Rain plays a part as title race goes to last round

The celebrations might yet have to be cancelled altogether because although the leaders are still hot favourites to finish on top, they will definitely not be taking anything for granted after losing their 100% winning record despite restricting previously-winless Cobo to just 134.

On a day when one eye was on the cricket field and the other on the rain radar, the run chase was interrupted by the weather, but it was still difficult to fathom just how Griffins conspired to be bowled out for 110 and suffer a 23-run defeat via the DLS method.

While the unpredictable was happening at the KGV, run-machine Matt Stokes was sticking to the script at the College Field, making an unbeaten century to help OEA beat Wanderers-Irregulars in the other rain-affected game to keep themselves in the hunt for the title.

It remains a big ask for OEA to close the two-point gap at the top and improve their net run-rate sufficiently to have the chance of overtaking Griffins in the final round of fixtures this coming weekend, but the fact that it is a possibility is remarkable in itself.

Certainly as Griffins left the field having bowled their 50 overs with a job well done at that stage, not many bookies would have been giving odds on them not clinching the title that afternoon.

They just needed to avoid defeat and with the rain starting to fall in-between innings, victory or an abandonment were the two most likely outcomes.

That was despite Cobo having started the day well thanks to Jamie Nussbaumer and Zak Damarell.

Although they understandably slowed down after getting off to a flier with 18 off the first two overs, including Damarell launching a free-hit off Adam Wakeford for a large maximum, an opening partnership of 98 made in 20 overs has seemingly set up the sky-blues to post a testing target, especially in seeing off Luke Bichard who can count himself unlucky to finish wicket-less from a fine spell.

However, the wheels came off more dramatically than a clown’s car as they lost four wickets all on the same score.

A double-wicket maiden from Adam Martel, who removed Damarell for a top score of 47 and the promoted Will Peatfield for a duck, set the ball rolling before skipper Tom Kirk struck in his first over to dismiss Nussbaumer for 41.

Ollie Newey was then adjudged LBW for nought and Cobo’s position had nosedived from promising to potentially embarrassing in the space of 13 balls, particularly with captain Josh Butler unable to bat after suffering a hand injury at work.

Things got worse for the batting side as Dec Martel and Adam de la Mare fell victim to Kirk before the 30th over, after which the lower order opted to bat for time rather than runs as the clouds became more threatening.

The decision made the subsequent 20 overs attritional – to be polite – but it proved pivotal to the outcome.

The reply started on time with conditions still playable despite the rain drops that were falling and the Le Tissier cousins Nathan and Luke continued to look in good nick until the latter got a pearler from Peatfield to end the opening stand at 23.

Matt Philp also could do little about another fine Peatfield delivery, but it was when the younger Le Tissier nicked off to his Indies teammate Kieran Le Gallez with the score on 33 that Cobo sensed an upset.

The DLS par score on the board showed that Griffins were suddenly behind the game and the middle order only dug them into a deeper hole as James Hudson, Tom Nightingale and Jordon Martel all departed for single figures as their team were reduced to 63 for 6.

Kirk and Adam Martel steadied the ship and the captain smacked a couple of big sixes to get them moving towards three figures before the rain got heavier and the umpires took the players off at 82 for 6 after 24 overs.

The delay of nearly an hour saw four overs lost with the target cut by just a single run, but Griffins still fancied their chances and rightly so.

What they could not foresee, though, was that when play resumed, three of their remaining batsmen would contrive to get out to Dec Martel drag-downs.

Kirk was the first, chopping on to his own stumps, before Adam Martel holed out to deep mid-wicket and then Dane Mullen played on via his body.

Cobo were suddenly just one wicket away from their first win and Nussbaumer wasted little time in wrapping things up having Wakeford caught in the covers with more than 13 overs remaining.

At the College Field, half-centuries from Lucas Barker and Gashirai Masvikeni had helped Wanderers-Irregulars, who were not out of the title race going into the game, to post 234 for 9 from their 50 overs.

Skipper Barker top scored with 61 from 86 balls, hitting seven fours and a six, while Masvikeni made a rapid 55 from 42 balls with a couple of sixes as well as seven fours.

Ollie Clapham took three wickets for OEA while there were two apiece for Stokes and Ben Johnson.

Stokes and Charlie Birch then gave the OEA a solid start before rain stopped the reply after 13 overs.

The target was altered to 174 off 34 overs and Stokes guided them to a seven-wicket victory with nine balls to spare with 111 not out made from 104 balls with 14 fours before he finished things in style with a six.