33-0) toiled hard with great frustration as we floored another opportunity and with the third wicket partnership becoming a sore subject, the skipper threw himself on and got a much needed break through, ending with 3 for 29 in 6 overs. A fantastic run out by Paul Richardson and a cameo from David Sacree (1 for 18) left Upminster on 207 for 8 from their 45 overs. 

At 41 for 0 we were quietly building confidence and momentum but that was quickly thwarted by two quick wickets. Zafar Saiyed and Pranav Nair began to repair the innings but as Zafar fell we were left with a bit to do at 79 for 3. However, some cleverly calculated counter attacking cricket from Pranav Nair (59) and Stephen Ramdial (38) helped to breathe hope back into the chances of victory. Devastatingly, cruise control was shutdown at 121 for 3 by another flurry of wickets. Suddenly, the Herons found themselves faltering until the tail found its wag. Soon, a helpless situation became close to a certain victory as Neil Patel (24 not out) and Abdur Barry put on a 24 run partnership leaving us 4 runs for victory with 8 balls to spare. A few sharp singles and a host of dot balls left an even more nail biting finish as we needed 2 off the last delivery. Despite Joel’s valiant dive, he was run out off the last ball and the Herons were left in shock. It appears that the dramatic finishes in the T20 World Cup have become infectious with the 3s. Let’s hope the Pakistani World Cup fever subsides and we hit back strong against Harlow on Saturday!

Wanstead 4th XI (147) lost to Walthamstow 3rd XI (215 for 5) by 68 runs

The 4s continued their consistent start to the season by losing their fourth game in a row.  Losing the toss and bowling first, Aaryan Patel bowled tight lines and finally got reward for his good bowling all year, taking 2 for 27. Amaan Khilji held up an end well, bowling 9 overs for just 20 runs. Unfortunately, the Walthamstow batters found success swinging from the hip, getting to 215.
Alas, the 4s batting woes continued and three early wickets fell. After a second collapse either side of the drinks break, the chase was long gone despite a strong 40 from Aaryan.

Wanstead 5th XI (268 for 6) won against South Woodford 4th XI by 122 runs.

South Woodford won the toss and put us into bat. Openers Rajesh and Zaman saw through the opening bowlers and some very low bounce. At the half way point we were 80 for 2, but some wayward bowling and attacking play by Shailen (77) and Ayan (31) got us to a massive score.

South Woodford started off with little intention to win and two wickets in two balls at the end of his spell by Jayden started the collapse. Despite one partnership in the middle, the opposition was bowled out for 146. Wickets were shared amongst the bowlers, with nine bowlers bowling for us.

Wanstead 6th XI v Oakfield Parkonians 5th XI

With the 6th XI still on the road (still no home game), we headed to Oakfield Parkonians to pit our wits and prowess against a wily 5th XI.

Losing the toss, we were asked to bowl, only for Mann Patel to take early wickets from one end before a first change due to injury brought Shakeel into this attack with more wickets tumbling. A 5th wicket stand halted our progress until drinks, and afterwards we saw first league wickets from Jack C (on debut) and Soham B, with further contributions from Sohail on his return to the 6th XI from retirement - wrapping up a strong session in the field with a great catch off his own bowling.

Chasing 136 to win, Sohail and the skipper opened to lay a decent foundation and Shakeel was unlucky not to get a 50 (out for 43) before a now customary middle order wobble. Jack C and Rayyan batted superbly to steady the ship and despite being 7 down, Saif partnered Rayyan to chip away before a fine first boundary for Rayyan’s innings brought it home. A proud first victory with special thanks to Mital and Raj as co vice captains and who marshalled the team superbly.

Wanstead 1st XI v Hadleigh & Thundersley 1st XI

A solid all-round performance gave Wanstead firsts a 7 wicket win over Hadleigh with more than 12 overs remaining. Bowling first, an excellent run out by Abdullah, 2 stunning catches by Zoraiz and Kishen, and a tight bowling display, with Ali returning figures of 3 for 32 in his 10 overs, restricted Hadleigh to 188 for 8. When Wanstead batted, Kishen top-scored with 58 and there were 40s for Hassan and Robin, who was not out.  This was all despite Hadleigh having an extra fielder (pictured below) who spent most of our innings on the outfield or begging food on the bank!

