Marshall's magic Culls Thornton

12:57pm Tuesday 19th August 2008

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Holders Cullingworth successfully retained their Wynn Cup crown thanks to a mammoth 118-run win over Thornton.

After the rain deluge of the previous night, it was touch and go whether the match at Crossflatts would take place.

At 8.30am the square had standing water on it but sterling work from the groundsmen ensured the match started at its scheduled time.

Strangely on a green track, Thornton skipper Jason Lockley won the toss and put Cullingworth into bat and things started to go downhill from there.

Gareth Marshall opened the innings with Nigel Brett and it was the latter that played the perfect foil for Marshall.

The pair put on 116 for the first wicket before Brett perished for 31 to the fifth bowler used Andrew Jagger.

Opening bowler Mark Paxton had been miserly in his first eight overs, going for only three of the 47 runs scored in the first 15 overs.

Marshall continued to play his shots but, with a century beckoning, he played a horrible shot which saw him caught behind for a superb 92.

The carnage didn’t stop there as Phil Poole blasted 37 and Brannon Varley 44 not out to see the final total reach 240 for five.

The Booth Bridge Laners needed a solid start in reply but lost their first wicket with the score on nine.

Kevin Pollard clipped the ball to short cover to be well caught by Poole for just seven.

Wickets fell at regular intervals to leave the underdogs on 75 for nine. Paxton (21no) and Tom Day (24) dug in to lift the score up to 122 before they were all out.

Skipper David Hall took two for 24 off 12 overs and Marshall two for 16 off six.

Marshall’s all-round display saw the umpires John Oughton and Paul Murg-atroyd award him the man of the match.