Things were looking good when The Mighty Gibbon beat Faringdon at The Recreation Ground on 14th July. Just past half the season completed and despite sitting mid table no one was getting carried away and the target remained two more victories from the last 8 games in order to stay up in Division One.
Then followed 6 weeks without a win. True, there were some close calls when defeat was cruelly snatched from a winning position but the facts are: 6 games, 5 defeats and 1 rained off (when in a winning position).
The cumulative effect of this meant Gibbon lay bottom of the league with just 2 Saturdays of the season remaining. The return match with Faringdon was now crucial as defeat would mean relegation. Do or Die!
A dry warm day and Skipper lost the toss. He’d already laid it on thick how poorly we had been playing (very true) and Faringdon skipper seemed uncertain what to do and after some thought decided to bowl.
The average Opening partnership from the last 6 games stood at an unimpressive 12 from 5 different combinations, but skipper had liked the look of ‘Nicest Man Ever’ Mansfield in his knock against Cowley and coupled him with Rep Boy at the top of the order. A wise choice as both played securely and steadily moved through the gears. 50 up in the 15th over with good acceleration as the spinners came on. Joe reached his 50 with an imperious straight drive and the pair brought up 100 by the 23rd over and a platform was set.
Unfortunately Joe was caught on 72 from just 63 balls, including 14 x 4’s and the opening stand of 101 came to an end. Sambo Richardson (nice-bloke-but-not-as-nice-as-Archie) was intent on forcing things along but missed a straight one and was replaced by Skipper (Not-a-nice-bloke-in-fact-a-bit-of-a-bully). Archie (Nicest-man-ever) and Skipper got into their stride and moved the score along finding regular boundaries across the rapid hard outfield.
Archie was caught shortly after reaching a fine first half century for the Gibbon on 53, after the pair had added 67 for the 4th wicket. Skipper followed him back shortly after, but not before he hit a sweep shot directly at young Finn Johnson reducing him to tears (As I said – bully!) Skippers quick fire 48 came from only 50 balls and Marsh were on 176 for 4 from 38 overs.
The boys that followed put everything into maximising the score in the last 7 overs and between them added a further 46 to push the total to 222: Chambers (7), Abbott with a hard-hitting 21, Luke Fox (doctor-type-bloke 6), Timdog (2*), Mitchell (tall-bloke) – out for a Golden 1 (work that out!?) and Honour (another-awfully-nice-bloke) with 7* from the last 3 balls – surely his highest ever strike rate!
Faringdon kindly provided a fine free Tea in recognition of the fracas caused by a now ‘former’ player in the earlier fixture in the season at Marsh, a gesture much appreciated. And Marsh took to the field to Bowl…..
Mitchell had failed his fitness test at Tea and so Richardson opened the attack with Needham (oldest-bloke). Faringdon openers Owen and Tomes were positive and striking the ball with an intent to chase the total from the outset. However, Marsh were as determined and Needham struck once, twice, thrice, to reduce Faringdon to 48 for 3 by the 18th over. Needham (12-2-47-3) and Richardson (very-economical-bloke 12-6-25-0) bowled through and by the 25th over the rate required by Faringdon had risen to just shy of 7 runs per over.
Jabba and Chambers (experienced-bloke-but-not-as-old-as-Needham) looked to continue the run shackling but Brown and Hume had other ideas and, despite the bowlers beating the bat and forcing the occasional misplaced half chance, the two struck some lusty blows to put a century stand together and keep up with the rate.
64 runs required from 10 overs and the (runs) worm had turned. Skipper needed to find a break-through bowler, or this game would slip away with increasing certainty. He threw the ball to Rep Boy.
Brown took on the spinner and with consecutive firm blows split the long-on and cow boundary riders; once, twice, thrice….before a little extra flight and bounce got the critical nick into Skippers gloves. (Well walked.) Next ball and Booker skied only to be clutched by the bowler himself. The breakthrough was made, but Hume was still there and steering runs confidently.
Now Jabba (wildboy-rugby-type-bloke) joined the party. He had been sending down some sharp deliveries and Hume looked to guide one too many down to third man only to produce a slight snick which was gleefully grasped behind by the Skipper again. 167 for 6 from 38 was only a dozen runs less than the Marsh score at the equivalent point in their innings, but with fresh (and less effective batters) at the crease and the Marsh fielders set deep, the question was whether the pressure from the runs on the board would be too much for the Faringdon batters?
David James took on Rep Boy’s flighted leggie next over and Timdog (fair-rule-making-bloke) steadied himself to bag the batter’s attempt to clear the rope. Robinshaw was now Faringdon’s last hope and he swung effectively with boundaries sufficient to keep the game alive. In fact, his hard-hitting became his downfall as he hit a low bullet of a shot to Long Off only to find bucket hands Fox racing in to pluck the ball from its’ boundary bound trajectory. And with that (Leonard 5-0-38-4) the game was all but up.
Jabba (11-0-45-3) cleaned up the last 2 wickets in the last over and bowled young Cook with the very last ball of the game to secure Gibbon a maximum 30 points with Faringdon falling 21 runs short.
It was ‘Do or Die’ and Gibbon ‘Did’. The last weekend of the season may now be the most tantalising ever in the top league’s history with only the top 4 safe from relegation! Six teams still require more points, or sides to falter, for salvation to be secured.
The Gibbon’s task remains as clear as it was at Faringdon: Win and stay up. This is your mission Mr Phelps!