Wanstead 2nd XI (213 for 7) beat Chingford 2nd XI (92 all out)

With three wins from three, the 2nd XI looked to extend their winning run against Chingford. Losing the toss, Wanstead were sent into bat on a green deck and were on the ropes early at 41 for 4 off 9 overs. The next few overs of pressure were soaked up by Salman & Finlay.  After a change of bowlers, we were able to score more freely until Finlay was caught in the deep for 34 with the score at 99 for 5 off 24 and with another quick wicket following, Abhay was brought to the crease. Abhay (40) and Salman scored quickly at 5 an over as their partnership flourished, taking the teams' total to 175 for 7 from 40. George Davies (16 off 13) came in with a little cameo at the end, helping to take our total to 213 and Salman finished on a brilliant 68 not out. A satisfying total after being 41 for 4.

We knew the pitch still had a little life in it, especially with the new ball, and some early pressure by the opening pair of Marley and Finlay meant they were 52 for 3 off 11. First change was Abhay, who struck within his first two balls and it didn’t change much from there! Abhay bowled spectacularly, running through almost all the remaining batters, finishing with figures of 6 for 10 off 5.5.

Another clinical performance by Wanstead’s 2XI, with Abhay Bygott the man of the match with 40 runs and 6 for 10.

Wanstead 3th XI won by 6 wickets ( 107 for 4) vs Chelmsford (106 all out) 

An overcast and cold day could not have got off to a better start, winning the toss and sticking Chelmsford into bat and getting a wicket off the first ball of the match. The tone was set and the wickets tumbled. Paul (3 for 26) and Ahmadullah (3 for 15) got us off to an amazing start at 31 for 6. The Chelmsford skipper offered some resistance, but enter Joel with a fiery spell that cleaned up the lower order with 4 for 16.

With the sun starting to break through, we started the relatively comfortable chase. Pavan provided the backbone of the run chase with a well made and much needed 39, and he was well supported by Dave with a classy 25 to get us back to winning ways.

Wanstead 4th XI (121) lost to Westcliff (162 for 8) by 41 runs

A tale of two halves for the 4s, who are still winless for the season after losing to Westcliff.

Winning the toss on a small ground with a slow outfield, the 4s bowled tight lines and kept Westcliff to a reachable total. Wickets fell steadily, with Amaan Khilji taking 3-28, and Callum and Nikhil each talking 2. Unfortunately, 5 catches went down before drinks.

Going in at tea confident of getting a result, the team talked the skipper into opening the batting. After planting the second ball over the bowler's head for 6, a clumsy run out started a rapid collapse. Despite dogged knocks from Ritesh Patel and Jon Mudhoo, the 4s ended up all out just shy of a bonus point.  

Wanstead 5th XI won by 7 wickets (112 for 3) vs Gorsebrook 3rd XI (110 all out)

In freezing conditions at Fairlop, Gorsebrook won the toss and decided to bat first. Our pace bowlers got through the top order quickly, however there was a partnership in the middle where our spinners struggled due to cold fingers and we also dropped a couple of catches. However Hardik got their top scorer caught behind and we quickly mopped up the tail.

Chasing 110, the captain decided to change the batting order to give everyone a fair game. We lost three quick wickets but the steady innings from Zaman (33 not out) and Rajesh (44 not out) got us over the line in the 29th over.

Wanstead 3rd XI Vs Harold Wood

A less than flattering display in the first 23 overs saw Harold Wood 142 for 0 after winning the toss and bowling first. However, in the second half of the innings, the Herons fought back with greater discipline and belief, preventing the game from being completely out of our grasp. With the intensity raised and catching improved, Harold Wood ended on 268 for 3 in their 45 overs.

