Goodwood CC

Glorious Goodwood

Few would disagree that amongst the finest of the Marlets’ venues to visit each year is Lord March’s front garden at Goodwood House, and this year was no exception.

Skipper McCarthy’s men assembled at Goodwood CC to be greeted with wonderful sunshine, followed by a lost toss and an invitation to field first.

Fergus and Mudders took the new cherry, and started very steadily on a flat surface and an outfield offering the kind of value batters dream of. Reward came just two balls into proceedings as Fergus induced an early drive from opener Ray, finding the skipper’s safe hands at extra cover.

Another smart catch from Ed off Ashers and a composed runout from Omkar saw GCC reduced to 47-3 in the 12th and we felt in the game. Sadly it wasn’t to last as opener Toby Toft advanced to beautifully constructed century, ably supported by Martlet in Goodwood colours Peter Lamb (patella intact; if you know, you know).

Toft and Lamb combined for 186 runs until Toft generously retired on 138*, before Lamb holed out to a wonderful running catch at long-on from Hector for a brutal 74 from 59 balls, including bringing Chris Pring’s promisingly tight spell to a premature end by completely dismantling the structural integrity of his index finger on a sharp return catching chance. The surgeon bowler himself immediately diagnosing it with a short ‘That’s broken’, before departing the field for medical assistance.

Mudders and Om chipped in with a wicket apiece at the death, but not before Goodwood had gone north of 250, before they ran out of overs at 282-5.

Tea was had. Excellent sandwiches and homemade cakes. 9.5/10. The half point only removed because I was hoisted away from my second piece of Victoria sponge early to go and open the batting.

As I stepped out with Hector, we faced a very tight opening spell. With the wicket now offering little in the way of bounce, and an attack that offered little in the way of loose balls, the Martlets were behind the rate from an early stage. After a few starts from Hector (17), Ed (18), Laurie (28) and a smooth and breezy 39 from Mudders, no one went big as we fell away to a 140+ run defeat; well beaten by tighter bowling, and a batting display that had essentially hit us out of the game.

Declaration cricket on a Sunday anyone??

Until next time, long live wandering cricket and homemade victoria sponge.

Laurie Cadle