Cozball – Episode 4 - On The Road To Glory
Match Report - Charlesworth and Chisworth Social vs Glossop CC Vets (Thursday 25th July)
Glossop were missing some big players but were fortunate that Steve Page, John Kirk and John Rathburn were available to make their debuts and they also welcomed the return of Phil Hagerty who had looked explosive in recent net sessions.
The wicket looked good, and with Glossop winning the toss, they chose to bat with the hope of posting another big score. Lewis Calvert and Phil Hagerty opened the innings and put Charlesworth under immediate pressure with some quick singles. Charlesworth were bowling some good lines but were perhaps a little short of length and were duly punished with some big hitting by Hagerty who smashed 2 big sixes and lost 2 balls in the process. Calvert wanted some of the action himself and some quick boundaries brought up the 50 partnership in the 6th over. Both Hagerty (26*) and Calvert (27*) retired not out after setting Glossop up for the perfect start.
In came Steve Page who kept things moving quickly, smashing some boundaries of his own, helped by Steve Kirkham and John Rathburn who knocked some quick singles to get Steve back on strike who capped his debut with a sublime 26 not out. To have Richard Marsden and Tim Halpin at 6 and 7 shows the depth of talent this Glossop team possess and both didn’t disappoint. Charlesworth had dropped their field due to the earlier onslaught, but both still managed to hit some glorious 4s and kept things ticking. An exciting partnership brought Halpin to 25* not out, quickly followed by Marsden (25* not out) and Glossop were looking good for a total around the 165 mark. Some tight bowling by Charlesworth in the final few overs brought some wickets but the fans were still treated to a few boundaries by Sam Alder and Andy Wilde as Glossop posted 152.
Due to the absence of Rick Ingham, Glossop needed to find a new opening strike bowler to partner Halpin and the ball was thrown to Marsden. Halpin opened up with a solid over but it was Marsden who took the spotlight. Super line and length caused all sorts of problems for the Charlesworth openers and the dead lock was broken in the second over by Marsden with a ball that scooted through and clattered into the stumps. His second over brought more success with another victim cleaned bowled. The ball after….another victim clean bowled….Marsden was on a hattrick…..The field came in, Marsden sent the ball down and it just missed the outside edge. No hattrick but a great spell gave Marsden figures of 3 for 8.
Charlesworth were rocked but with James Turley at the crease they always had a chance of mounting a challenge. Sam Alder and John Kirk bowled the next 4 and kept it tight. The mix of left arm medium pace and right arm spin caused problems and it was Kirk who created the next opportunity with a devilish ball that was lobbed out to mid wicket, a diving effort by Taylor got his hands to the ball but it popped out on landing and Kirk was denied a debut wicket. Glossop were getting further on top in the field and a great piece of fielding by John Rathburn left the Glossop man in a heap on the floor. Rathburn had to drive himself to hospital where it appears he has a dislocated shoulder, All the team wish him a quick recovery.
With Rathburn out, Glossop had to find 2 overs from somewhere, Oliver Halpin had come on for Rathburn but it was Andy Wilde who stood up, took off the wicket keeping pads and took the ball. A fine first over bowling in tandem with Steve Page kept Charlesworth on the back foot and in both their seconds overs they struck. Page first, caught by Tim Halpin at short mid off and then a wicked googly by Wilde cleaned out the Charlesworth batsman. Charlesworth was behind the rate when Steve Kirkham came on to bowl, but he kept it tight with his best figures of the season, 2 overs 6 runs 1 maiden. Calvert and Taylor bowled the last 4, Calvert as tight as ever not giving anything away and Taylor cleaned up the tail with 2 wickets, the first of which clipped the top of the bails and whilst Andy Wilde was celebrating behind the stumps, promptly hit him in the centre of the forehead sending the keeper down. Fortunately he recovered, as the next ball was edged, dropped short of Page at slip who feathered it to Kirkham at gully who fired it in to Wilde who took off the bails for another runout stumping for Glossop’s Keeper.
