CLACTON v EAST BERGHOLT

Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship division three

(Clacton won by four wickets)

CLACTON brushed off the cobwebs by beating Bergholt – promoted alongside them last season – at Vista Road on Saturday.

Clacton skipper Scott Facey put the visitors into bat after winning the toss, having been influenced by the sunny but cold, windy conditions.

The Seasiders fielded a team that featured nine players from the side that won promotion in 2014.

The other two were new overseas all-rounder Bradley Turner and 15-year-old Jack Eastman, who had impressed during winter net sessions.

Bergholt started well, with openers Richard Pickford and George Foster putting on 63.

Clacton’s bowlers also started well, but the wind created issues in terms of accuracy.

Lewis Kirk took the first wicket, knocking Foster’s middle stump out of the ground, but that only brought in the Bergholt batsman’s brother, Steve.

He and Pickford (56) put on another half-century.

When both were out, the runs dried up against some better bowling, especially from spin twins Imran Sheikh and Matt Fowler.

However, Clacton’s fielding let them down and Bergholt finished on 213 for six.

Nine players bowled for Clacton during the innings, with Sheikh taking three for 38.

Clacton’s reply can only be classed as calypso – unlike the conditions – as both Sheikh and Facey smashed the opening bowlers all over the Vista Road ground.

Fifty-one runs were put on when Facey (19) was out in the fifth over.

Runs continued to flow easily, entertaining the crowd around the boundary, with all the batsmen contributing.

Sheikh finished off a man-of-the-match performance by top-scoring with 58.

Turner smashed an entertaining 36, which included three towering sixes, while Fowler and Mohammad Asghar continued the aggressive style.

Kirk and then Billy Occleshaw both hit their first balls of the season for six.

Clacton reached their target within 36 overs, taking 18 points compared to East Bergholt’s eight.