CRICKET: Double delight in league and cup for Goatacre

10:49am Wednesday 14th May 2008

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GOATACRE tasted double success at the weekend as they followed up their Glos/Wilts triumph over rivals Marlborough with victory in the opening round of the National Village Cup.

After kick-starting their league campaign with a comfortable six-wicket win at Savernake Forest, Sunday brought further joy for Goatacre as they toasted a 35-run success over Stalbridge - their conquerors in last season's National Village Cup.

Saturday's Glos/Wilts match was a revenge mission for Goatacre, who had lost to Marlborough on the final day of last season.

After losing the toss, skipper Sam Parish was surprised to be asked to bowl first on a green wicket in humid conditions.

Marlborough openers Andrew Bell (16) and Tom Norris (26) made slow but steady progress until the introduction of Rhan Heer and Kevin Iles.

Heer made an immediate impact, taking a wicket in each of his first three overs to leave the hosts in trouble at 39-3.

Ben Head (15) did his best to stop the rot, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals thanks to Iles (4-38) and Bradley Dawson (2-14).

Marlborough's total of 119 never looked likely to be enough, but the hosts did make a fight of it for a while.

Opener Steve Lines (61 not out) batted through for Goatacre, but Jon Haines, Dan Horton, Jonathan Wilkins and Kevin Iles all failed to hit double figures.

It was left to Ed Wilkins (22 not out) to join Lines and steer Goatacre to victory with eight overs and six wickets to spare.

Sunday saw the visit of Stalbridge, last year's Dorset & Wilts group winners for another National Village Cup clash.

With Goatacre opting to bat first, Lines continued his good form from the previous day, and was well supported by Horton - the pair racing to a partnership of 74 in just 13 overs.

Horton along with new partner Jif Wilkins then put together a century stand to take the score to 185 before he was dismissed for an impressive 73.

With 12 overs left it looked as though Goatacre would push on to a score of 270, but Stalbridge fought back and took wickets at regular intervals as the hosts closed on 243-7.

Stalbridge began to attack from the start, but Adam Iles managed to make the crucial early breakthrough in his first over.

Miles and the impressive Burfitt then started to bring Stalbridge back into the game, taking the score to 69 in the 15th over before Parish took a sharp catch off the bowling of Heer to remove Miles.

Burfitt eventually departed for a well-made 56, but captain Chant and his partner Dike kept things interesting as they nudged the ball around to keep the required rate below 10 an over.

That set the stage for young Dawson to turn the game back in Goatacre's favour, his short spell yielding three wickets as Stalbridge were dismissed for 208 with 10 balls left.