GIORGIO Rigali wants to be recognised as an all-rounder, and he did his chances no harm by single-handedly dragging Goatacre to an important victory over Minehead on Saturday, writes SAM MORSHEAD.

The former Swindon man, well thought of across the region for his snappy brand of seam bowling, is more than confident with bat in hand and proved it at the weekend as his unbeaten 49 took Goatacre from 32-4 and 69-6 to beyond their 119-run target.

Rigali was delighted to be elevated up the order to number six and felt his contribution from the middle order, which ended with a straight six to win the game, proved it was the right decision.

He said: “I’ve been telling people for years ‘I’m an all-rounder’.

“I just batted properly. I batted straight and applied myself, it wasn’t a bad pitch to bat on and I got my head down and batted properly.

“I never even started bowling until I was 15 or 16.

“I was an opening batsman throughout youth cricket and I’m badgering every skipper I’ve played with to stick me further up the order. I’ve found a club in Goatacre who have given me the chance.

“I was on 43 so I could have hit two fours but I went for the straight six.”

Goatacre are now serious promotion candidates, despite having been in the relegation zone in Premier Two with a third of the season gone, and Rigali stressed how good the mood is in the Goats’ camp at present.

He said: “At one point this season we were won two, lost five now we’re won seven, lost six which is stupid.

“You can’t really put your finger on why this has happened, but it’s a confidence boost.

“We’ve had that little bit of luck to get two wins on the bounce and we’re all really enjoying playing our cricket at the moment.”

A REMINDER that Goatacre will celebrate the club’s 85th anniversary and 25th anniversary of winning the National Village Cup, with a match featuring members of the 1988 Lord’s side against a select invitation XI and grand celebration ball at their ground on September.

  • CORSHAM’S bid to climb out of the relegation zone was thwarted by the weather on Saturday.

Having won the toss and batted against Bristol, the visitors were all out for 165 in under 43 overs, skipper Robin D'Souza top scoring with 37.

Daniel Housego took 3-50 for the hosts, with two wickets each for Neil Pollard and Bobby Brown.

Bristol were 16-2 when the match was abandoned, but with eight points Corsham made up some ground on third-from-bottom AshCott & Shapwick, whose home match with Frocester was cancelled.

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