Goatacre's promotion story (From Swindon Advertiser)

Goatacre's promotion story

7:00am Tuesday 30th August 2011 in Cricket By Sam Morshead

A SENSATIONAL season started in somewhat damp fashion, when Jif Wilkins and Brad Dawson’s unbeaten tons ended up meaning nothing as the clash with Marshfield was wiped out by the elements.

Goatacre had set a whopping 312-3 from their 50 overs before reducing the hosts to 117-3 from 25. But then the heavens opened.

Not content with 312, Craig Gibbens’ side dwarfed their previous total with a scarcely believable 371-8 against Stroud the following week.

Ed Kilbee smashed 159 in the 127-run win.

And Kilbee’s brilliant early-season form carried on into a superb run chase at Potterne, where Goatacre successfully pursued 287 to win with six and a half overs to spare. This time the elegant opening bat carved out an unbeaten 139.

Biddestone were demolished in a rain-affected game at Goatacre Lane. Kevin Iles hit 67 from 30 balls to help the home side to 214-8 from 34 overs before Biddestone tip-toed to 145 in response.

By this stage in the season the village side were miles ahead at the top of the table, but their fairytale run came to an abrupt end with surprise defeat to Dumbleton.

Chasing 262 to win, Goatacre looked to be cruising as Liam Dawson and Nick Pocock both made 77, but in the end they ended up three runs short, as they lost seven wickets for 47 runs in a dramatic collapse.

Nevertheless, Goatacre did not let the loss affect them too much, and despite being bowled out for just 154 at home to Cheltenham, Gibbens & Co scraped out a win.

Liam Dawson took 5-29 in 10 overs to dismiss the visitors for 92, with Gibbens’ early run out of the talented Jackson Thompson a huge factor in the victory.

The trip to Trowbridge was called off due to the rain, but consecutive wins followed against Rockhampton and Swindon.

In the Rockhampton clash, Kilbee and Liam Dawson plundered simple half-centuries chasing 160, but it was not so straightforward when local rivals Swindon came to town.

Marc Williamson’s belligerent 97, alongside the fortuitous Will Nichols’ 52, took Swindon to 231.

In reply Ed Kilbee’s dominant ton took Goatacre to the cusp of victory before another epic collapse left home hearts a-flutter.

In the end, the old heads of Iles and Sam Parish brought them home in an at-times ill-tempered match.

The home matches against Potterne and Stroud were victims of the elements and a miserable afternoon in the Village Cup came and went before a crazy game at Biddestone.

Bowled out for 94, no one gave Goatacre a slither of hope.

But Gibbens and Iles shared six wickets, and a chance was put down with the scores tied, as Biddestone only just snuck home by a single wicket.

The team bounced back with enough vengeance to suitably scare Bruce Willis when Dumbleton came calling the following week.

Gibbens was on top form, claiming 6-30 in the demolition job, as the visitors were dismissed for 58 in 20.5 overs.

It was all over by 4pm, allowing Goatacre to go and watch Swindon play at the County Ground.

A memorable trip to Cheltenham ended with a four-wicket win, thanks in the main to Haines’ 52 not out, while the return leg against Trowbridge again was called off.

Jiff Wilkins’ calm and composed 58 not out saw Goatacre home at Rockhampton, when posed with chasing a tricky 186 after Luke Edwards took 4-41 with the ball That left a simple equation for the title-chasing side - two points were needed from two games for the title.

It may have ended in quiet fashion, with a limp eight-wicket loss to Swindon, but Goatacre are unlikely to celebrate such a significant loss as heavily ever again.

Haines’ 78 ensured a batting bonus point, Iles two wickets made sure of one for their bowling, and Goatacre, little Goatacre, reached Premier 2 for the first time in their history.