Marlborough 2nds
Marlborough 2s win by 86 runs
On a beautiful day in Savernake Forest, 2nd XI captain Nick Crabbe won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that certainly looked to favour the batters.
The opening pair of Nick & Andy Crabbe started steadily with a few boundaries before Andy was bowled by Sherston’s opening bowler Harris Heathcock. Young Zach Collister joined the skipper at the wicket but could not repeat his heroics of the previous week, being caught at point off opposition captain Ben Dickenson without scoring.
Pete Day & Nick Crabbe then enjoyed a relatively serene 72 run partnership before Crabbe was bowled by Will Shipley for 41 when a ball kept low. He was followed soon after by Day, who by then had made an untroubled 43, was caught at slip off the bowling of Andy Lea.
Marlborough were at this stage 111-4 and the innings could have subsided. Hassaan Asif and Rohit Gurjar then shared a partnership of 74, with Asif particularly destructive, hitting the ball to all parts with a number of boundaries. Asif was then caught at deep mid-wicket by Ben Dickenson off the bowling of Alan Dickenson for a rapid 61.
Ben Head joined Gurjar at the crease and then continued to compile runs at a good rate, putting on another 70 run partnership before Gurjar was bowled for 39 by Ben Dickenson. With 10 balls remaining Head continued to rotate the strike and look for boundaries while Scott Baker just tried to get him back on strike. Head was caught in the deep by Oscar Power off the bowling of the returning Harris Heathcock.
Chandan Vaishnav joined Baker at the crease for the final two balls, a leg bye was taken before Heathcock bowled a wide. Baker then hit the final ball of the innings for 6 as Marlborough finished on 273-7 off their 45 overs.
Sherston Magna’s innings got off to a quick start, some loose bowling allowed the opening pair to score at over a run a ball – 58 off 9 overs. A change in the bowling was made and Chandan Vaishnav immediately made the breakthrough as Ashley Rogers-Milburn chipped the ball back to him for a straightforward caught and bowled. After a wide, Vaishnav also bowled Mark Howell through the gate to leave Sherston at 59 for 2 off 10 overs. Ben Head was brought into the attack from the other end and added a third wicket, a diving caught and bowled, as Andy Jarvis departed.
Sherston skipper Dickenson steadied the ship with Oscar Power before he was LBW to Head. Power added some runs with Oli Lambert before Head had him caught at mid-off by Pete Day for his third wicket. Harris Heathcock was then Head’s fourth and final victim, bowled.
The score stood at 116-6. Power was continuing to resist and started to free his arms, hitting boundaries and running well between the wickets. Tom Webster then set off for a quick single, Power sent him back by the throw from Pete Day was too good and Webster was run out.
Alan Dickenson joined Power at the crease and was able help put on another 56 runs, mostly for Power who played to his strengths and went past 50. He was given a life by a dropped catch but did not let it phase him. When Dickenson was out caught at backward point by Nick Crabbe, off the bowling of Fraser Taylor, it seemed only a matter of time before the final two wickets would be taken. Taylor bowled with speed and no lack of effort and was rewarded with the wicket of Will Shipley who was bowled by a wicked in-swinging delivery.
Last man Andy Lea put up a little resistance, alongside Power, until Power was caught off a top edge by Pete Day for a very well compiled 75. Sherston ending their innings on 187. Marlborough 2s winning by 86 runs.
Marlborough 3rds
Marlborough 3rd’s beat Chippenham 4th XI by 2 Wickets
Marlborough 3rd XI secured a much needed victory against relegation rivals Chippenham 4th XI. Captain Charlie Jewell lead from the front with three wickets as the hosts gained the early ascendancy. The “Trees” continued to take wickets with Chippenham 53/6 off 20 overs.
The visitors showed some tail end resistance before being bowled for 128 in the 38th over. None of the first seven Chippenham reached double figures highlighting Marlborough’s dominance.
Aedan Murphy excelled in his first time behind the stumps with two catches. Marlborough lost a couple of early wickets in their quest for victory. A crucial partnership between youngster Savin (31) and Vinoth Kumar (20) gave the hosts momentum.
The loss of further wickets put the game in the balance. An unbeaten 14 from Preran Bukkapatnam saw the team home with two wickets to spare.
Marlborough 4ths
Marlborough 4th XI lose to Trowbridge 3rd XI by 122 runs
Marlborough 4th XI suffered a 122 run defeat at Trowbridge 3rd XI. The Marlborough fielders let slip a couple of chances early on with the Trowbridge openers showing attacking intent.
Both were dismissed in quick succession as the bowlers finally gained some reward. The first change bowlers of Kuhdan Gupta and Anush Varma bowled accurately as Marlborough looked to apply the pressure, both picking up a wicket with Varma bowling through for figures of 9-1-29-1.
A large fourth wicket stand gave the hosts the initiative. Debutant Gupta returned and took two more wickets – the pick of the Marlborough bowlers.
Trowbridge ended their innings on 256-9 off their 45 overs. After the loss of a couple of early wickets a 70+ partnership between Vivek Bajaj (37) and captain Govind Pahariya (16) gave Marlborough hope.
Both were dismissed in the same over to leave the “Trees” on 88-4. Wickets then fell at regular intervals as Marlborough were bowled out for 134.
Policing: a rethink required, our Wiltshire force not helped by current structure and funding
