Taverners back in step and heading for safety

WHAT a difference a day makes. During their defeat to league leaders DHS St Pierre on Wednesday, you hardly heard a whisper from DB Taverners.

But against fellow strugglers TOI Sylvans last evening the adrenaline was pumping and Taverners were up for the fight - their whole demeanour was in total contrast to 24 hours before.

Much of that was down to captain Robbie Moore.

He was missing from the loss to the 2002 champions, but he returned against the westerners and he brought with him a determination and desire not to slip up in this massive encounter. His troops followed.

Moore and Martyn Bone, another player returning to the fold, gave the green-and-yellows the solid start they needed with the bat after being inserted by Pete Inniss.

They put on 31 in just under six overs for the first wicket during which time Bone played the shot of the night as he launched the Sylvans skipper over deep mid-wicket for six.

He soon paid the price for an attempted repeat when his middle stump was ripped out of the ground two balls later.

That signalled the start of a sticky patch for the batting side as they lost four more wickets without significantly adding to their score.

Andy McCarthy took a superb one-handed catch down the leg-side to dismiss Mark Bisson and Ivan Guille came on and comprehensively bowled both Matt Seeds and Andrew Boyce.

Moore, who had become frustrated with his lack of strike, then played a rash shot to leave the score at 55 for five with less than seven overs remaining. Sylvans were in a good position.

But they let it slip as James Falla played sensibly and to his strengths in guiding his side up to a defendable total. He scored 28 at quicker than a run-a-ball without hitting a boundary. Only extras (33) outscored him - but that was to prove vital.

Sylvans had been set a victory target of 117 but they were immediately on the rack as tight bowling from Nick Harwood and Jonathan Wilkes-Green pegged them back.

Each of the opening bowlers claimed a deserved wicket and they completed their five-over spells having conceded just 44 runs between them.

Bone then came on to tighten the screw and he took the important wicket of Inniss in his first over. He would claim a second wicket later on in his five quality overs.

Chris McClean was the only Sylvans batsman to make a telling contribution and he batted well for his 39, which included four fours, but he was fighting a losing battle.

Jon Orme accounted for him with his second ball of a fine spell at the death. He also cleaned up Vinny de Carteret and Dave Gilman as Taverners cruised to a vital win.

Sylvans remain in big trouble, though.