Stoke Gabriel 100 all out,
South Brent 101-9
Brent played their first home game of the season on an overcast Sunday at Palstone Park against the strong opposition of Stoke Gabriel.
Brent skipper Glen won the toss and put the opposition in on a typical early-season sticky wicket for the 40-overs-a-side friendly match.
Opening bowlers Glen and, on his home debut, Bancroft, were at first made to feel the heat from Stoke Gabriel's openers as Stoke's South African professional Lewis showed his class before Glen trapped him lbw for 22.
Stoke's skipper Ansley came to the crease looking in ominous touch.
Glen (2-29) then bagged Smith (0), with Lewis taking yet another great catch at short extra cover.
Then a stroke of fortune for Brent, as the dangerous Ansley (18) ran himself out when Saunter sent in a fine accurate throw.
Brent had got rid of Stoke's two danger men cheaply, and wickets then fell regularly.
Bancroft (1-33) got the wicket his great spell of hostile swing bowling deserved, clean bowling Bowden for a duck.
At 4-48 Stoke were on the ropes before before Withington and Bullock put on a determined 31-run stand to revive things. Runs were hard to score on the slow, sticky wicket.
Daniels continued his fine start to his first Brent season, sending down tight medium pace seamers and clean-bowling Daniels for 17.
Havard (2-8) then came on to bowl his accurate pacey skidders, bowling Withington for 17.
Shortly after he bowled James (3) with a superb slower ball.
Daniels (3-29) took Stoke's final wicket as Brent wicketkeeper Joyce took a stunning one-handed reflex catch to remove Reed for a duck, leaving Prosser stranded on 6 not out. Stoke Gabriel posted 100 all out in 32 overs.
Lewis put on a stunning tea, that really set the standard for the season.
A disciplined batting performance was called for and that's what Brent produced. Cranch and debutant Bellamy made a steady start before Bellamy (3) was first to go, caught off Bullock (1-9).
Brent's best batsman Lewis (3) was next, unfortunately caught by Brent player Bancroft, who was helping a short Stoke Gabriel out in the field. The stuff of nightmares...
Stoke's bowlers kept it very tight with the young Withington (0-7) bowling superb leggies especially.
Cranch played a superb anchor innings. Playing diligently and using all his experience on this type of wicket.
His disciplined innings came to an end as he started hitting out, caught off Smith for 15.
Lannin (0) was bowled round his legs by Smith (3-25) as Brent had crawled to 20 for 3 off 15!
Joyce then played an accomplished and disciplined innings of 15, well supported by a dilligent Saunter (3). Both went trying to up the scoring rate, bowled by Reed and Ansley (2-11) respectively.
Cooper (4) was unluckily caught by a great one-hander by Bowden off Reed.
Luckily for Brent, however, cometh the hour, cometh the Havard.
Havard showed superb temperament as he steadied the ship and played the situation perfectly, staying in and steadily picking off the runs, especially as Stoke skipper Ansley (2-11) was bowling a superb tight line.
Daniels stroked an exquisite boundary before unluckily getting bowled by one that shot through for five.
At 76 for 8 with only nine overs left, Bancroft came in and helped Havard edge the score closer and closer, surviving a scare when he was badly dropped.
The pair ran superbly between the wickets to leave 20 to get from the last five overs, when Bancroft decided to take action and smashed James for consecutive boundaries.
The duo continued to play with nerves of steel, before picking off the last run in the final over with one wicket and five balls to sparefor a first win of the season. Mark Bancroft was awarded man of the match, which was sponsored by The Friary Fish and Chip Shop.