Saints pull off shock of the season

AON St Saviour's pulled off the biggest shock of the Barclays Premier One season last night and put a huge dent in Clubhouse Optimists' title hopes. It was the first time this campaign that one of the top three had been beaten by one of the bottom five and the light blues certainly deserved the two points.

As you would expect, Optimists set them a decent 20-over target with Divan van den Heever once again the star of his side's innings.

The young South African bludgeoned 63 from just 48 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes. Three of the maximums came in Dave Walder's second over with the biggest sailing over the Les Blanc Bois trees before the distinct sound of smashing glass came in the distance.

He got good support from Elliot Green, who hit a run-a-ball 30 after Andy Biggins was dismissed early on, and then Mark Jefferies who chipped in with 26 from just 20 balls.

Importantly for Saints though, they managed to keep Optimists' run-rate constant up to the end of the innings when their opponents would have been looking to accelerate and get more than the 148 they finished with.

Optis would still have fancied defending that total but St Saviour's were given the ideal start to their chase by Ross Bateman and Spencer Noyon, who added 54 for the first wicket in just seven overs.

Skipper Richard Veillard continued the good work after Noyon was bowled by Warwick Green and by halfway they were well above the required rate with Optimists desperately struggling for their usual consistency.

The game threatened to turn when Bateman and Veillard fell in quick succession, but there was plenty of batting still to come.

Glen Mourant and Michael Veillard put on a useful 27 and although both fell on the same score, the experienced Gary Tapp was joined by Kevin Doyle to see them home with nine balls to spare.

'I am very pleased to put in such a good all-round team performance. Everyone played there part,' said Richard Veillard.

'Everyone stuck to their task and we had quite to a full side out which certainly makes a difference.'