Optis blow chance

AN EXCELLENT bowling and fielding display as the opposition panicked kept Total Cobo in the hunt for the Barclays Premier One crown last night. Their defeat of Clubhouse Optimists means that both sides have now lost twice this season and has put C&W Rovers in the driving seat for the title having only dropped two points.

But with Optis still having to play Tim Duke's men, a three-way title play-off is a real possibility.

Andy Biggins' team will be kicking themselves though, having restricted Cobo to 109 in 19 overs but still failed to win.

Their bowling was generally very good with Ami Banerjee the pick of the attack as he removed both Stuart Le Prevost and Gary Rich and gave the other batsmen a lot of problems, while the other three bowlers also chipped in with a wicket apiece.

Importantly for the blues, however, Matt Oliver carried his bat for a vital 51. Although it was not a typical innings from the left-hander, he grafted and worked hard for his runs while others were falling around him. He still managed to score quicker than a run-a-ball, though.

Despite his knock, Optimists were favourites at the halfway mark. But immediately after the turnaround, Cobo were back in the game.

Liam Smyth removed Mark Clapham with the second ball of the innings and then Le Prevost's decision to open from the de Beauvoir end with TJ Ozanne worked a treat as he found the edge of Divan van den Heever's bat.

Banerjee and Ian Damarell steadied the ship, adding 35 in good time and looking comfortable until the final ball of the seventh over when Smyth captured the all-important wicket of the Indian.

He mistimed a shot into the leg-side and the ball looped up to a grateful Pieter van Staden at mid-wicket.

Smyth followed that up with the wicket of Elliot Green in his final over before Mark Renouf replaced Ozanne and removed Biggins' middle stump with the fifth delivery of a fine spell - 58 for five.

Optimists were down to their last experienced pairing with Damarell, who by now had a runner, joined by Mark Jefferies.

A stand of 27 raised their team-mates hopes again until Jefferies holed out to long-off and that was the beginning of the end as Optis lost their last five wickets for six runs.

Nick Chambers was run out attempting a second to third man and Damarell could only watch as his runner, van den Heever, went in similar fashion as Rich fielded well off his own bowling, and then Charlie Rix was stumped.

The finale came from the first ball of the penultimate over when Steve Queripel and Jamie Chambers both ended up at the same end, while van Staden kept his head and threw to Renouf who removed the bail.