BRENTWOOD'S recent good form came to an abrupt end with a three-wicket defeat by Shenfield.
Despite scoring more than 450 runs for the loss of just three wickets in their past two games, Brentwood's poor batting performance this time meant they struggled to just 160 runs in their 50 overs – about 100 runs light of a par score.
Jon Walford and Aaron West got off to a quick start, as they punished some short bowling, but as soon as Shenfield's opening bowlers found their lengths, the runs dried up and wickets started to fall, with Matt Salisbury particularly impressing in his ten straight overs, which included the crucial wickets of the in-form David Hammond and West.
Brentwood plummeted rapidly from 25-0 to 45-5, with Joe Buttleman and 17-year-old Harry Levy forced to lead a recovery. Their sensible and restrained batting led Brentwood to a position of vague respectability, but the position they found themselves in meant they could take no risks, and had to dig in against Shenfield's accurate spinners, with Arshad Ali's ten overs going for a solitary run per over.
Just as Buttleman was looking to start an acceleration, he received a beauty of a delivery from Mike Hindley to be caught behind and halt Brentwood's progress once again.
Tom Moore joined Levy to help lead another recovery, but the going was still tough. Once Levy was out to a brilliant diving catch by wicketkeeper Jack Kliber, and Anthony Giles had a brief cameo, Brentwood were 139-9 with two overs remaining.
Tom Moore and Ian Belchamber put on 21 in the last 14 balls to provide something for Brentwood to have a bowl to.
Opening bowlers Max Osborne and Moore, along with first-change Buttleman, picked up wickets at regular intervals to leave Shenfield at 97-5, with Buttleman's spell of ten overs particularly impressive as he picked up three wickets for just 22 runs. Moore, meanwhile, was unlucky not to add to his three wickets.
However, Kliber mixed aggression with some stout defence to move Shenfield towards the winning line.
Although Brentwood picked up two further wickets it was not enough as Kliber's excellent unbeaten 41 saw Shenfield home.
Other results meant Brentwood missed out on the opportunity to move to the top of the table, but at the same time it means they are very much in contention as they move into the longer, all-day format for the next nine games.
