This Saturday saw the 2nd XI travel to Woodlands St Mary to play the Coastal Cobras. The side arrived full of confidence after five wins in a row, knowing that a sixth was required to keep them in the hunt for promotion.

Coastal Cobras won the toss and elected to bat first, making a quick start, with openers Yasir Irshad and Javid Ahmad Niazi punishing anything off line. However, Marlborough opening bowler Udhav Bhan quickly settled into his rhythm and was rewarded with the wicket of Irshad, caught behind by Dave Slater for 15.

Bahn’s next over was even better, shaping two balls away from Cobra’s captain Edgar De Sousa before bowling a delivery that cut in, De Sousa leaving the ball and being bowled for 2. Bhan bowled through, finishing with figures of 9-1-29-2.

At the other end Mohammed Salman (9-0-39-1) supported with a disciplined spell, picking up the wicket of Cleatus Pereira, caught by captain Nick Crabbe for 15, leaving Cobras 75-3.

Javid and David Novais came together for a solid 4th wicket partnership of 66, running well and frustrating the fielders, before Novais was bowled by Hassaan Asif for 26. Javid went on to pass 100 but with Novais gone there was little support at the other end. Asif picked up the wickets of Ashlan (caught by Ben Head for 7) and Valenco (bowled for 0) with consecutive deliveries, finishing with figures of 9-0-47-3.

Head was bowling a dangerous spell himself, and after several chances had fallen short of the fielders, he was rewarded with the wicket of Stanley Vas (6), caught by Mohit Jaswal at square leg. Simon Wells, aging like a fine wine, was the man to finally dismiss Javid, caught by Salman for 105. There was another wicket a piece for Head (8.1-1-31-2) and Wells (4-0-16-2), just reward for two excellent spells, as the Cobras were all out for 197.

Nick Crabbe and Andy Crabbe opened the batting and got off to a flyer, reaching 40-0 after 5 overs and putting a decent dent in the chase, Andy Crabbe passing 5,000 club runs in the process.

After a couple of loose overs, Noor began to swing the ball and bowled Andy Crabbe for 15, with Crabbe playing a horrible hoick across the line which will probably give him sleepless nights. Nick Crabbe was joined by Pete Day and the pair batted patiently, offering virtually no encouragement to a Cobras attack that was lacking venom.

Indeed, it came as a surprise when Crabbe feathered an edge to the keeper off Ashwin Dias, out for 44 with Marlborough 88-2 from 18 overs. Whatever joy that brought to the Cobras was short-lived, as Hassaan Asif joined Day and quickly looked comfortable.

The run rate continued to fall as the pair combined good running with strong boundary hitting. Coastal Cobras looked all at sea and didn’t help themselves with poor ground fielding and a couple of dropped catches.

Both Day (58) and Asif (67) passed fifty and it was left to Day to strike the winning boundary and bring up the 200 for an extra batting point, securing the win in just 36 overs. It was a commanding performance from Marlborough, who host 2nd place Purton at the Savernake Forest Ground this Saturday.