Losing an early wicket meant we needed to consolidate before we kicked on and that was done successfully by Antony Smith (32) and our in-form Shoab Iqbal, who began to anchor the innings before perishing on 55. Pranav Nair (55) again showed his talent with the bat as we stayed within reach but a comical run out saw his demise and we began to fall further behind the run rate. With all of the Harold Wood players posted on the boundary for the last 12 overs, we found it difficult to find a rhythm with the bat and whilst we edged closer, we lost a flurry of wickets once our set batsman had departed. We ended on 241 all out, which was a great effort after being 32 for 1 in the first 12 overs with the ball skidding below shin height on many occasions and seeing the back of a few of our senior batsmen. Another harsh lesson learned in the field, but with a few strike bowlers back next week, we hope to rekindle the impressive form we displayed in our first outing at Nutter Lane.

Wanstead 4th XI (177) lost to Belhus 3rd XI (180 for 6) by 4 wickets

Another disappointing defeat for the 4s against opposition who have also suffered consecutive relegations.  The skipper elected to bat first on a tricky Nutter Lane pitch, hoping the early morning roll would mean the pitch got worse through the day. The 4s took 4 overs to get off the mark after seeing off the new ball and getting used to the uneven bounce. Steady knocks from Nikhil Patel (55) and Hassan-Ali Iqbal (40) took us to a score we saw as defendable, though a late collapse kept us short of the 200 mark.

Wickets fell steadily at the start of Belhus's innings, with batters struggling to time the ball, and some unusually good catching. Aaryan Patel's opening spell of 1 for 9 from 6 overs ensured the opposition couldn't get early momentum. With 5 wickets taken at drinks, the 4s knew they had a good chance, but Belhus recovered and punished a few wayward balls to win by 4 wickets.

Wanstead 5th XI vs Newham 3rd XI

A very strong Newham team won the toss and elected to bat. As usual, Jayden made good use of the new ball and got two of their top order batsmen out very quickly and also had a number of close LBW appeals turned down against one of their openers who turned out to be their strongest batter. He ended up scoring a hundred, despite a strong appeal for a catch behind when in his 50s. We also let ourselves down in the field by dropping 4 catches and inaccurate spin bowling. Newham scored 299 for 7 in 40 overs.

We started our innings positively against a good bowling attack. Rajesh and Yuvraj Patel put on the first wicket partnership of 100 in 20 overs. However after the drinks, we lost wickets on regular basis and our young team could not withstand the pressure created by the opposition. Rajesh however led the fight all the way by scoring 103 not out and allowed us to bat through our 40 overs and achieve our target of 200 to get the bonus points. A disappointing result, however the young players will have learnt a lot.

Wanstead 1st XI

The 1st XI had a successful weekend, with wins against Chingford in the league on Saturday, and Belhus in the league cup on Sunday.

Wanstead 2nd XI v Epping

Saturday 18th May

The Super 2s continued their superb form, winning the toss and bowling first on a sticky wicket at The Overton. A top class opening set from Hamza & Marley along with some unwise shot choices and Epping were 63 for 5. In the past couple of seasons the 2s could be prone to letting a tail wag, however today was different - Hamza, Finlay and Abhay cleaned up the last 5 wickets for 28, leaving Epping 91 all out, with Hamza leading the walk off with 5 for 29.

Knowing the ball was going to nip around and stick in the pitch, Wanstead’s openers took a more cautious approach, however with a mix of impatience and misfortune, Wanstead found themselves in a similar position of 42 for 5. A steadying of the collapse took us to 70 for 6 as Rod crossed 30. Another flurry of wickets occurred and suddenly at 79 for 8, the total of 91 looked a distance away! Some calm, clutch batting from Hamza (9 not out) and Jay (7 not out) took us all the way home. A hard earned win for the 2’s left us sitting joint top of the table with 40 points from 2 games.

