Rovers brush aside a lacklustre Cobo

THE top-of-the-table clash was not the thrilling contest most had expected. Instead, Rovers produced a thoroughly workmanlike performance that was too much for an untidy Total Cobo.

'It was a reversal of Sunday's match,' said Rovers skipper Tim Duke.

'We batted sensibly, bowled tightly and held our catches. Cobo were looser in the field and that counted.'

A circumspect and safe 42 from Richard Headington allowed his partners to swing the bat as necessary.

Cobo also contributed to their own downfall with a clumsy bowling display.

They gifted their opponents 14 wides in the 22 overs, every bowler guilty - the two openers delivering four each.

Rob Turville hit a nagging line early on, but economy was no real substitute for wicket-taking balls.

Liam Smyth's spell lasted just one legal ball, three in all, before he had to head off to change his contact lenses. On his return, Duke took a liking to his bowling, clattering 12 off his third over before Smyth induced a bottom edge and Duke dragged on.

A slower ball yorker did for Ed Benfield in Smyth's next over, but that just brought Tim de Putron to the crease.

Strong off the front foot or anything overpitched or wayward, he was given plenty of opportunity to swing through the line when facing the two Cobo spinners.

Neither found a line or length to trouble the Rovers men. Too many balls were bowled the wrong side of the pitch to 6-3 fields and de Putron prospered.

He was also dropped twice when in the high 40s.

'It wasn't always a particularly attractive 50, but when I was dropped it was time to start hitting out,' he said after the match.

Two wickets off the final two legal balls of the innings, Headington skying to mid-off and de Putron bowled, flattered Cobo.

They needed a solid startbut runs were hard to come by. Nick Derbyshire was quick and straight, Duke bowled excellently to his field.

Jeremy Frith flicked one to mid-wicket, after which Matt Oliver and Stu Le Prevost added 60 for the second wicket.

They were well set and Cobo had a chance until Stu Bisson claimed both wickets in the space of two balls in his third over.

Le Prevost fell to a running, juggling catch by Paul Philp who first got a hand on the ball at mid-wicket and finally had it under control at backward square.

When Oliver nicked behind Cobo had two new batsmen at the crease, neither of whom had faced.

Rovers turned the screw. The ground fielding was clean and tidy, with sweeper fielders denying twos and a close ring swooping on anything dropped into the infield.

Carl Le Cras picked up three scalps, reward for putting the ball in the right spots. The catches stuck in Rovers' grateful hands and the game was just about over.

Derbyshire returned in failing light and was advised by the umpires to keep the ball pitched up.

He did, hit the stumps twice and it was all over bar a cameo from Turville. The Cobo man cleared the ropes off Duke but it was no more than an amusing consolation off Rovers' charitable offerings.