All-round effort

COBO beat NRG Pessimists thanks to a fine all-round effort. Their total of 104 from 16 overs was testing - exactly 6.5 runs per over - and they fielded with great spirit to prevent Pessimists from getting too close.

It was a young Cobo side: no Jeremy Frith, Mark Culverwell or Liam Smyth; in their place Andy Orme, Kris Moherndl and Luke Nussbaumer. But those three youngsters all played vital roles in the field with some clean handling and bullet-like flat-arm returns to Justin Ferbrache.

The Cobo gloveman has already caught the eye this season. His leg-side stumping of Steve Birkett standing up to Andy Orme was as smart a piece of work as you will see this year.

Rob Turville hit a testing, nagging line and length and Pessimists gradually slipped behind the run-rate.

Tim Belton played as straight as ever and Tim Duke looks a great prospect. He will hit plenty of runs this year, especially through the leg side of the 'V'. They shared a 55 opening stand, broken by a fine catch over his head at long-on by Alex Hunter.

Belton and Birkett fell to the promising Orme, sandwiching Pierre Moody's wicket: Hunter's arm too strong from third man.

Smart ground fielding and intelligent bowling kept Pessimists at bay in the closing overs. They also conceded just four extras, compared with the 12 Pessimists did. That was the difference.

Three Cobo players failed to beat the throws of Pessimist fielders, though the first two were almost suicidal calls.

Steve Birkett's left-armers again proved difficult to get away, but brisk partnerships between Peter Vidamour and Gary Rich, then Rich and TJ Ozanne saw the Cobo rate increase from mid-innings onwards. Rich accelerated well, trading in singles for the first half of his knock, anything but thereafter.

Ozanne produced his accustomed 'no-hanging-around' display.

There was also great confusion when Alex Hunter, facing a no-ball free-hit, managed to chop on but still receive two runs as the ball sped off the stumps towards the fine-leg boundary.