Cobo favourites for another cup

TOTAL COBO have edged closer to a fourth successive GCA Cup win. Stuart Le Prevost's men will undoubtedly start as favourites in Sunday's final against PKF Wanderers following a convincing victory over long-standing rivals Clubhouse Optimists in their last-four clash.

Set a modest target of 220 from the allotted 50 overs, Cobo cruised home with six wickets and 10 overs to spare.

Island opener Matt Oliver continued his remarkable form with yet another half-century as he laid the foundations for the successful run chase. The left-hander's 65 came at a run-a-ball.

Skipper Le Prevost then weighed in with a fifty of his own coming in at number four and was there at the end to see his side home along with TJ Ozanne.

Earlier, Divan van den Heever had struck a century to be the top contributor to his side's 219.

Jamie Nussbaumer had claimed the important wickets of Ami Banerjee and Andy Biggins as Optis finished their innings nine down.

* LAST evening Cobo finished their Barclays Evening League Division One campaign with a 100% winning record.

At the same time, they ensured that, as expected, HSBC Griffins will be involved in a three-way play-off along with DHS St Pierre and Deloitte to decide who will be relegated from the top flight. All three teams finished the season on six points.

Given their form with the bat of late, Griffins would have fancied their chances of chasing 116 in 15 overs.

However, their recent big totals have come against modest bowling attacks, not that of the league champions.

Damian Wallen got them off to a flying start with 11 from the first over, admittedly helped by overthrows, but Cobo were soon turning the screw.

Mark Renouf and Liam Smyth showed the benefits of bowling straight and claimed seven wickets between them before youngsters Kris Moherndl and Luke Nussbaumer finished off the tail.

Earlier, Griffins had learnt at first-hand why you should not bowl on Le Prevost's legs as he hit four fours and two sixes in his side's top score of 41.