Goodrich CC remain on course for a first GB Liners Marches Championship since 2005 as they overcame Crickhowell CC by 11 runs to steal a dramatic win.

Goodrich lost the toss and were inserted on a green, seaming pitch. The villagers soon found themselves reeling as a ferocious opening spell from Welsh paceman Joseph Bowker (4-40) blew away the in-form Goodrich top order to reduce the league leaders to 89-6.

However, standing tall amid the chaos was vice captain James O’Brien who, with the help of Chris Tookey (10) and Mark Bradford (18), firstly steadied the ship and then took the attack to Crickhowell. When James was dismissed for 56, Goodrich had recovered to 182 all out.

Goodrich set to work defending their total, the evergreen Bradford trapping the Crickhowell opener lbw. However despite Goodrich beating the bat time and again, the powerful Crickhowell middle order muscled their way towards their target and at the 100 - 2 by the half-way stage, looked favourites to be the first side to beat Goodrich in 2015.

Then a spectacular one handed catch from Andrew Brown broke the partnership and a change of bowling saw Goodrich fast bowler Joe Provis (4-47) cause some destruction of his own. With further wickets for O’Brien (2-35) Bradford (3-38) and Tookey (1-49), the Welshmen were dismissed for 171 in the penultimate over to leave Goodrich undefeated at the top of the league.