Fitting win for Rovers on their home ground

ROVERS christened the Evening League's historic first top flight match at Port Soif with an emphatic win on their home turf last night. Stuart Bisson's side comprehensively defeated Andy Biggins' Optimists with a fine fielding performance and solid batting display.

They had no problem reaching Optis target of 75 for the loss of just one wicket - shortly after roars from the clubhouse greeted a Liverpool goal in the Champions League semi-final.

It was an important early season scalp for Rovers after their opening day win against Corinthians last week.

'It was set up in the field with a brilliant fielding performance, especially considering we are missing four key players. It's a testament to the depth of the squad, which will hopefully stand us in good stead for the season,' said Bisson.

'We have a 100% home record and it was a good team performance,' he declared.

'We don't want to put ourselves on a pedestal, but hopefully we can bring some long anticipated silverware down to the Soif.'

Former island captain Biggins was gracious in defeat.

'I thought we bowled really well. It was a strange old track and quite a slow wicket and outfield. We did not start batting until halfway through, which cost us. They bowled and fielded very well,' he said.

He believed Rovers will get to know their wicket and it may stand them in good shape for the season.

'There are a lot of good teams out there and it's early days. We will be quite pleased to finish in the top three or four, but you never know.'

After last year's league runners-up won the toss and elected to bat on the new strip, Rovers left them reeling on a meagre 11 for four off just seven overs.

Mark Clapham was first to go - Rob Turville taking a stunning catch at square leg off Matt Hallett's bowling.

Opening partner Mark Jefferies was then brilliantly stumped by classy South African Ryan Bishop, Ian Damarell was clean bowled by Bisson and Biggins was run out by Hallett.

But Optis middle order steadied the ship with Tim de Putron hitting 21 off 27 balls and Chris Van Vliet struck 31 off 26 balls to add some respectability to their innings.

Van Vliet was dismissed by another fine Turville catch on the boundary off an Aaron Scoones delivery and de Putron was bowled by the latter.

After a couple of run-outs, Richard Headington took another superb deep catch to send Andre Bisson packing for a duck off Turville's bowling. Turville wrapped up the innings by bowling last man Ray Bushell, also for a duck.

In reply, Rovers openers Scoones and Headington, with assistance from Bishop, saw them home.

Headington was dropped twice, by de Putron and Biggins, before reaching double figures.

It proved costly as he went on to score 46 not out.

Scoones chipped in with a valuable 20 before Steve Queripel bowled him while Bishop ended undefeated on nine.

In the other division one game at KGV, St Saviour's condemned Corinthians to their second successive loss.

Chief destroyers in their useful total of 118 for four were Andy Good, who hit 32 off 22 balls, including two sixes, and Ross Kneller, who fired five boundaries to end with 39 not out off 29 deliveries.

They won by 30 runs - the only resistance coming from openers Richard Angliss with 23 and Will Thomson (13).