GOODRICH CC remain on course for a first GB Liners Marches Championship since 2005, defeating Crickhowell CC by 11 runs to steal a dramatic win on Saturday 1st August.

Goodrich arrived on an overcast afternoon and, after losing the toss, were inserted on a green, seaming pitch. The villagers soon found themselves reeling as a ferocious opening spell from Welsh paceman Joseph Bowker (4-40) blew away the in-form Goodrich top order to reduce the league leaders to 89-6. However standing tall amid the chaos was vice captain James O’Brien who, with the help of Chris Tookey (10) and Mark Bradford (18), firstly steadied the ship and then took the attack to Crickhowell. By the time James was dismissed for 56, Goodrich had recovered to 182 all out.

As the sky began to clear over the Welsh countryside, Goodrich set to work defending their total, the evergreen Bradford trapping the Crickhowell opener leg before wicket. However despite Goodrich beating the bat time and again, the powerful Crickhowell middle order muscled their way towards their target and at the halfway stage looked favourites to be the first side to beat Goodrich in 2015.

Then a spectacular one handed catch from Andrew Brown broke the partnership and a change of bowling saw Goodrich fast bowler Joe Provis (4-47) cause some destruction of his own. With further wickets for O’Brien (2-35) Bradford (3-38) and Tookey (1-49), The Welshmen were dismissed for 171 in the penultimate over to leave Goodrich undefeated at the top of the league.