Banerjee steers Optimists to victory as Rovers fail to make par with bat

OPTIMISTS continued their good start to the season with a dominating six-wicket victory over C&W Rovers in the Carey Olsen GCA Championship at the KGV. Chasing a paltry 162 set by the Port Soif club, Optis knocked it off with the loss of four wickets with 13 overs in hand.

'We were pleased to bowl Rovers out for 162,' said Optis weekend league captain Mark Jefferies.

'We thought it was an under-par total and well within our reach with our batting line up. We got off to a good start, then we had a bit of a wobble but it was never within doubt.

'Overall it was a good performance and it was good to get the win. We're now looking forward to Cobo at the weekend.

'I'm sure they will be up for it and so will we.'

After winning the toss, Rovers decided to bat on a slow and low track and struggled with both the wicket and Optis' tight line and length.

Steve Queripel was particularly miserly as he returned with figures of one for just 18 runs off his nine overs.

Richard Headington struck a couple of lusty blows before he departed on 23 and Scoones hung around for 18 before going lbw to Jefferies' spin.

But without Tim Duke's well structured 73 not out, their score would have been very much worse.

Rovers' best batsman played a very mature innings while the rest of the batting order crumbled.

In response, where Rovers batsmen had struggled, Optis had no problems as Tim de Putron came out all guns blazing and quickly struck 42 off 36 balls before Scoones held onto a skier off his own bowling.

Mark Clapham, who is in good nick of late, was unluckily run out six runs shy of his half-century when bowler Stuart Bisson touched the ball onto the stumps after Ami Banerjee had driven it hard back at him.

The opener was well short of his ground. Banerjee played a trademark patient knock to see his side home.

'We didn't set enough runs,' said Rovers' skipper Scoones.

'Optis have a class batting line up and 160 odd was never going to worry them.

'In hindsight, batting first on that strip was probably not the best decision I've ever made, but after seeing Cobo had set 235 the day before on it, I thought we'd have a go.

'It just goes to show how well Stu Le Prevost had batted on it to get 133. But full credit to my boys, we played with a smile on our faces.'