Cobo draw first blood

TOTAL Cobo have drawn first blood as they cruised to victory by 24 runs over Clubhouse Optimists at the KGV last night. Due to rearrangements, the schedule demanded that the two giants of local cricket meet twice in three days. These clashes are in affect the title deciders and Cobo must now be favourites to lift the Rozel Shield at the end of the season.

Pete Vidamour's team were sublime in the field as they restricted Optimists to 111 for five off 16 overs as they chased 135 for victory. Vidamour now has his sights on taking the trophy back to the cabinet at the Rockmount.

'That was the best fielding and bowling display by a Cobo side I've seen for years,' said Vidamour.

'We've got a good chance for the title. We've got to beat them again on Friday, though, otherwise it's a play-off.

'But if we play like we did tonight, we've got a very good chance of beating them again.'

Optimists must have thought that the game was theirs to be taken when they turned up as their opponents were without their talisman Stuart Le Prevost.

His absence made Cobo's batting look light but island opener Matt Oliver more than made up as he notched up his ninth 50 in 10 innings.

The robust left-hander hit three sixes as he constructed a very good innings of 53 before he was bowled by Andy Biggins with his off spin.

Robbie Moore, coming in at three, also batted well as he carried his bat for 37 runs, but he along with his fellow Cobo batsmen did struggle to get away Divan van den Heever's bowling. The left-arm paceman's four overs cost just eight runs.

In reply, Optimists lost Ami Banerjee early on when he skied a Liam Smyth delivery to Mark Renouf at fine leg.

The veteran swing bowler had to wait an age for the ball to come down as he held onto a brilliant catch to dismiss the Indian. Renouf held onto another high one shortly afterwards to dismiss van den Heever off Culverwell.

Things were going Cobo's way, but with GH Smit and Biggins at the crease they did threaten to take the game away from them.

Smit's dismissal in the 12th over and a rising run rate to above 14 put an end to their chances and it was Cobo who were the worthy winners as the gloom descended.