Le Cheminant rips out Cobo

KEITH LE CHEMINANT turned back the clock to keep PKF Wanderers in with a realistic chance of retaining their Carey Olsen Championship. The veteran left-armer produced figures of seven for 43 as the composite side of Pessimists, St Saviour's and Salemites edged home by 11 runs against Total Cobo in an intriguing game on a good KGV pitch.

Dave Piesing, the Wanderers captain, said it was a game he 'wouldn't have wanted to have lost', having gone down in the opening game of their title defence.

He believes it will be an open championship with setbacks for all the challengers.

'It was a great game, very intense, and more games are going to be like that.

'It wasn't until the last two overs that we knew we'd win.'

Piesing singled out Le Cheminant, Pierre Moody and Richard Veillard for praise after a game which saw Wanderers post 201 for eight in their 45 overs and dismiss Cobo for 190 after the chasers lost their last six wickets for just 23.

'Keith took two crucial early wickets when he got Vids and Justin.

'But Pierre changed the game with his last four overs.

'He not only ran out TJ Ozanne, he took two great catches in the deep, bowled one and conceded just 15 in his final four.'

All of which was a great relief to Tim Belton, whose bad drop of Matt Oliver off Steve Le Ray's first ball had looked as if it might cost Wanderers the win.

As it was, Belton finally got his man with Cobo's fourth-wicket pair of Oliver (72) and Gary Rich (58) having added 123 and within sight of leading their team to a victory which looked unlikely when Le Cheminant had them reeling at 44 for three.

Oliver was upping the rate when he crashed a straight drive into the hands of Belton at long off just inside the boundary.

Ozanne went on the same score, 167, and then Moody took a fantastic catch to get rid of Rich and Piesing held onto another to dismiss Alex Hunter, the latter having belted the same bowler back over his head for six.

Moody also held his nerve to pouch Rob Turville's lofted drive right on the long-off boundary

Earlier, Belton and Veillard had laid the foundations for a good score with a second-wicket stand of 60.

Veillard, 42, dominated the partnership and it was a surprise when he was out, bowled by Turville.

'Richard batted absolutely superbly,' said Piesing.

'His timing was brilliant and it was a massive surprise when he got out.'

Gary Tapp (45) and Moody (32) made useful middle-order contributions but a score of 201 should have been within the reach of Cobo, even without star player Jeremy Frith.