Charlesworth ended up on 108 and Glossop had won by 44 runs. A superb team performance where every player contributed. Glossop don’t just win, they offer comedy aswel which was apparent when Phil Hagerty, when looking for a ball fell though a fence and onto barbed wire. He survived and Glossop go Marching on.
Man of the Match
After a tough outing last time, Richard Marsden came back with a bang scoring 25 not out and taking 3 wickets for 8 runs. A superb all round performance and well deserved MOM.
Glossop are now 4 wins out of 4 and welcome Hare and Hounds to North Road in a few weeks time. Another tough test, but one I think as a squad we can more than cope with.
Up The Vets
Trouble Brews in the Heat It was a sunny evening in the wild plains of the cricketing frontier. The Law Men, leather-hatted and squinting into the glare, took the field first. The opposition Outlaws came out all guns blazing, holstering sixes and firing boundaries. The scoreboard galloped like a runaway stallion, and for a moment, it looked like the Outlaws were in for a long night. But just when the storm looked set to roll in, the sheriffs started laying down the law. Lines were tightened, traps were laid, and the bullets stopped flying. Then came the first duel. The opposition opener, once bold and brash, found himself hog-tied by dot balls. In a moment of panic, he made a break for it. He didn't make it far. A direct hit from Chris Sonczak—clean as a gunslinger's draw—sent him packing. Next ball, Davo drew fast and snared another. Two gone, momentum slowed. Enter young Maltby, the fresh-red-faced deputy on debut. He bowled like he'd ridden these parts before—tight, composed, and full of promise. But the enemy wasn’t done. A moustachioed South African miscreant, fierce and flamboyant, stood defiant in the dust, cracking shots with grit and guile (if only his banter behind the stumps was a cracking). Still, wickets fell like tumbleweeds. Phil Rhodes spun his web, subtle and deadly, and Chris Sonczak—sharpshooter supreme—fired off another direct hit. Across the rolling North Road plane, the ball, it seemed, had made a pact with Matt Sonczak—four catches flew to him like iron to a magnet. The Marshalls had done their job. The opposition Outlaws limped to 118 for 9 from 20 overs—a respectable tally, but short of high noon destruction. A Duel Under the Dying Light As the sun dipped low, painting the sky in oranges and fire, the Law Men’s top guns holstered their bats and stepped into the street. Chris Coll and Chris Sonczak: calm, composed, and short. Coll opened with lusty blows, knocking the dust off the scoreboard with every strike. Sonczak, his partner in justice, rotated strike like clockwork. The scoreboard ticked above the required rate, and the tension in the fielding gang grew. All they could manage were a few bitter mutterings behind the stumps—not funny, not clever. Coll, his work done, retired with a nod, handing over the reins. Sonczak stayed, finally finding his range with a few well-timed shots before tipping his hat and retiring too. Then came a stumble. The Chambers boys—Rob and Tom—rode in but didn't last long. Quick exits, no time for duels. But where there’s grit, there’s always a way. Gino, all flair and footwork, and Phil Rhodes, bringing balance and poise, stepped up. They brought a dash of style, keeping the wagon rolling. Just when it looked like they’d take it home, a twist: Gino retired, and Rhodes fell for 19. The saloon doors creaked open again—Will R and Davo entered the fray. Will, wielding a new weapon, looked the part—but it wasn’t his day. First ball, out cold. Silence fell. But Maltby returned, the debutant with the solution to the Mexican stand-off, and joined Davo. Calm, steady, unshaken—they saw it through. No drama. The Outlaws fought the Law; but, the Law won! Swinging Saloon Doors With the job done and the dust settled, the Sheriff’s holstered their bats, tipped their hats, and headed off for drinks and Italian food. Stories were shared, laughter echoed, and eyes turned to the man of the hour. Maltby, the new deputy, took home the match award—not for wickets, not for runs, but for an enthusiastic throw, which he muscled to absolutely nowhere. Wild. Unpredictable. Glorious. In these parts, they don’t remember the score. They remember the show.
