Champions respond to dressing down in style

TOTAL COBO are in no mood to let their grip on the KPMG CI Club Championship trophy slip just yet. The two-time defending champions looked to be heading out of the competition on Saturday when Old Victorians were 120 for two at drinks chasing 206 at the FB Fields.

But a middle-order collapse sparked by a sharp spell from a riled Jamie Nussbaumer saw the Jersey outfit lose their last eight wickets for 56 runs and see Cobo set up a final clash with Sporting Club Francais at the KGV on Saturday 9 September.

'At the drinks break when we were looking pretty much down and out, I laid down a few home truths and the guys responded in the way I wanted them to. After all, we are still the only side to have won the competition since it changed format and we want to keep that run going,' said Cobo captain Stuart Le Prevost.

Having won the toss and decided to bat, Cobo were given a good start by Peter Vidamour and Nussbaumer who put on 59 for the first wicket in 14 overs. However, both then fell in quick succession to Jersey all-rounder Tom Minty.

That brought together Cobo's main stars Jeremy Frith and Le Prevost, who have put together many a match-winning partnership in the past.

On this occasion their stand was worth 94, although it was not the most fluent of partnerships, taking more than 20 overs to build.

It probably proved to be a sensible pace, though, because when Le Prevost became the first of Andy Dewhurst's four victims for 45, it sparked a flurry of wickets.

From 163 for two, Cobo found themselves 170 for six and two more were to fall before the end of the innings.

However, Gary Rich and Mark Renouf, who smacked two sixes, added vital runs at the end to get their side past 200.

In reply, Peter Gough batted excellently to lay a solid platform for his side's run chase. The left-handed opener struck nine fours in his 45 made from 49 balls.

It was spin twins Frith and Rich who eventually brought Cobo back into the match as they claimed the first four wickets between them - off-spinner Rich dismissing both Gough and top-scorer Minty for 51.

Then Nussbaumer returned to the attack after Cobo had felt that they had had Ward Jenner caught at silly point but their appeals were not upheld.

The young all-rounder was not amused and had soon sent the former Guernsey and Jersey captain back to the pavilion as well as the Dewhurst brothers to reduced OVs to 165 for seven.

With his main bowlers having now completed their nine-over spells, Le Prevost brought himself on to pick up the eighth and ninth wickets before Rich effected the final run out for a 23-run win.

'It was a very good win against a very good side,' Le Prevost said.

At Grainville, the other semi-final was between two Jersey clubs, local champions Sporting Club and Romerils.

SCF continued where they had left off in the league with a huge score of 293 for five in their 45 overs. Matt Hague led the way with 108, supported by Meeku Patidar (83) and Steve Carlyon (51).

Romerils needed a big score from former professional Ryan Driver if they were to threaten that total and he duly obliged with 117, but they fell 61 runs short after reaching 232 for eight in their 45 overs.