Nightingale sings as Griffins run ends
NEGATE Luke Le Tissier and you go a long way to keeping Griffins quiet in the early weeks of this year’s Rickety Bridge Weekend Championship.
That’s how it seems, anyway.
The all-rounder has been in outstanding form, turning in successive man-of-the-match performances to put Tom Kirk’s side in control at the top of the early season table. But as Griffins went for a weekend double, Le Tissier for once failed and Cobo hit back in the title chase with a comfortable 48-run win at KGV to avenge the defeat at their opponents’ hands the previous week.
Le Tissier had won the two previous games almost single-handed, but here his return of two runs and just one wicket was symbolic of a low-key effort by the league leaders, who were beaten for the first time.
Batting first, Cobo overcame the very early loss of Zak Damarell to post 165 in their 40 overs.
That they were able to give their bowlers a reasonable target to defend was largely down to Ollie Nightingale, who came in at the fall of Damarell’s wicket and departed 107 balls later for a responsible 60, which included seven fours.
Josh Butler added 42 for the second wicket with Nightingale until he skipped down the wicket to Le Tissier’s off-spin, failed to control the lofted drive and spooned a catch to deep extra where Adam Martel took a good catch.
Will Fazakerley’s return to the game ended in just two balls, as he offered a return catch to Max Ellis, but Ben Ferbrache batted well at six and his unbeaten 37 from 53 balls was also key for keeping Cobo in the game.
Griffins had made three changes to the side that had won 24 hours previously and with Jason Martin, Glenn Le Tissier and Dan Le Messurier coming in there seemed no shortage of batting depth.
For a few overs all went well for Kirk’s men, but on 21 Will Peatfield found the edge of Ben Fitchet’s bat and Damarell took the catch behind.
Before very long Griffins were 26 for three and in trouble.
Luke Le Tissier was caught down the leg side off Matt Breban to make it 52 for five and although Martin hung around for quite a while in making 22, when he chipped one back to the left-arm spinner Tom Veillard, all hope disappeared for the leaders.
