Gombos gets Edwinstowe off to good start
by Paul Barker, 16th June 2006

Mallen Trophy Group B

At Forest Corner: EDWINSTOWE 140 for 7, beat MANSFIELD & PLEASLEY 111 all out by 29 runs.

This competition certainly goes from strength to strength and Edwinstowe proved with just a wee bit of enterprise things can be made very much worthwhile. They put flyers around the village and public houses stating that this 20/20 match was being played and were rewarded with an attendance of over 200 people who thoroughly enjoyed themselves and will no doubt return for the next home match in this competition.

After a rather poor start which saw Edwinstowe precariously perched on 72 for 6, Richard Gombos arrived at the crease and his amazing knock changed the whole complexion of the game. Before he arrived only Jamie Peacock (24) and Ian Smith (20) had coped to any degree with the Mansfield & Pleasley attack, but Gombos’s arrival changed everything.

Along with skipper Paul Benson, Gombos chanced his arm and you might have called him lucky, but in this sort of game one makes their own luck and he struck some enormous blows to finish on a tremendous unbeaten 51 as Edwinstowe finished on a substantial 140 for 7 wickets. Adrian Spray was the pick of the Mansfield & Pleasley attack with 2 for 26, but they must have been wondering at the end what might have been.

In reply, Mansfield & Pleasley batted extremely well particularly Matt Page who made an excellent 41 and other solid contributions came from Anthony Timpson (10) and Ian Woodall (13) before they were bowled out for 111 to send the large crowd home happy. Ian Smith (3 for 21) and Asif Zakir (3 for 23) were the best of the Edwinstowe attack, but the night was about the tournament which is now proving to be a massive success.

Many of the teams who didn’t enter must now be wondering why they didn’t. If its done right as Edwinstowe did it can prove to be a really super night and with the right sort of promotion and with a bar on throughout the match and a burger or hot dog stall any club could help swell their funds appreciably on one of these nights.

Group C

At Park Avenue: CUTTHORPE 77 for 9, lost to GLAPWELL 79 for 2 by eight wickets.

With their second comfortable victory in a week, Glapwell eased themselves to a favourites position for reaching the semi-finals. They now have only Bolsover to play in their group and a win would automatically see them through to the Gala Finals day which is planned for Sunday 2^nd July.

Only a cavalier style knock of 29 n.o. by John McCollum and 16 from Tim Barlow saved Cutthorpe from complete humiliation as they could only manage an extremely modest 77 for 9 when the overs ran out. Ian O’Brien who is now moving into his best form took 4 for 14 in a superb spell of bowling and he was well backed by Tom Ritchie plus Gary and Lewis Saxby who all chipped in with a wicket each.

This score never frightened the Glapwell batsmen and Lee Topham (14), Rob Davison (28 n.o.) and Ian O’Brien who completed a fine all round match with 26 n.o. completed the rout by eight wickets.

Asadullah Butt and Steve Chapman took a wicket each for Cutthorpe but they left their current league form a long way behind them in this match.

Group B

At Birchover Park: WEST INDIAN CAVALIERS 2^nd 137 for 6, beat MANSFIELD & PLEASLEY 137 all out by losing less wickets.

In probably the most exciting match of the competition so far both sides accumulated the same score with the ‘Cavs’ gaining victory because of the least wickets lost. Cavaliers made a bright start with Danny Frankson (43 n.o.) and Mohammed Masood (36) setting the pace and applying full throttle. Useful bowling stints for Mansfield & Pleasley came from James Wilson (2 for 22), Andrew Bestwick (2 for 33) and Ian Woodall (2 for 28).

In reply Mansfield & Pleasley kept up with the pace with Ian Woodall (25) and Andrew Bestwick (24) both batting very well. What let them down was some rather crazy kamikaze running between the wickets which resulted in three batsmen being run out.

In a breath taking finish Mansfield & Pleasley just failed to register the winning run and an exciting victory went to the ‘Cavs’.

