Hopes for a winning season finale are scorched

Last night was the final game of the Windsor and Maidenhead District Mixed Softball League season for Marlow but unfortunately it did not go the way the Mariners had hoped. The league's newest team took Bracknell Scorchers to the wire but it wasn't quite enough as they ended up losing 16-10 after seven innings at the Marlow Sports Club.

It has been a familiar story for most of the season. The Marlow players gave their all, made some outstanding plays and provided the opposition with a tough game, but in the end it wasn't quite enough and their inexperience showed.

It was a rainy evening in Marlow and the conditions were extremely slippery underfoot, but despite a couple early errors, fielding was excellent and the Mariners managed to keep the Bracknell score reasonably well contained. For the second successive game however, it was the batting that let Marlow down. What had been one of their strong points strong early in the season seems to have tailed off a little and this is an area that will require some practice during the off season.

Let's not forget though, this was the Mariners first season in the league and nearly all the players are new to the game. Up against opposition teams that are vastly more experienced, teams that have been able to borrow players from senior squads and on occasion players who have represented GB, the Mariners can take great pride in the way they have conducted themselves. None of the players can be faulted and they can all take great credit for the way they have battled hard against more experienced teams.

For now the 2013 season is over and, as expected, Marlow finished bottom of the table with only one win. The Mariners have shown they have the qualities to make a decent softball team, so with a bit more experience and greater consistency, they will be hoping for a successful campaign next year. By featuring in a few tournament during the off season and continuing to practice, Marlow will be back stronger when the 2014 season starts.