Orsett CC 205

Gidea Park & Romford 207-8

CRICKET: ORSETT lost their tight game against Gidea Park & Romford at School Lane at the weekend.

Asked to bat, Orsett started strongly with Ryan Plom amassing 41 before he was caught by Nigel Fretwell off the bowling of Josh Turner.

His felllow opener, Paul Bennett did even better, posting 69 runs before being caught.

But after this pair the next two batsmen went very cheaply.

And despite 44 off Scott Douglas the rest of the middle and lower order failed to find any form at all and most went for single figures as Turner, Fretwell and Jamal Francis snagged them time and again.

The total of 205 - which included 28 extras - was always going to be tricky to defend.

And Orsett started strongly, dismissing dangerman Peter Maynard for five, Jamal Francis for 17 and Josh Turner for just four.

Ryan Plom’s catching was key to these early wickets but then the Gidea Park ship was steadied by Sarvesh Damele who dug in to the frustration of the Orsett bowlers.

Eventually he was snagged lbw by a great ball from Mohammed Ahktar.

But by then the chase was on and, despite the best efforts of leading bowler Shahid Khan (who took 3-28) Gidea Park’s tail – particularly Chay Hedges not out 17 and Rudi Filmalter’s 28 not out allowed visitors to slide home and win.