“A fun day was had by all.”

Those were the words of Gotherington Cricket Club treasurer/groundsman Brian Cosgrove after the village team celebrated their 60^th anniversary on Sunday, a day that will long be remembered by everyone who was there.

A Past XI took on a Present XI at Freeman Field in the heart of the village, with the Past team captained by ex-skipper Will Banwell, while the Present team was led by current captain Olli Mallory.

It was 35-overs-a-side and Mallory’s men won by six runs after setting Banwell’s boys 159 to win.

“It was really good,” said Cosgrove, who used to open the bowling for the club back in the day. “We had so many people turn up.”

They included long-time retired and one-time opening batsman Terry Moore, club patron Derek Fry and club president Brian Gardiner.

And Gardiner, who is in his 80s, shared centre stage with Cosgrove by taking part in a ceremonial over at the start of proceedings.

“I bowled the first over to him,” said Cosgrove, who is 70. “He’s 82, he had his old bat with six grips, I tried to fox him by bowling a mixture of rubbish!

“He hit two of them, both straight to midwicket, and then we walked off to loud applause.”

Cosgrove has been a fixture at the club since moving to the village well over 30 years ago.

Along with his wife Yvonne, he set up the club’s junior section 26 years ago and four players from that very first group – Banwell, Joe Tustain, Barney Pascal and Craig Fitchett – were involved on Sunday.

“They’re almost all 40 now,” laughed Cosgrove.

And there were plenty of laughs all day with fixture secretary Edward Gillespie, another former player, very much to the fore.

“Edward’s the Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire and he turned up with his Lord Lieutenant’s sword to cut the ceremonial cake,” said Cosgrove.

“It’s two foot, six long, and more than 100 years old!”

Cricket was first played in Gotherington more than 100 years ago – the first recorded game was in 1888 – before the club folded in 1952.

“The club used to play on the meadow behind Lawrence’s Meadow,” said Cosgrove. “This year is also the 60^th anniversary of the opening of Freeman Field.”

The field is named after David Freeman who secured the land for use by the village community and Cosgrove continued: “His sons Nick and John were both there on Sunday.”

So were Gloucester Brewery, who sponsored the game and the match ball.

“They came with a horsebox which had a full bar set up inside,” said Cosgrove.

The village shop, Gotherington Store, also sponsored the game.