Optimists close in on title

CLUBHOUSE OPTIMISTS are now clear favourites to land their first domestic championship in four years. Mark Jefferies' men overcame the major obstacle in their path when they convincingly defeated the previously unbeaten Total Cobo at KGV to maintain their own 100% record and remain on course for the title.

The captain is not taking anything for granted, though.

'It was a good win, but we still have a couple of games to go,' said Jefferies.

'We will take them one at a time and try to keep our form going.

'We simply look to win every game we play.'

Despite having matches remaining, Optimists two and Cobo one, both sides viewed this encounter as an all-or-nothing affair after their first meeting was abandoned due to rain.

Cobo were missing influential island all-rounder Jeremy Frith while Optimists were at virtual full strength, although Divan van den Heever was unable to bowl because of an injury to his side.

Peter Vidamour, unsurprisingly, elected to bat having won the toss but the Cobo skipper and opener was back in the pavilion as early as the third over having been trapped in front by Andre van Rooyen.

Robbie Moore, promoted due to the absence of Frith, enjoyed having the chance to bat at three and his positive approach kept the run rate up at a decent level in the opening stages.

Meanwhile, Matt Oliver took it upon himself to play the anchor role rather than go out blasting, which he is usually given licence to do when the side is at full strength.

The second-wicket partnership realised 56 with Moore contributing 35 at quicker than a run a ball with six boundaries in his total.

He perished, however, when Jefferies introduced spin for the first time as Elliot Green, playing his final weekend game for Optimists before he leaves the island, struck with his second delivery.

Island captain Andy Biggins took the catch at extra cover although he managed to grasp the ball without using his hands. Instead, disappointingly for Moore, it was trapped between midriff and forearm.

That brought Stuart Le Prevost to the crease and it was a crucial time for Cobo. They still had more than 30 overs to bat and they could not afford to lose one of their island batsmen cheaply.

Oliver and Le Prevost knew it and applied themselves to the task well, perhaps even over cautiously in parts.

The left-hander was fortunate to escape on 27 as van Rooyen, one of the best fielders to grace the local game in many years, dropped a straightforward chance at backward point.

That moment made the batsmen even more resolute for several overs and it showed as, in the middle third of their innings, Cobo added just 37 runs as Optimists, and Ami Banerjee in particular, turned the screw.

However, once past the 30-over mark, Oliver and Le Prevost went up through the gears and the acceleration was impressive.

Boundaries started to flow from both players, with the opener prepared to improvise - outrageously on some occasions - while his partner stood tall and plundered.

Both finished on 75, Oliver having faced 111 deliveries and hit nine fours, with Le Prevost's runs coming off 81 balls with one more boundary.

TJ Ozanne, Gary Rich and Justin Ferbrache chipped in with a few runs at the death while Green and van Rooyen finished with two wickets apiece, Banerjee one.

A total of 232 for five was arguably a little short of where Cobo wanted to be, but it was still defendable if they had bowled well.

They didn't, though, and a batting line-up with as much class as Optimists' was bound to make them pay.

The full tosses and leg-stump half-volleys that were delivered with alarming regularity were put away with ease as Optis got off to a relative flyer.

Mark Culverwell was the exception to the rule and bowled with little luck early on before eventually making the breakthrough, trapping van Rooyen in front.

That only brought Banerjee to the crease, though, and he was to share in a second-wicket stand of 69 with Mark Clapham, which took their side comfortably past the 100 mark.

What Vidamour desperately needed with his seamers out of sorts was for Frith to come on in tandem with Rich and tie the batsmen down. It was a shame that Guernsey's star of the week in Sussex was not available for such a crucial match.

Off-spinner Rich toiled away gallantly and broke the partnership with his seventh ball as Clapham had a rush of blood and missed with his heave across the line.

Then van den Heever did not last too long after coming in at four, yet Optimists never looked flustered during their chase.

Banerjee merely continued playing in his normal fashion, gratefully accepting the many gift balls on offer, and new partner GH Smit joined him and demonstrated his undoubted talent once again.

The South African hit the ball with immense power and in such a fashion that suggested he had little interest in actually running.

The Indian departed for a beautifully-constructed 81 when caught by Justin Ferbrache off a combination of bat and pad to Rich's penultimate delivery, but at 193 for four, the end was in sight. All that was required was for Smit to provide just a few more of his fireworks.

It was he who produced the shot of the day, rocking onto the back foot and flat-batting Moore for one of the largest sixes ever seen locally.

As it sailed through the top of the trees over straight long-on, the spare ball was already making its way to Moore with everyone safe in the knowledge that there was no chance of finding the original.

The winning boundary came nine balls later with four-and-a-half overs remaining.

'We were a bowler light so we had to mix it around, but we always thought they were 40 or 50 runs short of what they required and it showed when we batted,' Jefferies said.

'We got a good, solid start. It was important not to lose wickets early on and we managed to get partnerships going, which was key. Then we let GH loose at the end.'