Wanstead captain Ellis-Grewal relishing busy Bank Holiday

The Herons are set to visit Hutton in the Hamro Foundation Essex League Premier Division on Saturday, then host Mildenhall in the ECB National Club Championship on Sunday, before staging a Dukes Essex T20 group including Fives & Heronians, Buckhurst Hill and Loughton on Monday.

And Ellis-Grewal hopes to build on their six-wicket win over Brentwood, saying: “It was great to get the league campaign up and running as it’s hard to win games.

“Hutton will be difficult. They’re a really good side, who have all been at the club a long time and are a close group. They had us in trouble last year and it’s not an easy place to go.

“We will have Kish [Velani] back this Saturday, which is a nice boost and fingers crossed we get another win.

“It’s a busy weekend as we’ve then got Mildenhall in the National on Sunday and host an Essex T20 group on Monday.

“It will be tough for some guys to give up all three days, but to end up in the third round of the National and Essex T20 finals day will make it a brilliant weekend.”

Brentwood posted 238-8 from their 50 overs at Overton Drive, with half-centuries from Australian Daniel Drew (75) and Essex staffer Will Buttleman (52).

But they had been 199-3 before Wanstead checked their progress.

“I lost the toss and they batted first on a good track that was only going to get worse and take spin as they day went on,” added Ellis-Grewal.

“They got off to a flyer, but we pulled it back well from overs 10 to 25. But they got away again with Will Buttleman and their new overseas batting nicely.

“We got them with about 12-14 overs to go and I think they only got 40 in the last 10 overs, so we walked off really happy at half time when it looked like they might get 280-290.”

Openers Haaris Usman (54) and Tom Simmons (58) got Wanstead’s chase off to a good start with a 115-run stand, before falling in quick succession, and Yuvraj Odedra hit a quick 31 off 20 balls.

Ali Zeb (43) put on 77 with Robin Das, who was unbeaten on 37 when victory was secured.

“Chasing 240 against a quality side like Brentwood was never going to be easy,” said Ellis-Grewal.

“Tom and Haaris were fantastic, taking it to them, really positive and laying a good platform.

“Yuvraj was really aggressive, keeping up the momentum and Robin soaked up the pressure while Ali Zeb, a 16-year-old, came into a tense scenario and scored at almost a run a ball.

“It was brilliant, a really good performance.”