*Gay, but heartfelt post alert* With league fixtures being done and dusted for a season I thought I’d take a bit of time to say a few words. Firstly, what a season it has been for our 1st team. We were written off by some and underestimated by a few at the start of the season. Many outsiders predicted a tough and ultimately disappointing season, which many thought would end in relegation back into Division One at the club’s first attempt in The Premier Division. How wrong they were! Throughout the year we have proven what a talented bunch of players we have in our club. Everyone who has had the opportunity to play has done their bit at one point during the season and with the added ‘bit of bastard’ in us we showed great character to get over the line in some games, notably in both games vs Downham. To finish second is a fantastic achievement and just goes to show that ‘the villagers’ can mix it with the best. The challenge for next …

26th-28th August Beer Festival weekend. We have 7 beers (Adnams Ghost ship, Black Sheep Best Bitter, Woodfordes Wherry, Woodfordes Once Bittern, Robinsons Dizzy Blonde and 2 of Peters Barnes’ choice) 26th August Final junior nets of the season and junior presentation. Nets finish at 7pm and are immediately followed by the junior awards evening. Awards will be given for each of the playing age groups up to U15. £4 per child which includes BBQ and a drink. 27th August Saturday’s fixtures 1s away at Diss, 2s at home to Hetherset and Tas Valley, 3s at home to East Harling, 4s away at Diss 28th August Six-a-side tournament. All teams are taken, however should anyone want a game we can find them a team 30th August U15 South Norfolk Community League Final’s Day at the Langley. Semis in morning, final in afternoon 2nd September Golf Day Contact Danny Cash or Sandy Dye Culling for more info. 3rd September End of Season Do at Lyng Farm. Fancy dress theme of ‘The world of Music’ £10 a ticket, for more info contact Peter Barnes 10th …

Thursday 25 August 2016 Garboldisham CC u15s beat Horsford CC in the final of the Andy Seeley Trophy by 10 runs and made club history by becoming the first Garby youth team to win a Norfolk Alliance competition. In 2011 and 2013 GCC u17s had won the Junior Carter Cup but GCC youth had never got their hands on a Norfolk Alliance League trophy – until today! Well done to captain Toby Culling and all the u15 lads who played in all the matches. This win is the culmination of a fantastic summer for the u15s which started back on the 2 May with their first league game. There are four u15 leagues in the Norfolk Alliance that brings together 27 teams from across the county and Garboldisham went on to top their league, Group 1, by the end of June and thus qualify as one of eight teams that go forward to play in the knockout stages. After 1/4 final and semi-final wins against Bungay and Dersingham, Garby were up against Horsford in the final. …

Dan Constable has been feeling right at home. It’s the hottest day of the summer and the weather reminds him of being back in Australia. But it wasn’t always like this – when Dan arrived at GCC back in the spring it was just 4° – what had he let himself in for?! Dan left his home town of Wollangong, which is about an hour’s drive south of Sydney, in April to join GCC as our overseas player and junior coach. Last year he’d been studying Business Studies at University but he hadn’t enjoyed it and so had decided to defer it for a year and do some travelling. Time out playing as an overseas player in an English cricket league seemed like the perfect opportunity and he took up Garby’s offer of a position. Dan first started playing cricket 10 years ago as a 9-year old, and his hero and inspiration growing up had been the former Aussie captain Michael Clarke. As Dan’s cricketing skills improved, he was picked up by Campbelltown Ghosts – one of Sydney’s leading club teams (Monty Panesar has …

Yesterday evening (Tuesday 23 August), with the light fading, the U15s beat Old Buckenham U15s in the South Norfolk Community League by 61 runs. Garby batted first and scored a heady 142-4 off their 16 overs (George Southgate 35, Arthur Johnson 38). In reply Old Buck’ were 82-6. This latest win for the U15s sees them go through to the SNCL Final’s Day which will be held at Garboldisham on Tuesday next week (30 August). Don’t forget that you can catch the U15s in action against Horsford in the final of the Norfolk Alliance Andy Seeley Trophy at 10.30 on Thursday at Great Melton. ‘Coach’ Jack Stevenson photobombs the U15’s picture

Garboldisham meet Horsford in the final of the Norfolk Alliance Andy Seeley Trophy which will be held at Great Melton’s ground near Wymondham on Thursday 25 August. The match starts at 10.30am. The U15s, captained by Toby Culling, topped their NA group league earlier in the summer and this meant that they passed through to the knock-out stages. Having beat Bungay in the 1/4 finals and Dersingham in the semis, they are now up against Horsford. It should be a cracking game! Please come along to watch and lend your support if you are free. Good luck to the lads!

Picture: Alex ‘Hoggy’ Hogg has a good weekend with the ball taking 8 wickets Garboldisham won the Lady Mary Trophy by 3 wickets on Sunday afternoon (21.8.16) in a close fought final against Bradfield. Great bowling from Garby including 3-12 from Alex Hogg restricted Bradfield to just 103 all out. In reply Garboldisham lost a nail-biting 7 wickets but Jonny Wyatt helped Garby home with a match winning 44 runs. Captain Danny Cash commented: “Good result today to see the club win the Lady Mary Trophy for the first time since 1987! Good bowling performance all round and a gritty knock of 44 from competition winner Jonny Wyatt got us home! Tops off to what has been an already incredible season for the 1st team. Thanks also to the Garby army who gave up their Sundays to come and support the boys – always appreciated.” Full match report to come… On Saturday the 1st XI were up against North Runcton at The Langley. Runcton won the toss and put Garboldisham in to bat and Garby notched up 80 runs …