Garboldisham Cricket Club

GCC 1st XI were away to Sprowston 1sts. Sprowston batted first and were bowled out in their final over for 173 with two wickets each for Kieran Pask, Alex Hogg, Dan Constable and Rob Fuller, and a wicket for Gavin Barnes, with Mat Allin picking up a run-out. It wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on and at the first drink’s break, Garboldisham were 4 wickets down with 103 on the board – but still in with a good chance of chasing down the home side’s total. However a middle order batting collapse saw Garby reeling on 125-9, but a tense last wicket stand of 43 between Rob Fuller and Shep dragged Garboldisham close to the line but unfortunately Sprowston snatched the final wicket to leave Garby just 6 runs short on 168 all out… Thanks to Rob Fuller for posting updates of this match on twitter.

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Back at The Langley, the 2nds were up against Hardingham 1sts. Batting first, Garby scored a tasty 250-8 with captain James Worby (pictured above) finishing just a handful of runs short of a century on 93. In reply Hardingham were really up against it at one stage with 5 wickets down and just 64 on the board – but a cracking partnership between their captain and opener Brendan Scott (100) and Robbie Fowle (57*) helped claw back the game for the visitors, but never by enough, and Hardingham finished 51 runs short on 199-6. A good win for the 2nds.

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Garboldisham 3rds travelled up to Reepham & Salle CC. The home side batted first, proved hard to dislodge and finished on 206-3 (35 overs). Garby struggled to find the runs and ended up 43 runs short on 164-6 (35 overs). Andy Freake scored 71 not out.

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The 4ths gathered in an easy 24 points when their opponents Dereham 3rds were unfortunately unable to muster a side and called off.

Philip Carr (pictured above) took 3 wickets and went for only 5 runs from his 9 overs in GCC 3rd XI’s win against Beetley CC last Saturday. Phil was also 44 not out.

Eastern Daily Press journalist Ian Clarke played for Beetley CC against Garboldisham on Saturday April 29 April and he mentioned GCC in a short article that he wrote in his sports column in the paper on Wednesday 4 May. Here’s Ian’s article reproduced in full:

Cricket club a great example

“While City were storming into a three-goal lead and then being pegged back at Leeds, I dusted off my whites for the start of the Norfolk League cricket season with a very enjoyable game at Garboldisham.

It was some years since I had played at the South Norfolk ground and they have gone from strength to strength since I was last there.

The club has four Saturday teams and I was told they have 70 youngsters at junior training on Friday evenings.

That is some achievement.

There was a great feeling about the place with a balance of ambition and friendliness.

I was also impressed with the way the young players were blended in to the adult teams.

A 13-year-old lad (Harry Pullum) made his debut against us and bowled really well as well as starring in the field.

Sports clubs at all levels can learn so much from the example of Garboldisham.

(And yes we did lose!)”

Thanks Ian for the kind words.

(Ian Clarke picked up just 2 runs before being bowled by Phil Carr. Garby won by 8 wickets)

This Saturday 6 May, the 1sts are away to Sprowston, the 2nds are at home to Hardingham, the 3rds are away to Reepham and the 4ths are at home to Dereham. Don’t forget that you can check all fixtures and results with the tabs above which take you through to our ECB ‘play-cricket’ website. And if you’re on twitter you can normally follow progress of how the 1sts are getting on each Saturday.

The busy work continues up at The Langley in preparation for the new season. Electric cabling has been run from the pavilion to the nets, for easy set-up of the bowling machine, and from the pavilion across the outfield of the main pitch to the electronic scoreboard which has been installed on a bespoke heavy-duty wooden stand. This will make it easier for scorers and spectators, as well as players, to easily check the score of a match.

