Veillard puts SOS in distress with his spin

COBO have been crowned Channel Islands club champions for the first time since 2018.

The victorious Cobo team. Back row, left to right: Tom Veillard, Kieran Le Gallez, Will Peatfield, Charlie Birch, Tony Merrien. Front row: Dec Martel, Josh Butler, Ollie Nightingale, Tom Nightingale, Zak Damarell, Ben Ferbrache. (Picture by Gareth Le Prevost, 33558700)

Having finished top of the Belasko CI League standings, they went into Saturday’s final as favourites against a St Ouen Springfield side who were missing some of their star names, and lived up to that billing with a four-wicket victory.

Although the Cobo XI included five of the successful Guernsey men’s squad from the World Cup qualifier, including captain Ollie Nightingale who lifted a second trophy in the space of four days at the KGV, it was Tom Veillard who played the starring role on this occasion as the left-arm spinner ripped through the SOS middle and lower order to claim outstanding figures of 6 for 19 in helping restrict the visitors to 157 all out.

‘It’s always nice to win a trophy and against a Jersey team it adds a little bit to it as well, so really happy,’ said the player-of-the-match Veillard, who added that the key to his success was executing a simple plan.

‘It’s just trying to hit the stumps, get the batters playing, and try and take as many wickets as I can. So as long as I’m hitting the stumps, it gives me every chance to get a wicket.’

While SOS were without some first-team regulars, Cobo had their own selection headache and Veillard felt that it emphasised why they came out on top in the competition this season.

‘In terms of our squad and the players, I think we had 20 available today, so that always helps. Picking from that amount of players and good players as well, it’s really nice.

‘It’s a good bunch of players we have and hopefully we can keep it going for next year as well.’

To top off a memorable day for Veillard, he was delighted to hear that St Jacques Vikings, who he will captain in the upcoming league campaign, had beaten Beccehamian 36-20 in their pre-season at Footes Lane.

‘We had a tough one against them last year, so to win against Jersey last week and then beat Beccs today – very happy going into the league season next week.

‘For me, cricket’s done and it’s straight into rugby, so no rest but that’s what I like. My weekends are busy and playing rugby and cricket with a group of mates I have, very happy doing it.’

• CI League final match report in Monday's Guernsey Press.