Colchester sent packing by Ison (From Gazette)

Colchester sent packing by Ison

11:09am Wednesday 20th May 2009 in

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A sizzling innings of 145 by Upminster’s Alan Ison condemned Colchester and East Essex to their first premier division defeat of the season.

Colchester had no answer to Ison’s blitz, which single-handedly gave the home side victory.

Julian Russell did his utmost to make sure Colchester set Upminster a decent target.

The left-handed opener watched from the other end as fellow opener Greg De Silva was out second ball.

But fellow Aussie Nathan O’Brien stuck around with him and the pair added 138 for the second wicket when Russell was removed for a breezy 82 off 84 balls, featureing seven fours and two sixes.

O’Brien followed immediately after Russell, for 40.

Joe Barnett (23) and Dhruva Bhaskar (21) helped Colchester finish on 247 for 7 from their 50 overs.

There was little indication of what was to come when opening bowlers Alex Young and Ben Stephens reduced Upminster to 1-2.

This brought Ison to the wicket and he was severe on all of Colchester’s bowlers.

Stephens took the wicket of Terry Wyatt, leaving Upminster 59 for 3 and Colchester seemingly in control. However, Ison was now getting into his stride and first change pair Nick Gibbs and Sam George struggled to keep the run rate down.

George took a couple of wickets and Young returned to take his second, but Ison continued to thwart Colchester’s attempts to claim the points.

By the time George had him caught by De Silva, he had scored 145 from 128 balls, including 18 fours and three sixes.

Upminster made it home with three wickets to spare, with none of the Colchester bowling figures particularly special.

Young finished with 2-53 from 10, Stephens 2-57 from 10, George 3-69 from nine, while Gibbs and De Silva were both wicketless.