Garstang CC skipper won't take strugglers for granted

Garstang CC skipper Mark Walling admits his side has, on paper, something of a no-win Northern League match this weekend.
Garstang skipper Mark Walling		                                   Picture: Tim Gilbert/Preston Photographic SocietyGarstang skipper Mark Walling		                                   Picture: Tim Gilbert/Preston Photographic Society
Garstang skipper Mark Walling Picture: Tim Gilbert/Preston Photographic Society

Having lost at Netherfield by eight wickets last time out, Garstang host a Preston side with only three points from 10 matches this season.

It leaves them 52 points adrift of second-bottom Penrith approaching the halfway stage of the season.

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Garstang, for their part, are sixth in the table, one point off the top four following on from their defeat last weekend.

“It’d be nice to have the 15 points but I know what you mean when you say we can’t win this weekend,” Walling said.

“However, we have to play well and not take anything for granted.

“We have to try and back up losing at Netherfield but we’re at home and we’re usually pretty good there.

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“Hopefully we can get a result on Saturday and put a run together in the games after that because we’re nearly halfway through the season now.”

Garstang’s move into the Northern League from the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield has been a learning curve for Walling’s players.

Last weekend saw them up against a Netherfield side second in the table as they seek to emulate last year’s title success.

Although Garstang put together a decent enough total of 227-9, a second-wicket stand of 192 between Ben Barrow (91) and John Boyle (111 not out) set up Netherfield’s win.

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“It was a really good wicket to bat on and 227 was probably just below par,” Walling said.

“It was our first time playing against Netherfield and they batted well.

“However, we spoke afterwards about the middle overs when we batted as we scored something like 36 runs and lost four wickets in 15 overs.

“That put us behind where we wanted to be but credit Netherfield for how they batted.”