Goodwood CC | Sussex Martlets

Match Report

In all honesty trying to find the words after a ten wicket loss has been … well quite a challenge.

Firstly I would like to thank everyone who played along with Peter Danks ( scorer ) also Bryan Tomalin ( umpire with one questionable decision ). The day started with drizzle almost a slight damp squib ( bit like our performance ) this did not however deter the Martlets or Goodwood from playing after such a long time of looking at the cricket bag in the corner of the room.

Anyway Martlets won the toss ( the only thing they won that day ) and chose to bat first, sensible decision on paper. Lamb & Carter proceeded to get the Martlets off to a good start with Peter Lamb dispatching a Justin Scott lookalike to all parts of the ground ( mostly straight past him ). Lamby top scored with 46 and chopped on to Matthew Geffen ( 2nd time in 2 weeks ) Matt also got the big wicket of Darryl ( unplayable ) and the game was well poised. Sam fell to the young, better spinner of the Maynes Stanley, popping a long hop straight to mid wicket. Simon Warrender scored a hard fought 23 but was bowled by young Stanley. Ben Davies was looking solid but then chipped one to long on off the bowling of senior James Mayne ( the average spinner ). In came Joe Waylett from a 2 year lay off much was promised and expected but alas a poor lbw decision was his fate ( you know you have had a bad one when the OPPO apologise ). Patrick Jackson scored a positive 13 before being trapped stone dead LBW to a dobbler. Myself and Jordan Rory Shaw were now at the crease and the martlets needed a partnership. Unfortunately Jordan went back or didn’t really do anything and got bowled by young Mayne who now had 4 fa. John Ashworth joined me at the crease unfortunately this Justin Scott lookalike came back on and bowled me what can only be described as my kryptonite a slow full ball which I chipped straight back to him ( captain needed a good talking too ) alas John was out an over later and we finished with a very forgettable score of 127 off 33 overs.

We ate our pack lunches in awe as one of the opposition, Tom Odell’s dad had brought his own inflatable thrown as a chair for tea ( it was extraordinary ). We dusted ourselves off and proceeded to try and get a few early break throughs. One of the openers a boring man from Bosham had stated that Jordan bowled medium pace ! I obviously mentioned this to Jordan hoping this would give him the giddy up to knock him over. Unfortunately both batsmen played him well and didn’t manage to nick any. Ben Davies also bowled well from the bottom end but had no luck. Darryl, myself & Paul Walker came on and tried to find the break through unfortunately both batsmen where seeing it like a beach ball by then and the hosts ran out 10 wicket victors. A sad cricketing day but a great day as we manage to tread the grass playing the game we love.

I can only apologise for this loss to all the fellow Martlets and hope to put things right in the Broadhalfpenny Fixture on 9th August.