College at the double

TIM RAVENSCROFT and Jonny Warr showed impressively on Saturday that they are not the nervous types. The Elizabeth College pair put together an unbeaten third-wicket stand of 134 to ensure the school's first XI completed the double over rivals Victoria at the College Field.

Admittedly assisted by some wayward bowling - the Jersey visitors conceded 31 wides among their 45 extras - Ravenscroft and Warr chipped away at their target at an ever-increasing rate to seal an eight-wicket victory with one ball less than six overs to spare.

The wet morning weather reduced the match to a total of 68 overs with the side batting first allowed a maximum of 36 of those in a format which can still result in a draw.

Luke Nussbaumer won the toss and unsurprisingly inserted the opposition with plenty of cloud cover overhead.

His opening bowlers, Peter Le Hegarat and Warr, made the most of the conditions early on, both producing a seven-over spell which was right on the money.

Hegarat, a tall fast bowler, put in plenty of effort thundering in down the hill from the Rue a l'Or end while Warr sent down several unplayable deliveries as he swung the ball at will. It was the latter who got the rewards as he dismissed openers Sam de la Haye and John Borg with full balls.

Chris Dravers maintained the momentum with a couple more wickets as Victoria struggled to 53 for four although Mark Chipperfield - scorer of a half-century in the season's first meeting of the sides - stood firm with a patient 35.

But it was Nishant Sharma who took the attack to the bowlers, the tall all-rounder launching a couple of big sixes as well as three fours in an unbeaten 43 that gave his side's innings much-needed impetus as they pushed their score up to 158 for nine.

Ravenscroft bore the brunt of much of the aggression as the rest of the bowlers finished with economical figures, but the young Hampshire Academy star ended as the leading wicket-taker as his off spin claimed three victims.

Sharma then began strongly with the ball as he removed Richard Angliss with a well directed short ball that the EC opener could only fend to short leg.

Chipperfield joined the party soon afterwards as Jonny Clark miscued a pull to Steven Blackburn at wide mid-on and Victoria sensed that they were in with a shout having reduced their hosts to 25 for two.

However, Ravenscroft and Warr ensured that the home side suffered no more wobbles as they picked off the bad balls as well as some quick singles to get the scoreboard moving.

The 14-year-old number three began to open up as victory came into sight, playing one particularly sublime on drive for four and bringing up his half-century with a lofted drive over mid-off that also reached the boundary.

Warr, meanwhile, continue his rich vein of form and was unfortunate not to reach a 50 of his own, but the important thing was that they had got the job done.

n COBO continued their quest for the Carey Olsen GCA Championship title with a nervous victory over Wanderers at the KGV on Saturday.

A rain-delayed start meant that the match was reduced to 27 overs per side and the league leaders performed admirably with the ball after Stuart Le Prevost had elected to field, skittling the opposition out for 76.

But the reply was far from straightforward and the captain again had to hold things together with 29 not out as Cobo ground out a four-wicket win.