Shepherd Neame Essex League Premier Division
Chelmsford...163 all out
Ilford...164-5
Chelmsford endured a disappointing afternoon after losing to Ilford by five wickets at Chelmer Park.
Notwithstanding that Chelmsford were missing five regular first-teamers, at the end of this game the home side were left disappointed that they had not posted a bigger first innings total which might have challenged the Ilford batting in the second innings.
Losing the toss on a damp overcast morning resulted, unsurprisingly, in Chelmsford being asked to bat first on a soft and greenish looking wicket.
Nevertheless Chelmsford's openers began in positive fashion and quickly had 40 on the scoreboard before losing Nick Bailey for 23 in the ninth over and next man Nick Prowting three balls later.
Jack Sterland came in and from the off looked like a batsman in good form, but having hit three boundaries in dismissive fashion, fell to a catch behind to leave Chelmsford on 63 for three from 15 overs.
Skipper Chris Prowting joined opener Dan Hagen who had been batting steadily, however the introduction of spin in the 20th over accounted for Hagen for 32 and next man Gary Chidley for a duck to leave Chelmsford five down for 96.
That Chelmsford reached 163 all out inside 48 overs represented a minor recovery of sorts, although none of the remaining batsmen stuck around for too long. Prowting was left high and dry on 46 not out.
It did not appear that the pitch had misbehaved much or that Ilford had bowled outstandingly well, opening pace bowler, Sahar, took the first three wickets for 37 from ten overs, and spin accounted for the rest in the form of Tavarasa (3-34) and Nijjar (4-36).
In their response, with more than 70 overs available, Ilford also began positively against the Clifford brothers, Ben (pace) and James (off-spin) bowling in tandem. Each accounted for one of the openers to leave Ilford on 35 for two but the next pair settled in, with Nijjar assuming the dominant role.
The introduction of Stuart Everard's leg-spin brought renewed hope in the form of two wickets in two balls in his first over to reduce Ilford to 67 for four but the combination of Kandola and Jacobs took the game away from Chelmsford with a match-winning partnership of 93 in 25 overs before Everard returned to dismiss Jacobs (66) just before the end in the 52nd over.
Ilford's anchor man, Kandola, finished with 38 not out off 153 balls. Everard's figures were 9-3-35-3
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