By Dave Buxton
March 31 2003

James Middlebrook scored a fantastic first hundred and skipper Paul Grayson took 5 wickets, but it couldn't prevent defeat in Essex's first match on the South Africa tour. The home team of Western Province 'B' scrapped home by 2 wickets and 2 balls to spare in a thrilling last day at Newlands.

Midders Ton But Essex Lose Tour Opener

The match that was basically a 2-day affair after day 1 had been washed out, looked as if it was to be heading for a comfortable home victory.

Paul 'Larry' Grayson with 0, Will Jefferson (16), Aftab Habib (8) and Ravi Bopara (6) all departed to complete disappointing batting match performances and it meant Essex were 4 wickets down with under a hundred on the board.

It got worse when Jon Dakin went for 19 to leave 5 wickets down without the ton achieved still.

But then an astonishing fightback lead by James Middlebrook occurred. He scored a fantastic unbeaten 123 and John Stephenson chipped in with an excellent 69 to help Essex post a more than decent total. The partnership together was a big one and although Stephenson was to fall, Graham Napier scored 7 not out to help with Midders to push the final 2nd innings total to 248-6 declared, to set up an interesting last innings. 1st inning batting heroes Darren Robinson and James Foster did not bat, showing the strength of Essex's batting to still score a competitive total.

However, the home team looked to be cruising to their 234 off 44 overs target, until Grayson decided to bowl himself.

The captain took 5-58 with Midders keeping runs down at the other end in an excellent spell of spin in tandem with eachother.

The match all boiled down then to the last over, with 4 needed from 3 balls and Napes the bowler. A boundary was then scored and Western Province 'B' sneaked home by 2 wickets and 2 balls to spare. Andy Clarke (1-32) and Napier (1-40) were the only other men to take wickets.

A thrilling last day and despite a deafeat, many positives for Essex to take into the remaining tour matches, starting tomorrow with a one-day match against the same opposition, except the academy side and to be played at Belville CC.

ESSEX SCORE DETAILS:

ESSEX 1ST INNS: 191 ALL OUT -

D.D.J. Robinson	.........	75
W.I. Jefferson	.........	0
* A.P. Grayson	.........	6
A. Habib	.........	3
+ J.S. Foster	.........	52
R.S. Bopara	.........	2
J.M. Dakin	.........	10
J.D. Middlebrook	.........	17
J.P. Stephenson	.........	14
G.R. Napier	.........	7
A.J. Clarke	.........	0 Not Out

WESTERN PROVINCE 'B' 1ST INNS: 206-4 DECLARED -

Dakin	.........	10-2-34-3
Clarke	.........	7-1-28-0
Napier	.........	8-1-41-0
McGarry	.........	5-0-23-0
Middlebrook	.........	15-4-55-1
Stephenson	.........	5-0-24-0

ESSEX 2ND INNS: 248-6 DECLARED -

W.I. Jefferson	.........	16
* A.P. Grayson	.........	0
A. Habib	.........	8
R.S. Bopara	.........	6
J.M. Dakin	.........	19
J.D. Middlebrook	.........	123 Not Out
J.P. Stephenson	.........	69
G.R. Napier	.........	7 Not Out
Did-Not-Bat:	D.D.J. Robinson, + J.S. Foster & A.J. Clarke

WESTERN PROVINCE 'B' 2ND INNS: 234-8 -

Clarke	.........	7-0-32-1
McGarry	.........	6-1-26-0
Napier	.........	6.4-0-40-1
Dakin	.........	6-0-30-0
Middlebrook	.........	9-1-46-0
Grayson	.........	9-0-58-5

RESULT: ESSEX LOST BY TWO WICKETS

DAY 2 NEWS

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Date: 27/3/03

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