VETERAN Kevin Iles showed there's plenty of spirit left in him with a five-wicket haul and an invaluable 21 not out, helping Goatacre win the Group final of the Npower National Village Knockout against old rivals Little Durnford & Fonthill.
Durnford skipper Keith Steer won the toss and elected to bat in front of the 200 strong crowd who had gathered at Goatacre on this fine summers afternoon.
The Durnford openers set a good run rate and by 10 overs had reached 43 without loss. Goatacre change bowler Rahn Heer (7-0-16-0) bowled a very tight line and length and restricted the Durnford scoring.
The breakthrough for Goatacre came in the 12th over when Scott Curwood, with his first ball, had Scott-Gall caught behind by Sam Parish. Continued tight bowling from Heer and Curwood had the Durnford batsmen tied up and at the drinks break (20 overs) Durnford were 65 for 2.
Kevin Iles bowled the first ball after the drinks break, and he too picked up a wicket with his first delivery.
A first class diving catch by Jif Wilkins running around from deep extra cover saw the end of Roundell for 18.
Iles struck again in his next over with a sharp stumping by Sam Parish and Durnford were 76 for 4 after 23 overs.
Horn and Pool built a 25 run 5th wicket partnership and were beginning to look threatening when Iles struck again. Iles got his fourth wicket in the 33rd over as Durnford looked to accelerate, but were struggling at 117 for 6.
Jif Wilkins supported Iles well from the Nursing Home End finishing with 2 for 27 runs in six overs. Iles claimed his fifth wicket in his ninth and final over. Durnford had reached 155 for 9 in their 40 overs.
The Goatacre bowlers still have plenty to work on though, as there were 30 extras in the innings including 17 wides!
Goatacre's Steve Gee lost his wicket in a similar manner to the previous day, bowled by Slade for just 2 runs. Despite the early loss, Goatacre batsmen Scott Curwood and Rob Turner were cruising at 4 runs per over until Turner was caught at long on for 37 having already struck 14 runs from Sealy's 2nd over.
Goatacre were 56 for 2 from 13 overs. Curwood was next to fall for a valuable 23 LBW to Hugo Scott-Gall straight after the drinks break.
Slade had bowled a very tidy spell for Durnford from the Pavillion End with just 22 runs coming from his nine overs, but it was his replacement Trueman who struck next, clean bowling Jif Wilkins for 23.
Little Durnford may have been encouraged at this stage, hoping that another wicket or two would fall and put them right back in the hunt.
This was not to be the case however. Goatacre Captain Peter Turner and Kevin Iles batted very sensibly building a 5th wicket stand of 55, steering their side to within one over of victory. Turner (22) was eventually out in the 33rd over, but Ed Wilkins (9 not out) wrapped up the match the next over.
Goatacre will play the winners of the Oxfordshire group, likely to be the reigning champions Shipton-under-Wychwood, at Goatacre in two weeks time.
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