Sixth straight loss leaves blues bottom

ROVERS are in trouble. The royal blues slumped to their sixth defeat from six Barclays Premier One games at the KGV last night as Aon St Saviour's claimed a 15-run victory.

Only days ago the Guernsey Cricket Association confirmed that the promotion and relegation format will be the same as last season, meaning only one side will go down from the top flight.

That might prove to be a saving grace for Richard Hamilton's men, but they are still in desperate need of points.

The captain is not helped by the fact that he is never able to field a full strength side, or even the same side for consecutive games. They are having to rely on four or five key players every time they go out on the field.

There is, though, some good news on the horizon. Andy Mountford could return from his travels shortly, which would give them a much-needed boost.

Yesterday Hamilton was without all-rounder Matt Jeffery due to work commitments, as well as a few others who have hardly featured at all this season. Saints made them pay, despite missing a few regulars themselves, including the influential Gary Tapp.

Openers Richard Veillard and Owen Brock laid the foundations early on with a partnership of 82 made in less than 12 overs.

The skipper was in superb nick right from the off, stroking the ball around majestically and finding the gaps at will. One boundary where he came down the track to Aaron Scoones and bisected mid-wicket and long on was a pure delight to watch.

His partner was no where near as fluent early on and was dropped a couple of times, but he made the most of his good fortune to start chipping in with some well-struck fours of his own through the covers.

Brock was first to go as Scoones held on to a return catch but Ben Driver came in an continued the good work, also playing some fine shots with a straight blade.

Veillard was to depart with the score on 113, disappointed to be given out leg before for a run-a-ball 44. Driver also went to the bowling of Emyr Davies, for the same score made from 34 deliveries.

Ross Bateman was the other main contributor for Saints with an unbeaten 27 as they lost three men for three runs towards the end, but their total of 163 from 22 overs was always going to be tough to beat.

Rovers came out and gave it a good go though.

The two Richards - Hamilton and Headington - put on 57 in the first seven overs and after they had been dismissed by Driver and Gary Cordery respectively, Tim de Putron and Scoones kept the run-rate up.

But the problem was that they had very little to come after those two and once de Putron chipped a catch to mid-wicket, Saints were always the favourites and won quite comfortably in the end.