Optimists hammer Sky Blues

THE KGV should be renamed as the Killing Fields as it witnessed a second massacre in as many days in the Barclays Evening League Division One. After Cobo's 10-wicket demolition of Rovers on Monday night, Clubhouse Optimists yesterday beat Aon St Saviour's by nine wickets. Also like Monday's game, the total to chase was in the 70s.

Even without the services of the island captain Andy Biggins and the island's opening bowler Andre van Rooyen, who were both unavailable, Optimists were simply too strong for their opponents.

'We're batting and bowling well at the moment,' said Optimists' Evening League captain Elliot Green.

'I'm very happy that the guys are putting in the effort this season. There's more hunger as we've missed out for the last couple of years.

'We're managing to kill games.'

Things started badly for St Saviour's as Mike and Richard Veillard both went cheaply. Opener Spencer Noyon showed some mettle as he notched up 30 runs after a slow start.

The highlight of his innings was taking 13 runs off a Divan van den Heever over, but he eventually fell to Green. The only other St Saviour's batsman to make double figures was Simon Fisher with 11. He also fell to the Optimists captain's off-spin.

Green was the pick of his team's bowlers as he turned in four for 24 off his five overs.

Chasing 73, Optimists sent in Ian Damarell and van den Heever and proceeded to make light work of the St Saviour's bowlers.

Van den Heever plundered 44 with powerful hits down the ground while Damarell played some delightful shots square of the wicket. The veteran was eventually run out after looking for a quick single that was never there.

GH Smit strode to the wicket with purpose and a few balls later he strode purposefully back as van den Heever hit a low full toss from Gary Cordery for four to win the match in just the 10th over.

On the night, Optimists proved to be too strong for the Sky Blues and maybe by the time the curtain falls on this season's Evening League, they might prove too strong for everyone else.

Cobo may have something to say about that though.