Le Prevost hits brutal century

A BRILLIANT hundred by Stuart Le Prevost saved Total Cobo's blushes and helped close the gap on championship leaders Rovers on Saturday. In a cracking game against PKF Wanderers at the KGV, Cobo were indebted to Le Prevost and Gary Rich for a fourth-wicket stand of 176 after the pair had been brought together with their side in all sorts of trouble at 21 for three.

Pierre Moody had done the damage with a terrific opening spell that saw him reduce the opposition to one for two after just four balls of the match. Peter Vidamour played his first ball onto his stumps and fellow opener Matt Oliver was trapped in front by one that cut back sharply.

Jeremy Frith was dismissed in a similar fashion to the last ball of the seventh over and Wanderers were jubilant.

However, the next breakthrough was not to come until the 42nd over as Le Prevost and Rich rebuilt the innings expertly.

Both took their time to get settled and each gave a chance early in their innings but once they were in, the runs started to flow on a lightning-quick outfield.

They reached their half-century within a few balls of each other but then Le Prevost cut loose and moved from 53 to 100 in just 22 balls with immaculate timing and placement.

The next ball he faced after reaching three figures was the biggest of his three sixes as it clattered into the de Beauvoir end trees about three-quarters of the way up. He also stuck 15 fours.

Rich's contribution of 63 cannot be underestimated although being Cobo's man for a crisis, it was not something he hasn't done several times before.

Justin Ferbrache's cameo at the end of the innings, after both Le Prevost and Rich fell in the same Keith Le Cheminant over, also turned out to be important as he gave his side a few extra runs with which to play.

Despite such a fine recovery, Wanderers still fancied their chances of chasing 232 and they got themselves within sight of victory before faltering just before the line.

Mark Renouf had taken a couple of early wickets but Richard Veillard and Glen Mourant both batted excellently in a partnership of 77, putting the bad balls away with ease and making their side favourites for a while.

But in the final 20 overs, it became a see-saw battle, with Wanderers getting partnerships started before Cobo would hit back with a wicket.

Frith claimed the vital scalps of Veillard, Mourant and Moody and then teenager Kris Moherndl chipped in by dismissing Dave Piesing and Martin Gray.

Cobo did themselves some big favours by holding difficult catches at vital times. Frith held two caught-and-bowleds, the second a fine effort over his shoulder running towards mid-off, and then snared another on the long-off boundary. Rob Turville also grabbed a sliding catch at long-off to dismiss Steve Birkett.

The big wicket, though, was that of Gary Tapp as he threatened to win the match for his side with a brisk 22 and getting them to within 20 runs of Cobo. But the re-introduction of Rich to the attack did the trick as Tapp gave him a simple return catch and the final two wickets fell soon afterwards as Cobo sealed a 13-run victory.

'We are disappointed to lose from the position we got in,' said Piesing.

'Pierre's opening spell was fantastic but Stuart and Gary both batted well and very sensibly and you have got to give them credit.

'They were two very evenly matched sides but when we lost four wickets in just eight or nine overs, that killed it.

'The fact that we had nine balls left and we still needed only 13 runs shows how close we came.

'Funnily enough, it was probably a reversal of the first game we had against Cobo where they thought they should have won but lost it,' Piesing added.

Cobo skipper Vidamour was delighted with the hard-fought victory.

'Stuart's was an excellent knock and he was ably supported by Gary. Although we didn't bowl too well, the fielding was very good,' he said.