Peatfield rips heart out of Wanderers Irregulars

In fact, the Island paceman was in such destructive mood that he and his teammates were able to enjoy the glorious sunshine at the KGV for most of the afternoon after wrapping victory well before 2pm, with the man of the match able to use the time to reflect on a valuable five-wicket haul.

With both sides missing some key players, it was a case of who out of those remaining would stand up to be counted and Peatfield put up his hand in the first over of the morning after Wanderers Irregulars had opted to bat.

Bending his back to get some decent life out of the pitch, Peatfield removed Joel Conner with the fifth ball of the day as the batsman gloved a quick short-pitched to Josh Butler behind the stumps.

In his third over, Peatfield dismissed the other opener as Gordon Irish was undone by a full and straight one before Wanderers Irregulars captain Ant Stokes fell first ball to a carbon copy of the Conner dismissal and the batting side were in dire straits at 10 for 3.

Guy Alexander managed to contribute a couple of boundaries at No. 3, but he soon became Peatfield’s fourth victim as he played back to a ball that hit only halfway up middle stump and Cobo were cock-a-hoop.

The fifth-wicket pair of Declan Martel and Charles Vorster at least put up some resistance and, especially in the latter’s case, looked to take the fight to Cobo whenever possible.

By showing positive intent and some good timing, Vorster smacked a couple of nice boundaries early on as Peatfield began to tire at the end of his opening spell and when he was replaced by Matt Breban at the de Beauvoir end, the batsman greeted the new man with an emphatic cut for four.

Vorster drove Breban for another boundary in his next over, but the bowler got his revenge at the start of his third as the powerful No. 6 was guilty of not moving his feet in an attempt to repeat that earlier drive and was beaten a straight one to depart for 26 made from 24 balls.

Having added 38 with Martel, that wicket sparked a collapse that saw Wanderers Irregulars lose their last six wickets for 21 runs.

The next fell immediately as Breban skittled Pierre Moody for a golden duck and just when Martel and Ollie Bromley were starting to look comfortable in the middle, they attempted an ill-advised single to Kris Moherndl at point and the fielder hit direct at the bowler’s end to run out the youngster.

Peatfield then returned to complete his five-for as full and straight did the trick once again to account for Dom O’Brien.

As he was quickly running out of partners, it was understandable that Martel attempted to harvest as much of the strike as possible, but in doing so he took on a risky second to backward square and paid the price when he was beaten by the throw from Adam de la Mare.

Butler, who by now had handed over wicket-keeping duties to Ollie Newey, then finished off the innings with the new gloveman taking the catch as Wanderers Irregulars were all out for 80.

Although the new-ball pairing of Moody and Alexander produced some good deliveries first up in the Cobo reply, the early breakthrough they so desperately required was not forthcoming as Tom Veillard and Peatfield put on 38.

As is so often the way, it required a big full toss to entice a wicket as Peatfield miscued one off Martel to mid-off.

Moherndl joined anchorman Veillard and played nicely for his 23 before he gave Ant Stokes a return catch with the winning post in sight, but Breban soon saw Cobo home with successive boundaries.