Wanstead 3rd XI v Woodford Wells

Saturday 18th May

On the minefield of Nutter Lane, we set to battle with the Wells. Losing the toss proved costly, as a few pitch explosions shattered our top order, leaving us at a potentially fragile 22 for 3. However, the wall of Wanstead (Shoab Iqbal) showed his experience and metal as he dropped the anchor and ground out a solidly smart 46 in a partnership of 76 with Paul Richardson (43), who began to dust off the cobwebs with the bat and show his authority with a few fine strokes. At 98 for 4, the cracks could have become wider but Pranav Nair, like a young Luke Skywalker, took out his lightsaber and sliced the attack to pieces scoring a fearless 48 to save face of what could have become a very tragic scorecard. At 175 all out we had a chance, but it would call upon some very disciplined bowing. Did we have it in us?

A wayward start with the ball sent a few cries for help, however we soon began to turn the screw as Abdur Barry found his form from last week clutching two wickets for 34 in his 9 overs. 55 for 2 could have been 60 for 4, but we were left gasping at two dropped catches. Despite a minor set back we managed to keep the momentum with another double act of heroics from Paul Richardson (2 for 22) and Pavan Sunkara (2 for 32), tensely balancing the game on a knife edge at 116 for 6. A frustrating partnership guided the Wells closer at 148 for 6, however a flurry of two wickets from Tariq Zaman and Neil Patel began to peel the smiles off the Wells faces. At 154 for 8, we should have driven it home, but a cluster of heart-breaking strikes from the Wells lower order left us with a loss. In the end Woodford Wells finished on 178 for 8 in 42.4 overs with extras (36) being their second highest total.

On Saturday we face an away trip to Harold Wood. Whilst we have many things to continue to learn and build upon in our next game we can be proud of our fight in the field and the sparks of quality shown with the bat and ball. Come on the 3s!

Wanstead 4th XI v Old Brentwoods 3rd XI

Saturday 18th May

4th XI (209-9) lost to Old Brentwoods 3rd XI (212-4) by 6 wickets

The 4s finally began their season having been unexpectedly rained off last week, travelling away to face Old Brentwoods who have been on the rise over the last few years. After losing the toss and being put in, Dan and Jay opened the batting and scored fairly freely until a parried catch between the keeper and slip saw Jay depart. There were a couple of little wobbles and a steady fall of wickets, but this was a genuine team batting performance with 9 out of 11 batters making double figures. Special mention must go to Rich Davies who stepped up to play after a late dropout and scored a delightful 24 off 20 balls: without him we would have been all out for 169, but an unbroken 10th wicket partnership of 40 with Amaan got us two extra bonus points and saw out the overs.

Knowing our 209 was defendable, the skipper and young George Davies bowled a tight opening spell followed by continuing economy from Nikhil and Aaryan. Though only one wicket had fallen before drinks, the opposition needed to up their run rate if they were going to chase the score. Sadly, that is exactly what happened, as their number 3 went on to score a quick hundred and the score was chased with 9 overs to spare.

Overall, a good competitive game against a very pleasant opposition. We look forward to the return fixture.

Wanstead 5th XI v Walthamstow 5th XI

Saturday 18th May

5th XI (146 all out) lost to Walthamstow 5th XI (161 all out) by 15 runs.

After winning the toss we decided to bowl and had two quick wickets from Jayden. However there were two partnerships from the opposition in the middle, helped by a couple of dropped catches, but mainly by luck as the catches just missed the fielders or the ball just missed the stumps. We kept control apart from a short period when we gave away extras in trying to bring some less experienced bowlers into the game. Hardik then ran through the lower middle order with 4 wickets and Azmat with 2 wickets.

Our batting didn’t start well against accurate swing bowling, losing 4 quick wickets. Hardik (46) and Zaman (23) put on a strong partnership to get us to 100 for 5 after 20 overs. However after the drinks we had a collapse with 3 more run outs (4 in total) and despite some rear-guard action from Yuvraj Singh, we fell short by 15 runs.

