One final hurdle for champions-elect

AON ST SAVIOUR'S stand between C&W Rovers and the Barclays Premier One crown. Last night Tim Duke's men overcame a big hurdle in their quest for the title with a 27-run victory over Clubhouse Optimists in their penultimate match of the season.

The result puts them level on points with Total Cobo at the top of the table, both sides having won 12 games but the latter have finished their campaign.

And once again the skipper led from the front.

Duke has scored lots of runs in all forms of cricket this summer and in the Evening League he has been particularly prolific so it was no surprise to see him notch up another unbeaten half-century on this occasion.

He and Richard Headington batted beautifully as they put on 119 for the first wicket, despite having a short stop for a brief downpour which came in the fourth over.

The former Guernsey captain was in imperious form, timing the ball magnificently as he struck 57 from just 43 balls including three sixes and six fours until a marvellous catch from Jamie Chambers ended his innings.

But Duke continued the good work, ably assisted by Ed Benfield's swift 17, and finished on 65 not out. He faced 48 deliveries and hit nine fours to help his side to an imposing target of 158 in 17 overs.

Divan van den Heever was not going to give in without a fight and the young South African rattled up another brisk half-century of his own but the necessary support just was not there.

A neat bit of footwork by Stuart Bisson following through after he had bowled accounted for Mark Jefferies before Matt Jeffery removed the middle order, bowling both Mark Clapham and Ami Banerjee and having Andy Biggins nonchalantly caught by Benfield at deep cover.

Elliot Green then sacrificed himself to allowed van den Heever to remain at the crease but when Nick Derbyshire returned to the attack and dismissed the opener for 71 it signalled the beginning of the end.

Van den Heever had hit two straight sixes and six fours in his 43-ball stay at the crease.