Teens take Chandlers to an improbable victory

CHANDLERS proved last night that they could be a force to be seriously reckoned with in a couple of years. Rovers will vouch for that as they saw teenagers Ben McVey and Jonny Clark steer the underdogs to an improbable victory at the KGV.

In a dramatic finish, those two youngsters and Clark's younger brother Adam proved to be the heroes as Chandlers chased down a testing 17-over target of 133 with one ball to spare.

McVey and Jonny Clark were brought together at the culmination of Tim Duke's first over, which brought with it two wickets to leave Chandlers 59 for four with seven overs remaining having been given a decent start earlier by Simon Huxtable and Dave Clark, father of Jonny and Adam.

The fifth-wicket pair simply played positive cricket as they obviously decided that they had nothing to lose.

There was not a slog to be seen as they produced some excellent strokes on both sides of the wicket and ran well between the wickets to such an extent that towards the death they were both laid out on the floor at the end of one over.

Rovers, with only 10 men and a big outfield to defend, could not subdue the run-rate even though boundaries were hard to come by.

It came down to eight required off the last over.

Rob Turville started well in dismissing McVey with the first delivery as the number five scooped a catch to Stuart Bisson at a wide mid-on as he looked to find the huge open area at deep mid-wicket.

The Clark brothers scampered a single off the next ball and then the drama as Turville's hamstring went in delivery stride on the third ball. It caused him to push it down the leg-side for a wide and he was unable to complete the over.

Aaron Scoones was forced to take up the unenviable task of bowling the remaining four balls.

Each Clark brother managed a single off the first couple before Jonny hit a two, leaving two to win from one legal delivery.

In the final twist to a remarkable game, Scoones fired the delivery down the leg-side and as the ball ricocheted off wicketkeeper Ryan Bishop, the batsmen scampered through for the match-winning run.

It was an astonishing effort, especially considering that earlier Chandlers had been unable to take a wicket during the Rovers innings.

Both Duke and Bishop finished with unbeaten half-centuries although the innings was evenly paced and really needed a final flourish, which was not forthcoming.

Meanwhile, at Port Soif, Clubhouse Optimists set the side batting second 135 to win, but they managed to defend their total comfortably against Healthspan St Saviour's.

Captain Andy Biggins, who hit 70 from 52 balls, put on 131 with Tim de Putron (57 not out from 45) for the opening wicket.

In reply, St Saviour's reached 109 for six with Spencer Noyon notching 56 from 43 balls and there were two wickets apiece for Paul Cooper and another youngster with lots of potential Adam Hindle.