Group A

At Middlefield Lane: MARSHALLS 186 for 5 beat BRIDON 114 for 5 by 72 runs

Facing a rather youthful Bridon side, Marshalls managed the highest score in the competition this year up to the present when they smashed their way to a mighty 186 for 5. Skipper Paul Van den Heuvel top scored with a fine 73, but the incredible amount of extras which totalled 43 was something that could and should have been avoided by Bridon.

In reply Bridon could never match the huge Marshalls scoring rate despite a good innings of 52 n.o. by Steve Parkin. Mark Whitlam bowled an extremely economical spell for Marshalls taking 2 for 12 as Bridon could only total 114 for 5 at stumps.

Group A

At Middlefield Lane: MARSHALLS 133 for 7, lost to WORKSOP 134 for 8 by two wickets.

Marshalls completed the second part of a double header when they entertained Worksop after the Bridon fixture and what a thrilling spectacle it was. For almost 85% of this match, Marshalls looked a certainty to add to their win against Bridon and put themselves firmly into the semi finals but anything can happen in these games and on this occasion it certainly did.

Batting first Marshalls were yet again thankful to Paul Van den Heuvel who made an excellent 26 and amazingly once again they were gifted another 38 extras by the exceedingly generous Worksop attack as they totalled 133 for 7 when the overs ran out.

When Worksop batted the match looked as good as over when they slumped to a pathetic 80 for 8 with Mark Whitlam again being the pick of the Marshalls attack with 3 for 19. However with Worksop looking for a miracle they found one in Craig Spink who simply turned the game on its head with an astonishing display of powerful hitting to finish on 46 n.o. as Worksop reached their target with three ball to spare.

Marshalls will wonder how they managed to lose this one, whilst Worksop certainly need to ask Craig Spink ‘How did you do it’!

Group D

At Stone Close: KIVETON PARK 176 all out, beat HARTHILL 95 for 3 by 81 runs

Kiveton piled up the runs in the first of a double header as they easily accounted for Harthill. Skipper Rob Coxon (34), Alex Gilbert (35) and Phil Cooper who smashed five towering sixes in a classy and belligerent unbeaten 38. He certainly cut out the need for running between the wickets.

In reply Harthill never looked like keeping up with the rate and although Ian Briggs managed a good 30 they were restricted to just 95 for 3 when the overs ran out.

Group D

At Stone Close: WHITWELL 105 for 7, lost to KIVETON PARK 109 for 3 by seven wickets.

After taking six wickets in the league match on Saturday, Richard Spurr took another four in this game on the Sunday. Spurr’s hostile spell decimated the Whitwell innings as he took a very good 4 for 17 in his allotted overs as Whitwell reached a modest 105 for 7 when the twenty overs were completed.

This was never going to be enough and Australian Andy Maher and Mick Godber soon put bat to ball to record 51 and 39 respectively and guarantee Kiveton a seven wicket win

Group C

At Villas Road: BOLSOVER 104 all out, lost to CUCKNEY 105 for 2 by eight wickets.

Bolsover made their debut in the competition and will have learnt from the experience as they were crushed by Cuckney by eight wickets. Batting first it was a very slow start which blighted their innings and after eight overs Bolsover had made only 25 runs and a start like this is not acceptable in this form of cricket.

It put the pressure on the rest of the batting and wickets fell at a rapid rate from then on . Chris Cowley (23), Steve Wooley (15) and Andy Roddis who clobbered three sixes off consecutive balls in his 23, did lift the pace somewhat, but the damage had been done.

In fairness to the Cuckney attack they did keep it exceedingly tight and Cliff Adwick (3 for 22), Richard Bostock (3 for 13), Tom Ullyott (2 for 22) and Will Butler (1 for 32) picked up the rewards for their efforts.

The target never posed much of a problem for Cuckney who cruised to victory with Will Butler (45) and Richard Stroh (41 n.o.) both batting extremely assuredly as they kept their slim hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive.