1st XI Off To A Convincing Start

The 1st XI opened their 2017 season with a tricky trip to Marshfield, the home side having previously finished runners up in the Wiltshire premier division in each of the last three seasons.

Marshfield’s skipper James Williams won the toss and elected to bat on a typicaly green Marshfield wicket . He would soon come to regret this decision as the hosts were left trouble early as Conor Taylor had opener Calum Burnstone caught behind and two wickets in two balls for Cameron Baden saw the hosts reeling at 21-3.

Marshfield overseas Suffan Hassan and Jeremy Bond went about rebuilding the innings with aggressive stroke play, aiming to return the pressure back onto the Swindon bowlers. The pair had put on 23 when a misjudged attempted single to Liam Tucker led to Bond’s run out.

The suicidal running continued and Russell Lodge was run out by a direct hit from Tom Codling for 4, and when Ben Gardner was caught by Andy Staff for a golden duck Marshfield were in serious trouble at 55-6.

What followed was a comparatively slow few overs as Hussan and new batsman Cameron Walker consolidated and but a patient partnership of 39, the partnership was broken by captain Alex Kill when he induced an uppish drive from Hussan which nonchalantly taken by Conor Cleary in the covers.

The Marshfield lower order continued to frustrate, but regular wickets saw the home side dismissed for an under par 139. Pick of the bowlers for Swindon was Cameron Baden who’s 10 overs conceded just 26 runs and claimed 3 precious top order wickets.

After the usual first class Marshfield tea, the Swindon openers Paul Paginton and Chris Aubrey set about the chase. A wayward start from the Marshfield openers saw Swindon off to a good start. The only blip in the innings came when the score was 48 when Paginton was dismissed bowled by the “aggressive” Jeremy Bond for 12.

Captain Kill joined Aubrey and the pair were rarely troubled as they cruised towards the victory target, Aubrey brought up his fifty with successive straight sixes ended up on 63* with Captain Kill ending up with a better than run a ball 48*.

Man of the Match – Chris Aubrey
DOTD – Conor Cleary (who forgot his whites)
Shower Rating - 5 – middle of the road
Tea Rating – 10 - Incredible