Halstead confident ahead of derby clash

7:25am Friday 16th May 2008

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Halstead Cricket Club will head into tomorrow's big derby game with Coggeshall in confident mood.

Matt Spatcher's side registered their first win of the new Marshall Hatchick Two Counties division one season with a thrilling 20-run triumph over title favourites Copdock and Old Ipswichians last weekend.

They were indebted partly to the contribution of Mark Surridge.

The veteran spinner would not have even been playing had Mark Johnston not withdrawn from the squad because of a severe migrane.

Surridge was changed and ready to captain Halstead's second team at Star Stile when he was summoned to join the club's first team at Copdock.

And he made a big impact, taking three for 74 off his 14 overs to help slow the Suffolk side's run chase in the middle of their innings.

It helped restrict Copdock to a total of 198, helping to secure a first victory of the season for Halstead.

Copdock were closing in on victory before skipper Matt Spatcher brought himself on to bowl.

In his five overs he captured four for 11 and overseas star Amit Gupta took the vital wicket with just three overs to go to secure victory.

Simon Steel's all-round performance with bat (40 not out) and ball had him in line for man-of-the-match until Spatcher took control.

The following day Gupta (59) hit his second successive 50 in the PDQ North Essex League, to help Halstead beat St Osyth by three wickets and make it three wins out of three.

Also in the runs were Chris Raynor (37) Justin Rose (36), and Jim Owen (31).

Halstead, who won this league last season, have cruised to the top.

Elsewhere, Halstead's second XI (163 for eight) lost to Worlington (243) by 80 runs in Two Counties League division four.

The club's third team (129 for three) were seven-wicket winners over Maldon III (128) in division eight.