Scorecard

Burnham Sports CC 1st XI v Goresbrook on Sat 09 May 2015 at 1pm
Burnham Sports CC Lost by 165 runs

Match report Burnham Sports hope to have Joel Whittaker back among their ranks when when they play Thurrock (start 1pm) at Millfields on Saturday.
In-form Whittaker had to pull out of Burnham’s latest match, at home to Goresbrook, on the morning of the match with a virus. In his absence, his team-mates were crushed by 165 runs - being ripped apart by the Israel Ochwo, whose reputation for being the quickest bowler in the T Rippon Mid-Essex League Premier Division looks fully merited.
Ochwo is estimated to bowl at around 80mph and, aided by a strong breeze, the paceman with a Lasith Malinga-like sling action simply blew Burnham away. He bowled six of their first seven batsmen with a succession of yorkers as the home side crumbled to 68 all out in pursuit of 234.
Sports have rarely been beaten by such a margin and the match against Thurrock will be a big test of their character, not least because their next opponents have begun the campaign with victories over Goresbrook and Great Baddow - opponents that, by contrast, Burnham have lost against.
“We all knew this season was going to be a big challenge, but we are not going to bump into bowlers of Israel’s calibre every week,” Andy Stephens, who returned to Burnham’s side at the weekend, said. “We are on a learning curve and there are going to be a few harsh lessons, like Saturday, along the way.
“The boys should not lose sight of the fact that we got into a winning position against Great Baddow on the opening day of the season, though, or that the fixture list has thrown up three very tough games for starters.
“Goresbrook are a young, quality team who will more than hold their own against the best around this term. The same applies to Thurrock, while our games against Springfield, Bentley and Old Chelmsfordians will also demand a deep breath.
“We’ve got to stay strong and not feel sorry for ourselves. History shows that five wins (out of 18 fixtures) is usually enough to stay up and I’m sure we will have opportunities to gain those wins along the way.”
Put into bat, Goresbrook were again indebted to Kurt Whisker, their prolific opening batsman, for accumulating 233 for eight from their allotted 45 overs.
The left-hander, who amassed more than 800 league runs last summer, hit a fluent 62, although he did offer a straightforward chance in the gully when he had about half that tally. It went to ground, as did various other catches, a trait that has been a worrying feature in Burnham’s early matches.
No other batsman managed more than 29, but Sports were guilty of bowling too many loose deliveries. Robin Whittaker (10-3-29-1) was again hard to fault, while Stephens (10-0-42-2), Fuad Ahmed (5-0-34-2) and Tom Silvester (9-1-64-2) each claimed a couple of victims.
In reply, Sports were soon at Ochwo’s mercy. He took a wicket in each of his first four overs and probably would have finished with an even better haul had he not been withdrawn from the attack, when he still had three of his ten allotted overs left and Burnham were 36 for seven.
That swiftly became 41 for nine, before Silvester and Stephens added a modicum of resistance with a last-wicket stand of 27.
There was some cheer for Burnham, with the club’s 2nd XI winning their division nine encounter away to Eastwood by four wickets.
Eastwood were restricted to 146 for six in their allotted 40 overs, with Chris Rich, having a rare bowl, taking three for 30 from five overs. Roger Perrin conceded just 14 runs from his nine overs, while skipper Greg Campion also kept the brake on.
Burnham eased past that target with almost seven overs to spare, Neil Wade top-scoring with 34, hitting five fours and a six, and Jonathan Young, a new recruit, finished unbeaten on 23.
Ed King (22) and Brian Leech (20) also contributed, with Rich finishing 19 not out.
This Saturday, the 2nd XI travel to Thurrock 3rd XI, who have begun with successive wins.
Other Premier League scores: Hatfield Peverel (186-6) beat High Roding (175 all out) by 11 runs; Little Baddow (200 all out) lost by nine wickets to Bentley (201-1); Old Chelmsfordians (68-5) beat Springfield (65 all out) by 5 wickets; Thurrock (167-5) beat Great Baddow (108 all out) by 57 runs.

Burnham Sports CC 1st XI Batting
Player Name RunsMB4s6sSRCtStRo
extras
TOTAL :
12w 3b 1lb 
for 10 wickets
16
68		        
Nick Gosling b Ochwo 0 5 0
Robin Whittaker b Ochwo 7 13 1 53.85
Fuad Ahmed b Ochwo 0 4 0
Jack Silvester b Ross 4 11 1 36.36
Sayeid Ahmed b Ochwo 0 2 0 2
Jamie Hamilton b Ochwo 10 13 1 76.92
Paul Green b Ochwo 0 15 0
Dominic Whittaker ct Whisker b Barwick 4 16 25.00 1
Tom Silvester Run out  9 20 1 45.00 1
Neil Saunders ct Whisker b Barwick 0 1 0
Andy Stephens Not Out  18 18 4 100

Goresbrook Bowling

Player nameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Ochwo7.011762.832.43
Ross7.0119119.002.71
Messenger3.401500.004.09
Barwick3.001326.504.33

Goresbrook Batting
Player name RMB4s6sSR
extras
TOTAL :
6nb 10w 2b 9lb 
for 8 wickets
27
233 (45.0 overs)		     
Whisker st D.Whittaker b Silvester 62
Irving b R.Whittaker 9
Maund b Stephens 21
Calverly b Ahmed 24
Harris ct T.Silvester 19
Barwick ct Hamilton 27
Atkins b Stephens 29
Messenger ct Ahmed 7
Burke Not Out  7
Ochwo Not Out  0
Ross  

Burnham Sports CC 1st XI Bowling

Player NameOversMaidensRunsWicketsAverageEconomy
Robin Whittaker10.0329129.002.90
Jack Silvester3.011400.004.67
Andy Stephens10.0042221.004.20
Jamie Hamilton8.0139139.004.88
Fuad Ahmed5.0034217.006.80
Tom Silvester9.0164232.007.11