Glossop travelled to Mottram on another beautiful evening to play Game 2 of 3 away games in the space of a week. After a super win away at Hadfield last Thursday, Glossop knew they’d need another top performance to beat another big rival.   Glossop again won the toss and again choose to bowl.

Glossop opened with Steve Kirkham and Tim Halpin, both of whom bowled good length on a wicket that was already starting to break up. Halpin was tidy, but it was Kirkham who broke the deadlock early on with a quicker bouncing delivery that popped off the openers bat and was caught by Richard Marsden at short Mid Wicket. Marsden making his first appearance of the season after a shoulder injury was already in the action.

Lewis Calvert and Mark Littlewood were next to bowl, Calvert bowling mysterious spin, Littlewood bowling with pace and bounce, and it was Littlewood who made the next breakthrough. A fuller length ball caught an inside edge and cannoned into the stumps, a well deserved for a spell that caused Mottram lots of problems.

Marsden and Nathan Allen bowled the middle overs. Marsden turning his arm over for the first time in nearly a year bowled a few loose beamers towards his daughter’s cricket coach (hopefully it won’t affect Megans selection this week) but kept it tight and Allen from the pavilion end bowled a lovely line. Glossop were finding it hard to get wickets, but they were excellent in the field and weren’t giving much away with the ball.

Rick Ingham and Jay Allen were next up, Allen was tight and gave nothing away and Ingham backed him up. Again no wickets, but Glossop were restricting Mottram to a low total and another win looked on the cards.

Dave Wilde and Colin Taylor bowled the last 4. Taylor has been struggling recently with the bowling yips and bowled the only wide of the Mottram innings, a testament to how good Glossop had bowled. Wilde was causing issues at the other end and only gave away a few singles each over and Glossop has restricted Mottram to 101 for 2.

Glossop knew this was a really gettable total and were brimming with confidence at the break.

Mark Littlewood and Jay Allen opened Glossop’s Innings. Both found it really tough going and it was Littlewood that holed out early on, flicking a full toss over mid-wicket, only for the Mottram fielder to jump like a salmon and take a 1 handed catch above his head.  Calvert joined Allen at the crease but Calvert also found it tough to get the ball away, Was the wicket playing tricks?

Both struggled on until the 7th over when Allen tried start making things happen but got bowled through the gate whilst going for a big shot. This brought Marsden to the crease, Glossop’s 2025 player of the year, and they needed him to make an impact. And an impact he made.

Marsden started with 4,4,1,4  and then crunched a delivery all the way to the boundary for a massive 6. If the fence hadn’t have stopped it, it would still be going now.  This kick started Calvert into action and both were motoring towards the 101 Mottram had set. Marsden finished strong and retired on 28, followed swiftly by Calvert also on 28. The pair had made a big dent in Mottram’s total.

Wilde and Nathan Allen came to the crease and knocked it around as Glossop made good progress, but Allen was bowled and then Wilde caught to make life a little uncomfortable for Glossop. But this brought the finisher, Kirkham, to the crease and Glossop’s poster boy, Rik Ingham. Kirkham finished 3 not out but was Ingham who took the battle to the bowlers. After having some sessions in the garden with Charley, Ingham had a new stance at the crease and looked like a right-handed Brian Lara as the bowler was steaming in. In true Lara style he then played a sublime cover drive to the boundary for 4, holding the position after the shot….an image definitely for his 2027 calendar.  The final run was then knocked off and Glossop had done the double over Mottram.  A superb win on a trying wicket and surprising slow outfield.

Man of The Match -  Richard Marsden.



After months out with a shoulder injury, Glossop’s strong man made a real impact on his comeback. A catch early doors, good close fielding, strong bowling and a masterclass in powerful, destructive batting…just when Glossop needed it.

Nomads tonight – Lets make it 3 out of 3.

Up The Vets 🏏🍻