Upminster enjoy another big turnout at Essex benefit match

The county might have claimed a 33-run win in the 23rd meeting between the sides, but the result was of secondary importance on a special day for the local community.

Paul Walter smacked the first six of the day down the ground off Ollie Todd, with opening partner Jamie Porter playing Nehal Butt through mid-wicket for four and cutting another delivery to the boundary.

Walter bashed Todd down the ground for four in his next over, but then holed out to Callum Berry, who took a fine catch on the cover boundary having played at Lord’s during the week.

Robin Das hit Butt to the leg-side boundary for a couple of fours, but was then bowled by Max Carter-Miller to leave Essex 40-2.

But Jamal Richards joined Porter in an entertaining third-wicket stand, taking a particular liking to Upminster stalwart Shafiq Rahman.

After launching the spinner down the ground for six, Richards added fours through mid-on, cover and mid-wicket as the total climbed to 85-2 off eight overs.

Porter joined in the fun with back-to-back fours in the next over, before Richards launched Rahman and Berry for straight sixes as Essex reached 108-2 at the midway point.

Vicky Waters, the first female to represent Upminster in this fixture, then came into the attack and saw Porter hit her first ball to the rope to bring up his half-century from 35 balls.

But Waters then hit the stumps to send Porter packing for 51 off 37, before Richards reached his 50 off just 25 deliveries.

Richards fell for 57 off 30, as Waters hit the stumps for a second time, to make it 143-4 but Ben Allison produced a cameo unbeaten 38 off just 17 balls, with a six and seven fours, to help lift the final score to 201-4.

Pulkit Gupta made a bright start to Upminster’s reply, hitting Joe Grant for a trio of boundaries in the third over.

And the off-spin of Porter and left-arm spin of Walter were also attacked for five more boundaries as the hosts reached 53-0 from their first five overs.

Essex captain Aaron Beard saw his first over go for 13 as James Evans hit down the ground to find the rope for the first time and Gupta added another boundary to his collection, after another delivery went for four byes.

But Evans then holed out and Gupta was trapped lbw to leave Upminster 71-2, with third XI captain Dan Simpson and sixth XI skipper Ray Calder at the crease.

Simpson played a nice shot off his legs through mid-wicket for four and hit another over cover.

And he pulled a third boundary over the head of a fielder at deep mid-wicket in the next over as Upminster moved to 100-2 at the end of the 13th over.

Essex Disability player Brad Donovan bowled a tight over to concede just three runs, before Calder was trapped lbw for 11.

But Simpson found the boundary again, before Kiran Kullar cut Das to third man for another.

Porter returned with his off-spin and tempted Simpson to hole out to long on for 30 off 25, but Kiran Kullar and Aki Rahman moved the score along to 150 before Ben Allison struck in the penultimate over.

That brought Waters to the crease and she got off the mark straight away, then hit Beard for four in the final over.

And after surviving being bowled off two no-balls – called very late by the umpire – she saw Allison ‘drop’ a full-blooded drive which went for a closing four!

It was that kind of day and it saw Upminster finish on 168-5, beaten on the field but winning off it.