Wanstead 6th XI v Belhus 4th XI

Saturday 18th May

The 6th XI continue to rebuild and went into the game against a Belhus 4th XI cautiously confident, with big game players Ram, Krishna and Has coming into the side. Winning the toss (again - take note Jeggsy), we batted first with a somewhat experimental line up. Important to mention here the track was challenging and the outfield very moist with a generous helping of grass cuttings encircling the square; all under grey skies overhead. A young Belhus attack did limited damage and so they brought on a wily old trundler who did the business for them, wiping out most of the middle order cheaply. Krishna with a late flurry got the team to 101 from 32 overs.

Returning to the field, sunshine now upon us, their opening bat did the damage before a great catch by Has off of Riyan’s bowling. Ram and Abdullah took further wickets but alas they knocked the runs off in 23 overs. We go again in a fortnight.

Wanstead 1st XI v Chelmsford 1st XI

Saturday 11th May

Essex League Premier Division

The 1st XI got their season off to a disappointing start with a 4 wicket defeat at Chelmsford. After being put into bat on a bowler-friendly green wicket, Wanstead struggled to post a score against a strong Chelmsford bowling unit. Hassan (36) and Tom (23) were top scorers in a total of 126 all out.

Chelmsford began steadily, and it took a great piece of fielding by Hassan to break the opening partnership via a run out. Joe took 2 wickets in 2 deliveries and 4 in total, but Chelmsford were able to reach the target with 4 wickets remaining.

Wanstead 1st XI v North Middlesex 1st XI

Sunday 12th May

National Club Cup

The Wanstead 1st XI put on a strong batting performance in their National Club Cup game against North Middlesex on Sunday. Tom set things up with a quick fire 41, then Kishen and Haaris shared a partnership of 134, scoring 86 and 75 respectively. Hassan also continued his good form from Saturday with 23 in a total of 286 for 7, which included two spectacular catches by North Mids players.

North Middlesex started well until Joe came on to bowl and took the first three wickets. Yuvraj also took two wickets and got a sharp run out. The opposition fought hard to try to get close to our challenging total, with Luke Hollman top scoring on 63. They were eventually dismissed for 226, so giving us a 60 run win. 

Wanstead 2nd XI v Ilford 2nd XI

Saturday 11th May

Wanstead 5th XI v Oakfield

Saturday 11th May

The 5th XI had a great win by 139 runs with some terrific performances by the juniors both with bat and ball, ably supported by three adult players. Oakfield won the toss and asked Wanstead to bat first. On a tricky early season Fairlop pitch, Rajesh (78 runs) and Pranav (51 runs) batted watchfully but also put the bad balls away in their opening stand of 83. This was followed by a 111 run partnership between Rajesh and Nikhil (53). Wanstead put on a total of 212 in 40 overs.

Jaden (3 wickets) and Rajesh (1 wicket) in their opening spell crushed any hope Oakfield had in challenging our score. All other bowlers then chipped in with regular wickets and notably Oakfield had 8 of their batters clean bowled, evidencing the quality of our bowling. 

Wanstead 6th XI v Newham

Saturday 11th May

The Wanstead 6th XI made it to the ground at Newham on time, which was a great start following some poor instructions from the skipper. Father, son (and Mum watching) for the Bhatterjee boys.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, some fierce bowling from Newham’s rockstar bowler Khan did the early damage, although Dan had a few lives and Callum did enjoy himself before mis-timing one to mid-off. Mo, Mital and Tariq did a great job of steadying the ship, with the latter top scoring with a dogged 34 playing some terrific shots on the way. We found ourselves all out for 122.

Still feeling positive in the May sunshine, the new ball went to the man Tariq whose pace troubled the openers and stung the keepers’ hands (who kept in a rather unorthodox but effective fashion). From the other end, Callum got a ripper and took their opener. Alas, that’s almost as good as if got before Riyyan took his first senior wicket for Wanstead, getting one to turn late and take their other opener shortly before the winning runs were scored (cue plane celebration and match ball)!