On behalf of the Glossop Cricket & Bowling Club Executive Committee, I'd like to warmly invite you to an Extraordinary General Meeting taking place at 8pm on Thursday 22nd May 2025. As per the club’s constitution, the Executive Committee has recently recommended a list of Honorary Life Members, and so the purpose of this EGM is for our membership to approve these recommendations. The meeting should take no longer than 5 minutes. We’d love to see as many members as possible join us. Just a quick note: according to our club constitution, junior members under 16 and social members are welcome to attend but aren’t eligible to vote. We do our best to keep our members list up to date, but sometimes people slip through the cracks. If you know anyone who hasn't received this invite, please feel free to pass it along. Kind Regards Paul Edgar Secretary Glossop Cricket & Bowling Club
The weather Gods were shining brightly as Glossop Vets started their 2025 campaign with a tough away trip to Broadbottom. After an unbeaten 2024 season, the pressure was on to see if the team could recreate the highs of the 24 season……and in this first outing they didn’t disappoint. Glossop gave a debut to Tom Rogers, and after some rather hectic and considerably dangerous catching practise, Broadbottom were put into bat. Glossop opened with Jay Allen and Rick Ingham, possibly the oldest opening pair in the history of cricket, but both started well and in the 3rd over Allen came to life and struck with a lovely length delivery that was played on to the stumps….and the Vets were away. Allen struck again in the same over, clean bowled, and had now claimed both openers to finish with match best figures of 2 overs, 2 runs, 2 wickets. First change saw Richard Marsden and Sam Alder take the attack to Broady. Marsden was steady but it was Alder who was causing issues and he got his just reward for good line and length with a fizzing delivery that took out the middle stump. His first wicket for Glossop Vets …the first of many. Glossop kept the pressure on with good fielding which was paramount on the fast outfield but with Broadbottom middle order starting to free their shoulders abit, Glossop needed to make a breakthrough. Up step Tom Rogers and Steve Kirkham. Rogers kept it tight from one end but it was Kirkham who broke the hearts of Broady fans, striking twice, the first an fat edge to point where Calvert took the catch, this time with his hands and not his face, and the second a lovely dipping yorker leaving the Broadbottom batsman cleaned bowled. The final 4 overs brought some success for Broady with some big 6 hitting but 2 further wickets helped to keep the score chaseable. Taylor struck the stumps and Calvert found the edge, which was gobbled up by Andy Wilde behind the stumps, capping a fine performance by Wilde in the field. Broadbottom finished on 120 for 7 . Let the Chase begin... Glossop’s 20+ fans were expectant of a victory but with the sun going down Glossop would need to get a move on. Ingham and Taylor opened. Taylor took the majority of the strike in the first 3 overs, scoring a quick 14 before being cleaned bowled. Wilde came to the crease and started strong with 2 quick boundaries and some good running with Ingham. Ingham was going steadily along anchoring the team. Wilde was eventually out for 16, coming down the wicket to some spin, the ball dipped, Wilde missed it and was stumped by Broadbottoms very impressive under 15s Wk. This brought Marsden to the crease with Glossop needing a destructive innings from their number 4 to stay ahead of the run rate. Marsden started abit nervously but once he got his eye in, he started hitting the boundaries. Marsden and Ingham dovetailed well and both approached 25. Marsden was the first to reach the milestone with a crunching boundary ending on 28 not out. Ingham was soon to follow with a boundary of his own capping his best batting performance with the vets, scoring 27 not out. Allen and Halpin were now at the crease with Glossop needing around 30 runs for victory. Both batted well, moving the ball around and guided Glossop home with 5 overs to spare. Halpin finishing on 15 not out and Allen on 14 not out. Its shows the depth of Glossop’s team that Marsh, Calvert, Alder, Kirkham and Rogers were left in the shed but there is serious competition for places in this batting line up. Glossop ended on 123 -2 and took their first scalp of the season. Man of the Match: Andy Wilde . A fine performance behind the stumps, taking a catch and topped off with a quick fire 16 runs to set Glossop on route to Victory Up The Vets!