Jefferies' unbeaten 97 sets up a thriller

THE MCC could hardly have begun their annual three-match tour in a more entertaining fashion. Although wet weather delayed the start of the visitors' game against the GICC at the College Field, the tense, exciting finale more than made up for the lost time.

With the home side chasing 236 from 45 overs, they looked set to flounder well short of victory when they still needed 126 from the final 10.

But some excellent hitting from Mark Jefferies, Richard Veillard and Aaron Scoones, as well as good running from Divan van den Heever, kept them up with the rate and the Sarnians went into the 45th and final over needing 11 to win.

However, Paul O'Reilly produced a superb last six balls under the circumstances.

Both Jefferies and Scoones attempted to give themselves room, but the bowler was up to the task and fired the ball in at their legs, allowing only two leg byes and a single from the final over to secure a seven-run victory.

It was hard on man-of-the-match Jefferies to finish on the losing side.

After he and clubmate Mark Clapham had put on 30 for the opening wicket, he then lost three partners in relatively quick succession.

Both Clapham and Robbie Moore were caught behind, while left-armer George Brooksbank picked up his second wicket when he trapped Justin Walker leg before.

GICC skipper Richard Veillard steadied the ship in his typically calm fashion although Jefferies got into a bad rut midway through the innings where he failed to add to his 27 runs for 24 balls.

But a beautiful on-drive for four got him motoring again and the final 70 of his unbeaten 97 came from just 63 deliveries.

In that knock he struck nine fours and three sixes.

Veillard fell five short of a deserved fifty from 59 balls with seven fours, while Scoones' 22 not out off 16 just wasn't enough at the end.

Earlier, Paul Bedford (48) and Dan Beynon (49) had got the MCC off to a flier, adding 93 for the first wicket in little more than 15 overs.

From there the GICC did well to limit the visitors to under 250, despite Andy Patterson's 59.

'It was a great game of cricket with some excellent knocks from both sides and it was played in great spirit,' said MCC captain Bob Baxter afterwards.

His side face Elizabeth College at the College Field today and meet the island side at the KGV tomorrow. Both games start at 11am.

n?Guernsey over-40s began their two-match tour to Scotland with a 61-run win over the Scotland Forty Club in Glasgow yesterday.

Man-of-the-match Ian Damarell scored 63 in the Sarnians' 192 for nine and a fantastic fielding display restricted the hosts to 131 for seven from their 35 overs.