Weakened Cobo start title defence in style

TOTAL COBO made light of missing five first-team regulars with an outstanding display to defeat St Ouen at FB Fields on Saturday. Forced into fielding a young line-up to make up for the absentees, who comprised captain Stuart Le Prevost, Jeremy Frith, Matt Oliver, Mark Renouf and TJ Ozanne, the defending CI champions rallied in superb fashion to win comfortably by eight wickets.

With the exception of Gary Rich, the attack were all under 21 yet they performed with maturity to bowl their opponents out for just 152.

Blane Queripel produced a marvellous spell that won admiration from Jersey legend Barry Middleton as he picked up two for 33 in his nine overs, the first of which cost 15.

The Nussbaumer brothers, Jamie and Luke, also claimed two scalps apiece while Kris Moherndl was desperately unlucky not to take a wicket as he had young Anthony Kay playing and missing regularly.

Rich then mopped up the tail.

As the drizzle came in at the start of the reply, Cobo faced only four overs before the covers came out and their target was reduced to 142 from 43 overs.

On the resumption, stand-in skipper Peter Vidamour set them on their way with a brisk 41, which included three straight sixes and four fours before Jamie Nussbaumer and Robbie Moore eased their side over the finishing line with more than 18 overs to spare.

'The most pleasing thing was the fact that despite missing five of our best players, we played really well as a team and showed the strength in depth of our squad,' Vidamour said.

'There are inexperienced guys in the attack and they bowled really well and we backed up excellently in the field.

'In the last couple of years we have lost our first game in this competition and had pressure on us but we are now in pole position to qualify for the semi-finals.'

In Group B, Jersey's Old Victorians beat Guernsey champions Clubhouse Optimists by three wickets with seven balls to spare at KGV.

Optimists made 273 for six in their 45 overs, with GH Smit (66), Ami Banerjee (51), Tim de Putron (41) and Mark Clapham (32) all contributing runs.

OVs opened with the Gough twins, Peter and Jonny, and the pair put on 75 before the former fell to Mark Jefferies.

Jonny went on to a make a fine 87 before he was dismissed by Mark Clapham, but Andy Dewhurst (37) and Ward Jenner (25) kept OVs in the hunt.

There were useful contributions all the way down the order but number seven Bobby Minty struck some big blows in a rapid unbeaten 36 to see his side over the line.

Optimists were hampered by seamer Steve Queripel being able to bowl only five of his nine overs after suffering a stomach upset and OVs took full advantage against Optimists' occasional bowlers.

At Port Soif, Randy Paddle Mavericks had the misfortune to find themselves up against an in-form Ryan Driver who put in a fine all-round performance in a comprehensive eight-wicket victory for Romerils.

Batting first, Mavericks collapsed to 60 for six but skipper Justin Walker (65) and Andy Burkhardt (30) dug deep to enable their side to reach a more respectable 172. Peter Blackburn took four for 48 and Driver three for 33.

Although Mavericks took two early wickets, they could not shift opener Ian Crocker (48 not out) but it was Driver who provided the fireworks with a very impressive and rapid unbeaten 88, taking his side to victory with more than 11 overs to spare.