MARSHFIELD’S dream of reaching Lord’s in the Davidstow Village Cup has gone for another year after they were knocked out by Goatacre at the sixth round stage.
Marshfield, who had beaten some stiff competition to get to the last 16, were beaten by a comprehensive seven wickets at the West of England Premier League Division Two side.
Captain James Williams won the toss and elected to bat first but Marshfield lost opener Alastair Christie after just nine balls when his stumps were spread by Goatacre’s Giorgio Rigali for a duck.
Fellow opener William Pascalli and number three Dave Jenkins moved the score onto 57 before Pascalli was caught by Jack Haines off the bowling of Kevin Iles for 27, having hit five boundaries.
Williams hit a boundary but lasted only 11 balls when he was caught by Dan Horton off Iles bowling for six but, at 93-3 Marshfield were not overly concerned and were looking for a competitive total.
However, the dam burst as Goatacre roared through the middle order. Marshfield lost two wickets on 95 when Jenkins went for 44 and Rupert Crockett was stumped for a duck.
Russell Lodge batted patiently for 29 balls but only made nine when he was trapped lbw by Goatacre’s Matthew House.
Jeremy Bond made 17 but also fell to an lbw and suddenly Marshfield were feeling the heat on 124-7.
The tailenders tried to wag but the writing was on the wall when number nine Tom Clist was also stumped by wicketkeeper Sam Parish off the bowling of Rob Murphy for seven and wicketkeeper Jck Ticehurst’s defiant 23-ball stand for six runs came to an end when Rigali took out his stumps.
And it all ended when number ten Tom Bright was caught by Edward Wilkins off the bowling of brother Jonathan Wilkins for nine, leaving Tom Lamb unbeaten on two and Marshfield all out for 150.
Williams and his team knew that only tight bowling to deny Goatacre runs and frustrate the into giving away wickets was going to save their dream of playing at Lord’s.
But this dream would not be realised as Goatacre made mincemeat of the Marshfield defence of their total.
There was early hope when Goatacre captain Ed Wilkins went for five as Clist bowled him but the home side dug in. Number three Rob Murphy was out lbw to Tom Lamb’s bowing for 27 but Marshfield were forced to suffer from then on.
Goatcare opener Jack Haines was in top form as he smashed seven boundaries and two sixes in 77 balls as he and Jon Wilkins shared a stand of 89 before Haines was out for 65.
But with just seven runs to win after that wicket, Goatacre were in cruise control, with Wilkins finishing on 37 including two boundaries and two sixes as they reached 151-3 and went through to the quarter-finals.
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