24/08/2026
🏏The Laptop Has Been Resurrected🏏
After a long absence from the keyboard, the MGCC match report has finally returned! And, as you all know, there is only one reason the journalist’s increasingly redundant laptop has been dusted off, charged up and reluctantly asked to do some work again…MGCC WON!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen. The Originals have another victory on the board. And this one mattered. With the season entering its latter stages, The Originals welcomed Great Brickhill to The Rec for a genuine bottom-of-the-table scrap, with one very simple objective for the remainder of the campaign, Do not finish at the foot of the table.
With 25 vital points up for grabs, selection was a big topic during the week. The committee had plenty to ponder, with selection headaches, difficult decisions and, in a move of unprecedented professionalism, even a midweek nets session to ensure the skipper had, in fact, selected the correct XI.
Everyone was fired up. Everyone was ready. Well… almost everyone was on time. Some were. Some weren’t…
The Originals even conducted a warm-up before the game. Yes, you read that correctly. A warm-up…!!There are, however, some things that never change.
Skipper Stu made his traditional walk out to the middle for the toss, presumably expecting to lose the coin as he has done with such admirable consistency throughout the season. But lo and behold…he won it! For what we believe may only have been the second time all season. After several minutes of stunned silence in the dressing room, Gibbon had elected to bowl first and the whites were on.
With a rapid outfield but a pitch offering just enough life, the skipper’s message was simple, do the basics well, play with the attitude we’ve shown all season and demonstrate exactly what this side is capable of.
Chairman Kyle and Crouchy Callow opened the bowling, backed by an MGCC fielding unit that looked every bit the part. Turbo Timmo patrolled the covers, Cossie provided cover literally everywhere else and Lofty Foxy stood at mid-on with intent.
The opening overs were tight, with Crouchy striking first to get the Brickhill innings moving in the wrong direction. However, Great Brickhill rebuilt impressively, putting together a second-wicket partnership of 70. The youngster Huey Sweedy looked particularly assured, eventually making an excellent 46 from 55 balls before J Leno finally ended the partnership by sending him back to the pavilion.
It was also around this point that J Leno suffered a minor but highly inconvenient wardrobe malfunction. A quick disappearance at drinks followed, the less said about the exact nature of the emergency, the better. But a change of undergarments were needed.
With Brickhill approaching 100, the middle overs became increasingly important. Enter the Marsh Trio of Wildman Jan, Jules Chambers and J Leno, who squeezed the life out of the innings with some tight bowling. J Leno was particularly destructive, finishing with 4-19 from his 10 overs, while the pressure from the other end ensured Brickhill could never quite break free.
Kyle came back to also chip in with two wickets, while Wildman Jan and Jules claimed one apiece. Turbo Timmo was then handed the responsibility of polishing off the tail.
The fielding throughout was outstanding. The Originals threw themselves around, chased everything, backed each other up and, as always, made sure nobody within approximately three miles was unaware that a cricket match was taking place. Great Brickhill were bowled out for 162 in 48.3 overs.
Tea time. Mrs Leonard, of the D variety, produced a fantastic spread that was attacked by the MGCC chaps with the sort of enthusiasm usually reserved for a free bar.
With 163 required, the feeling in the dressing room was that the runs were there for the taking. Of course, this is Marsh Gibbon. And Marsh Gibbon do have a rather unfortunate history of turning perfectly manageable chases into unnecessarily dramatic events.
So naturally, the innings began with Cobby Chambers being trapped LBW for a duck. 0-1 after two balls. Excellent. The Gibbon faithful on the boundary, however, remained remarkably calm. Because walking in at number three was J Leno. Back in his natural habitat, Joe joined Spuddy Honour and the pair set about rebuilding the innings sensibly.
The approach was exactly what was required, punish the loose deliveries, respect the good ones and keep the scoreboard moving. Spuddy was particularly impressive, whipping the ball beautifully off his legs, a skill that the rest of the squad would very much like him to distribute around the dressing room at some point. J Leno, meanwhile, went back to his trusty late cut, apparently deciding that if it isn’t broken, there is no need to invent anything complicated.
The partnership settled the Good Ship Gibbon, with Marsh passing 50 shortly after the ten-over mark and beginning to look firmly in control. Brickhill changed the attack and introduced Patel, who finally found the edge of Spuddy’s bat, with the keeper completing the catch. Spuddy departed for a very useful 29 from 53 balls, having done exactly what was needed.
Enter skipper Stu. Back in his natural number four berth, the Leonard duo took centre stage. Naturally, with Stuart and Joe occupying the middle together, the running between the wickets slowed considerably. Not because the running was particularly complicated. More because nobody was prepared to accuse either Leonard of being a speedy athlete.
The pair nevertheless put together a composed 60-run partnership, calmly taking the Gibbon towards victory. With only four required for the win, Stu was eventually bowled for 12. In came Sam “Cossie” Costello. The reception from the Gibbon faithful was enormous, particularly from the Cossie Fan Club, who had spent much of the afternoon ensuring Granty behind the bar remained suitably occupied. Cossie need less than a handful of deliveries to complete the job. A lovely nick through the slips was enough. Marsh Gibbon 165-3. Victory by seven wickets. And, more importantly, 25 precious league points. At the other end, J Leno finished unbeaten on 81 from 126 balls, including 13 boundaries. Was it the change of pants? We may never know.
What we do know is that this was a thoroughly deserved victory. Not simply because of the result, but because of the effort, attitude and commitment shown by the entire group. The fielding was electric, the bowling disciplined, the batting sensible when it mattered and, for once, the collapse department was left firmly closed for business.
After the game, the majority of the MGCC cohort and supporters made the short journey down to the Marsh Gibbon Beer Festival to sample the various beverages on offer.
Before departing, however, there was still time for the traditional post-match debrief in the bar. The main topic of discussion? Spuddy Honour’s love life. Specifically, should Spuddy finally take the plunge and download Hinge, and if so, exactly how large would his search radius need to be from Marsh Gibbon…
With the usual MGCC contingent eventually sinking into the various varieties available at the beer festival, there was a distinct feeling of a victory long overdue. And perhaps that is what made this one particularly enjoyable. It was a win built on the same things that have characterised this group all season, effort, togetherness, attitude, noise, plenty of questionable decision-making but, a refusal to give up.
The laptop can now go back into hibernation, but hopefully only for a few days. Because this Saturday, Waddesdon CC come to The Rec, and The Originals will be looking to make it back to back victories.
Thanks as always to our resident photographer, Neil Honour for the snaps 📸
Scorecards available below, huge thanks to scorer this week, the best dressed man at MGCC, Alfie Weedon!
📋 - https://marshgibbon.play-cricket.com/website/results/7363177
📋 - https://www.cherwellcricketleague.com/scorecard.php?MatchID=18838
