Godden Cup Final 2012
The Godden Cup competition in 2012 suffered badly with the wet summer weather. Deadlines for games had to be extended on several occasions. The pressure to complete other fixtures and players not being available had caused some Clubs to pull out of the competition.
There were 3 attempts made to get the Godden Cup final played. The weather prevented the final from even being considered on its usual date on the last friday in June. The weather prevented one semi final from being played and then a finalist could not get a team. However on the 19th July 2012 Sibton Park were at last able to play Hythe. The game this year taking place at Sibton Park. Although there were dark and angry looking clouds it was decided to play the final as planned in the usual 8 a side, 12 x 8 ball over format as the final commenced earlier at 6pm.
Sibton Park batted first and their opening batsmen Ben Allon and Steve Hickmott made a very good start. They played aggressively, regularly finding the boundary and gaps in the field to scamper singles. Steve hit a magnificent straight 6 leaving a dent in the sight screen. Ben was eventually bowled for 31 which included 5 boundaries. Nick Graham continued with the attack on the bowling but not long after his third boundary was bowled for 16. Sibton Park’s fortune then fell into decline. When Steve was bowled for 39, Sibton Park collapsed. The next 5 batsmen could only add another 7 runs between them. The initial run rate would have been good enough to set a target of 120-130 but Sibton Park only achieved 98. T.Squires took 4 wickets and T. Homewood achieved 2 wickets and a run out.
Hythe replied with 11 off their first over but lost an early wicket. They needed to score at just over 8 an over which they were succeeding to do but they lost a second wicket in the 4th over. Hythe were not making the big shots but were steadily accumulating runs in ones and twos. Things swung back Sibton Park’s way when wickets fell in the seventh and eighth overs and the run rate dropped. J. Hemphrey steadied things with a couple of boundaries including a maximum. Hythe needed to score 15 off the last 2 overs. They started well but a run out built up the tension. T. Homewood and J. Hemphrey kept the runs flowing and left themselves to get 5 off the last over. T. Homewood finished in style with a boundary off the 4th ball. S. Butler scored 27, T. Pichowski scored 24 and J. Hemphrey finished with 22 not out.
Thanks to the umpires Geoff Hambrook and Dave Darlow.
This was probably one of the best finals for several years. Both teams played well and the result could have been even tighter if Sibton Park had managed a few more runs from their later batsmen. All the bowlers bowled well and the fielding was of high quality with a couple of good run outs. Well done to both side sbut especially to Hythe who are the winners of the Godden Cup for 2012.
