GARNONS were the only side in the GB Liners Marches League to register a victory last Saturday — but it was too late to preserve their push for the Division One title.
While rain decimated the cricket programme in the county last weekend, Luctonians already knew they had ended Garnons’ bid for the league title and secured the crown for the first time since 2011.
Luctonians head the table by an unassailable 44 points and round off their superb campaign with a trip to Garth Road to face Builth Wells on Saturday (1pm).
Luctonians skipper James Platford said: “Garnons have been very successful over the past decade so it is nice for us to finally break through and win the league title.”
Garnons will end the season in the runners-up spot and focus their attention on the Marches League Knockout Trophy Finals Day as they look to finish the summer on a high note.
Garnons travel to Abergavenny-Crickhowell in their final league fixture having chalked up a 12th win with a hard-fought 31-run victory against Woolhope in the only Marches League match which survived the deluge.
Experienced all-rounder Alan Jones brought about Woolhope’s downfall with a match-winning stint of 5-28 after he had contributed 15 runs with the bat.
James Debenham (45), Guy Pearson-Gregory (28), Duane Evans (21) and veteran Clive Scott (19) were the main run scorers for Garnons, who were dismissed for 164 in 38.3 overs.
Richard Watts (4-47), Will Tanner (3-24) and Chris Watts (2-32) bowled impressively for Woolhope, who must have been pleased with their efforts and fancied their chances of overhauling Garnons’ respectable total.
Darren O’Hare (53) led Woolhope’s reply and was backed up by Andrew Tanner (17), Terry Spry (14) and Max Foster (12) but the hosts were shot out for 133 in the 39th over.
MARCHES LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROLL OF HONOUR
1992: Burghill
1993: Luctonians
1994: Builth Wells
1995: Garnons
1996: Talgarth
1997: Talgarth
1998: Eastnor
1999: Garnons
2000: Garnons
2001: Canon Frome
2002: Goodrich
2003: Monmouth
2004: Monmouth
2005: Monmouth
2006: Goodrich
2007: Garnons
2008: Luctonians
2009: Garnons
2010: Garnons
2011: Luctonians
2012: Garnons
2013: Garnons
2014: Garnons
2015: Goodrich
2016: LUCTONIANS
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