Halstead 213-7 Chelmsford 242-5 

Walthamstow 212 all out Chelmsford 213-2

 

THE 2014 season is up and running with a couple of victories to start the season and a trophy won already.

As with the previous year, Chelmsford’s first friendly game was away to Halstead and a fairly decent performance resulted in a 29-run win. Adil Dewan (71) and the Prowting brothers Nick (68) and Chris (49) showed good form as the team made 242 for five from 45 overs.

Halstead slipped to 34 for four but their overseas player Verraynne challenged strongly with 111 from 89 balls. After he fell to Mark Drain (3-40), they closed out the match. Sam Cook (1-25) produced a tidy spell on his debut.

Chelmer Park’s first game of the season was a friendly against Walthamstow and a strong batting performance resulted in a comfortable win.

There were half centuries for Angus Turner and Vit Sapaetharan and three expensive wickets for Tom Halsey.

The first trophy of the season was won at the Rob George Foundation 6-a-side competition. Colchester & East Essex were the hosts of the competition for the foundation, which aims to help young people and was set up in memory of one of their former players. Chelmsford’s team was Adil Dewan, Jack Sterland, James Clifford, Dan Hagen, Ben Clifford and Sam Cook.

Another person showing good early form was David Goddard. He did a terrific job to raise an eleven for the Easter Sunday fixture against Robinson Lakeside. That ultimately proved in vain as the weather intervened, but it is fairly certain that David will need to show those skills again soon. The competitive season starts in earnest next week with Cup action on both days of the weekend.

On Saturday, Chelmsford host Loughton, the winners of Division 1 last year in the 1st round of the League Cup. On Sunday, Chelmsford’s return to the National Cup sees Middlesex League club Hornsey visit Chelmer Park.