Barrow Gurney captain, Frank Forge, praised Barrow Gurney’s First XI for finishing the mini-league season with a final win to finish third in its challenging group. He also praised the fantastic support the team had received in this shortened season from past players and friends of the club. He then went on to his personal best figures on Sunday taking 7 wickets against Leema after answering a late call to play.
At Hobbs Lane on Saturday, Barrow were put in to bat on a damp wicket by Congresbury 2s. Bernie Forge (21) and Phil Milton got the team off to yet another good start putting on 54 with relative ease before Bernie was out bowled trying to sweep. Another 50 partnership with Kieran Owen then followed. Kieran was happy to rotate the strike whilst Phil was finding his groove with 3 big sixes before also being bowled for 64 (off 61 balls).
Having set the platform and with about 15 overs to go Barrow set about increasing the scoring rate. Kieran went through the gears and hit a couple of sixes of his own getting to his first 50. Guy Fisher took a little time to get going but contributed a valuable 44. Then Jonny Sykes (17), Ed Holdaway (29 not out) and Kian Ware (11 not out) ensured Barrow set a competitive total of 262-5.
Congesbury are known as a formidable batting side so Barrow still had work to do. Mark Fisher and Connor Jones opened the bowling with good control as the batsman were seeing themselves in before they started accelerating towards the end of their spells. Having put on 50 in 12 overs, Barrow’s first change bowlers contained the scoring rate as Ed Holdaway (1/38), managed to get the breakthrough with a slower ball which was caught by Jonny Sykes. Frank Forge (1/22) then got rid of the number 3, caught by the ever reliable Kian Ware on the cow corner boundary to put Barrow on top
Rob Figueiredo then struck 3 times with a caught behind by Bernie Forge off a cut shot standing up, A chip to Phil Milton at mid-wicket and finally a brilliant caught and bowled to give him the best figures of 3/40. Kian Ware playing against his former team was determined to take a wicket and after some short pitched bowlind induced a catch to Guy Fisher low down at point.
With the game all but won Congresbury enjoyed a late rally to finish on196-6, a comprehensive BGCC win by 66 runs.
Barrow ended up in 3rd in Pod J only finishing below the two teams who are normally 2 divisions above and Barrow might have won their games against both those teams which promises well for next season.
The 2nd XI game against Clevedon 4s was conceded by the opposition leaving Barrow’s experimental team 5th in their mini-league.
Sunday saw a local derby with Hobbs Lane tenants Leema. Barrow had to draft in a last minute replacement in the form of First team skipper Frank Forge who duly obliged with 7/29 using a mixture of flight and getting significant turn from the damp wicket, as Leema accumulated 208 all out, with Paul Gard contributing a blinding catch as well as a sharp run out.
Acting captain Ellie Holdaway (17) and Matt Owen (32) put on 48 for the first wicket but found scoring difficult against the visitor’s bowling attack. As a flurry of wickets left Barrow on 81-9, young James Taber (26 not out) enjoyed a last wicket partnership with Frank (18) to reach 125 and giving the team a couple of batting points before a brilliant slip catch ended proceedings.