Welcome to Marsh Gibbon Cricket Club

Something I forgot to add on Saturdays report. A big thanks goes to Freddie who very kindly helped us out of a hole by agreeing last minute to go and umpire with Watko at Watlington, saving each team a 5 point penalty!! Having been so tight for players it was looking very dodgy late on Friday if we would be able to fulfil the appointment until Freddie stepped up.

Whilst saying that a big thanks goes out to all our umpires, who really are the unsung heroes of the club, your time and effort is greatly appreciated by all the players.

Dave

Marsh headed back up the table after a very good win at East & West Hendred.

Marsh won the toss and elected to bat on what looked to be the usual excellent Hendred batting track. Early signs were that it was going to be a little more tricky than usual after rain the previous day but Toftsy and Ollie started well against the home sides useful opening attack and got the innings off to a steady start before….wait for it……3 wickets fell in quick succession taking Marsh from 20 odd for 0 to 20 odd for 3! Joe and newly promoted skipper Carlos (19) steadied the ship with a very good partnership consisting of a good mixture of consolidation and fine stroke-play. After Carlos went Joe (suitably hydrated having brought the Freddie 2 Ltr bottle of squash) took the innings forward and top-scored with 35 but Marsh looked to be on course for a below par score with a strong Hendred batting line-up waiting in the wings. Some late order hitting from Big Dave (28), Frankie (17), Sat (12, who recieved a standing ovation from the home teams fielders at his adopted home when his distinctive vehicle entered the car park!) and Dales (7no) got Marsh up to a reasonable total given our earlier position, but one which we would have to be at our best to defend.

After an outstanding tea (and it really was outstanding!) Marsh took to the field, knowing that we would have to bowl and field excellently to keep the runs down and apply some pressure to the Hendred boys. Thats exactly what happened with Stevie ‘i’m not coming back on if you take me off’ Turner bowling splendidly, ending with fine figures of 12.5.20.2 (taking his wicket tally for the season to 25), whilst Granty at the other end was looking to put the previous weeks disappointment behind him…which he did in fine style with a magnificent spell of 4-27 to take Marsh within sight of victory, backed up by a nice little spell by Frankie. Grantie, on course for 40 wickets for the season proved yet again he’s probably Marsh’s most consistent performer with the ball, but that didn’t stop him from being suitably fined for jug avoidance after being unable to get the elusive 5-for at the end. Marsh’s victory was delayed slightly by a late rally from Hendreds lower order, but the victory was polished off by Satty who took the final wicket.

A great victory after perhaps under achieving slightly with the bat was marred somewhat by a freak injury to Toftsy who unfortunately appears to have fractured his ankle in 3 places after an awkward fall and accidental collision. We are all hoping Stu gets fit again very soon and that he is back playing for us again next season. A big thanks must go to our friends from Hendred who assisted Stu greatly whilst we were in the field and who kindly shipped him off to A&E.

A good days cricket (albeit the injury to Toftsy) played against a good bunch of lads in a beautiful setting, thats what its all about!!

Marsh (still on for our highest ever position as a league club) look to continue up the table at home to league leaders Minster Lovell next Saturday, 1.30 start.

Dave

After a disappointing loss to league leaders Garsington the previous week, the first team slipped to defeat against Faringdon at Marsh on Saturday after a below-par display.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Faringdon lost a wicket early and the signs looked good for Marsh, but that was about all the joy the home side experienced as the oppo tucked into some wayward bowling and took advantage of our very average fielding display. Other than Platts (12.5.13.2), Gibbons usual reliable bowling line-up took some tap from Oglesby (88no) and Clark (46), who batted well on a good Marsh batting wicket, with the visitors totting up 220-6 from 45. As tea was consumed courtesy of Mrs V (lovely samosas by the way), Marsh were in sombre mood after their display in the first half of the match, but with a strong batting line up and a good pitch, the match was still very much winnable.

Ollie went early and Jules (30) and skipper Carlos (17) looked comfortable, but as wickets fell the innings dwindled along with Gibbons chances of getting back to winning ways. Joe (26) played some classy shots square of the wicket, Matty (27) provided his usual middle order hitting and Stanley (23no) provided the home crowd with some excellent batting towards the end…a future all-rounder me thinks! Gibbon finished 51 short, with many of the Gibbon batsmen falling to the visitors part-time bowlers!

A very average display to say the least. The only highlight for some team members (apart from fines and the after match beer) was some rather shocking dressing room antics involving a bottle of rather nasty smelling coconut shower gel (will leave that to your imagination, but Joe seemed to enjoy it)! As the fines were dispensed, mostly for dropped catches, Gibbon went away thinking what might have been had our batting been up to scratch in the last 2 weeks.

All is not lost though with only a small amount of points seperating many teams in division 2, we can still finish in our highest ever position as a league club, so lets make that happen chaps and get back to winning ways at Hendred on Saturday.

Dave