The scoreboard has been installed on the far side of the main pitch

Robert Leach ‘drills’ a channel for the electric cabling

Club president Trevor Lambert tests the new showers

The first match of the season is a friendly at home against our old friends and rivals, Diss next Saturday 15 April and then we have a friendly the following Saturday 22 April at home to Thetford and then Mellis at home on Sunday 23 April. The season kicks off properly with all league fixtures on Saturday 29 April. You can check all the fixtures by going on to our page on the ECB play-cricket.com site (http://garboldisham.play-cricket.com) or this link here will take you straight to the fixtures page. Alternatively, click on the fixtures tab in the menu bar at the top of this page (laptop/desktop) or under the three horizontal lines icon top right (tablet/mobile). The ‘Quick search’ box on the play-cricket page will allow you to view fixtures for the whole 2017 season or just the next week or month – and you can adjust the filter to show, for instance, just 1st team games.

 

Big thank you to everyone who turned up at the weekend to help get the ground, pitches and clubhouse ready for the new season. Covers are all on, nets are up, pitches are all mown and looking fantastic, pavilion looks a treat, new showers and plumbing is installed – we’re all ready to go and the sun is shining!

New (hot!) showers in the pavilion

The first match of the season is a friendly at home against our old friends and rivals, Diss on Saturday 15 April and then we have a friendly the following Saturday 22 April at home to Thetford and then Mellis at home on Sunday 23 April. The season kicks off properly with all league fixtures on Saturday 29 April. You can check all the fixtures by going on to our page on the ECB play-cricket.com site (http://garboldisham.play-cricket.com) or this link here will take you straight to the fixtures page. Alternatively, click on the fixtures tab in the menu bar at the top of this page (laptop/desktop) or under the three horizontal lines icon top right (tablet/mobile). The ‘Quick search’ box on the play-cricket page will allow you to view fixtures for the whole 2017 season or just the next week or month – and you can adjust the filter to show, for instance, just 1st team games.

Huge thanks to Peter Barnes and helpers for organising and running the dinner on Friday 24 March with guest speaker and Ashes 2005 hero, Matthew Hoggard and comedian Paul Boardman, and then following it up with last Saturday’s Quiz Night in the village hall. Both events were a big success and the money raised will help go towards maintaining and developing the facilities at the ground.

Anya Culling (top) and Ben Asker with guest speaker and Ashes 2005 hero, Matthew Hoggard

Finally, we’ll be welcoming back our Aussie mate and overseas player Dan Constable who’ll be joining the first team again this summer! Dan will be with us later this month hopefully in time for the first match of the season.

The sportsman’s dinner is approaching fast – next Friday 24 March. It will include an auction of items and ‘promises’ at the dinner including this fantastic oil painting by Fred Ingrams of the Fens. If any other GCC members have any nice things that they are able to put into the auction to raise money for the club then do let us know. We are hoping to put a new drive up to the ground, an electronic scoreboard across the other side of the main pitch and run power to the nets. Running electric cable for this will be very expensive so if you are able to help with an item or a ‘promise’ it would help immensely. Please contact Peter Barnes on 07825351062. And if you want to make a bid for Fred’s painting but you’re not going to the dinner just email Fred via his website or contact Barnesy.

Don’t forget about the GCC quiz on Saturday 1 April. Let Peter or Robbie in the village shop have your team details as soon as possible so that we can work out numbers.

GCC is looking to gain interest from potential sponsors from within and around the club. We will be offering two packages: 1 year at £300 or 2 years at £450. For that, the sponsor would gain a sign-board mounted on the perimeter fence of the 1st team pitch, and they would be added to the club website and mentioned in club tweets on Twitter.

This is simple and affective way for us to bring essential funding into the club and so we encourage all club members to do what they can to seek support – possibly from their employer.

If you wish to discuss any of the above in further detail, please call club Chairman Paul Feavearyear on 07795 271033 or 01603 715756.

The club is once again holding a quiz at the Village Hall on 1st April at 7.30pm (doors open 6.45). The cost is £6 per person and this includes a hot meal. Teams of up to a maximum of six people. Please contact Peter Barnes (01953 681026 or 07825 351062) or Robbie at the village shop to book your places/teams. All money raised will go towards financing a new drive up to the club!

Our kit supplier for this season continues to be 4sports. Our Surridge kit is available for both adults and juniors. Click here for the online link to the Garboldisham CC page on the 4sports website.

For the latest guidance from the ECB on wearing/buying a helmet, please follow this link.