Cup hero Khanagha can't wait for first full season

THE year 2006 was a funny old one for PKF Wanderers. Formed when Pessimists and St Saviour's combined for the weekend league in 2003, they went on to win the competition in their debut season.

The club have not managed to repeat that great success in the following years but they have always been there or thereabouts.

However, last season the wheels came off big style when, after producing some terrible performances with the bat, they finished last in the league.

That led to them competing in the wooden-spoon event, the Sid Guy Trophy, which is without doubt the one competition in local cricket that no one wants to find themselves in.

Up against Jersey's Caesareans, the Guernsey side came away with an emphatic 135-run victory thanks to half centuries from captain Richard Veillard and young opener James Warr.

That was a sign of things to come as at the end of the season they defeated Optimists in the final of the Carey Olsen GCA Cup.

Needing a massive 307 to win, their victory was built on the back a sparkling century from newly-arrived Sher Khanagha in his second game for the team.

Club stalwart and former captain Dave Piesing knows where the problem lay in their indifferent season.

'We lacked a middle order last year and we were always shy on runs,' he said.

'We underperformed in the league because we didn't score enough runs. There was a lot of pressure on Richard Veillard.

'But in the cup we showed what's possible. We have suddenly got three top-order batsmen.'

Along with Khanagha, Wanderers are also welcoming back Ben Driver. The all-rounder was instrumental in their championship-winning year of 2003.

Driver left the island after that season and has just returned. The third top-three batsman to whom Piesing referred is Ross Knellor.

Due to accountancy exams, the stylish batsman did not feature as much as Wanderers would have liked in 2006 but he is set to be a regular this season.

But the main man is undoubtedly Khanagha.

Before arriving on these shores, the 34-year-old from Brighton had been plying his trade for Folkestone in the Kent Premier League batting at number five.

A genuine all-rounder, he opened the bowling for the British Universities' side while a student at Brighton University.

Total Cobo witnessed his whippy fast-medium bowling first-hand in last year's GCA Cup semi-final when he took seven for 37 on his debut to see his team through to the final.

Khanagha will turn out for HSBC Griffins in the Barclays Evening League and he is getting excited about the start of the season next week.

'I'm very much looking forward to it,' he said.

'I think we've got a good side batting and bowling and hopefully we'll produce some good results. I've come across some good youngsters in the nets.'

The club does boast two of the most promising juniors, Will Thompson and Tim Ravenscroft, who looks set to play for England under-15s. Both will be available after Elizabeth College breaks up for the summer holiday, but Ravenscroft's commitments in the UK will govern how much club cricket he can play.

Classy batsman Warr will also be involved in the second half when he returns home from Nottingham University.

With the juniors, Wanderers have a wealth of experience to call on as well.

All-rounders Spencer Noyon and Pierre Moody are both capable of winning games and in Veillard and Tim Belton they have batsmen who can make a telling contribution on their day.

Steve Birkett and his left-arm tweakers will provide the spin option while fellow veteran Keith Le Cheminant is always a tricky customer with his left-arm swing.

However, with the majority of the team into their 40s and 50s, fielding is an area where they may fall down if they cannot field their younger players.

One thing is for certain though: they will not want to have such a topsy-turvy season as they did last year.

Their tickers might not be able to cope.