Fitchet and Stokes pile on the runs in winning causes

With the PraxisIFM CI League matches brought forward and abbreviated for the purposes of leaving the players free to enjoy a certain football game taking place in Russia in the afternoon, the 35-over-per-side played at the KGV was ideal for the home side’s line-up against Farmers and they made the most of it, emerging winners by 82 runs.

Ben Fitchet hit 77 at the top of the Griffins orders with other useful contributions coming from Nairn Guilbert, David Hooper, Luke Le Tissier and captain Tom Kirk as Griffins compiled 229.

In reply, Farmers were bowled out for 147.

‘We had a bit of a mishap last week, but full credit to the boys today,’ said Kirk, referring back to the previous defeat away to OVs.

‘A word has to go to Fitchy, who batted very well again. He has taken on the responsibility at the top of the order and we have been crying out for someone to do that. I think he is putting his hand up to the island selectors at the moment.

‘We would have been happy with anything above 200 and I thought we batted pretty well throughout as a unit to get to 229.

‘For us, it was probably our worst performance with the ball as a collective group for a long time, so for a change it was our batting that has won us the game and not our bowling digging us out of a hole.’

While Fitchet may be pushing for island inclusion, one man whose name is inked in on the Guernsey team sheet was starring with the bat at the College Field.

At the start of the week Matt Stokes was hitting back-to-back T20 half-centuries for the island squad against Sussex Academy/Seconds at Horsham and he finished it with a magnificent 170 not out for Wanderers Irregulars against Walkovers at the College Field.

It helped his side to a huge total of 283 for 4 from their 35 overs, with other useful contributions coming from Charles Vorster, Ben Wentzel and the younger Stokes brother Ant.

In reply, Ross Chadwick carried his bat but received very little support, and after Vorster had removed Nat Watkins early on, Walkovers succumbed to the ‘Ant and Dec’ pairing of Ant Stokes and Dec Martel who took seven wickets between them in an 153-run victory.

In Jersey, their delayed arrival meant that Cobo faced OVs in a T20 contest and they hammered the previously unbeaten home side by nine wickets.

When they were 40 for 1 after five overs, OVs looked set for a decent total, but the wheels fell off and they slumped to 90 all out.

Cobo raced to their target in just eight overs with Josh Butler, Alex Bushell and Zak Damarell not wasting any time in finishing the match.

• Full details in Monday's Guernsey Press.