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Optimists clinch Championship on final day
David Piesing
Clubhouse Optimists retained their Carey Olsen GCA Championship title after a 24-run victory over challengers Total Cobo in what was a winner-takes-all final league match on a testing track at KGV.
Cobo skipper Stuart Le Prevost had no hesitation in inserting Optimists after winning the toss, correctly identifying that the slightly damp wicket would favour his bowlers. Optimists struggled and at one point were 70 for 7 with veteran seamer Mark Renouf taking 4 for 25 in his nine overs. However, big-hitting South African, GH Smit, played just the type of innings required on this pitch with an unbeaten 60 off 71 balls to take his side to a more respectable 131 all out in 41 of their allotted 45 overs.
With the wicket drying out, Cobo will have fancied their chances but were dealt a big blow when opener Matt Oliver fell lbw to Steve Queripel, trying to pull a ball which looked too full to pull and which also appeared to keep low. Peter Vidamour and Jamie Nussbaumer then took the score close to 30 before Vidamour nicked one behind off Banerjee, and then Nussbaumer drilled one back at Banerjee who snaffled a sharp caught and bowled chance. Stuart Le Prevost then played some trademark drives in trying to grab back the initiative for Cobo but he was adjudged lbw to Kinder to a ball on which he appeared to get an edge. TJ Ozanne then edged Kinder to slip where Banerjee took another sharp catch, and the match really started to swing Optimists' way when Kris Moherndl carelessly hit the next ball straight down Tim de Putron's throat at point.
With Gary Rich still at the crease Cobo were still in with a shout, but when he softly chipped Kinder to Andy Biggins at short mid-wicket it looked all over. Mark Renouf was joined by Justin Ferbrache and the two started to pick off the singles before Ferbrache tried to drive Kinder through the covers, only to find young Adam Hindle who dived to take an excellent catch. At 80 for 8 things looked bleak for Cobo. Blane Queripel came in to join Renouf, and the pair put together the best stand of the innings with some well-placed shots and some excellent running between the wickets. With Optimists now forced to turn to their 5th and 6th bowlers to share the last 9 overs of the innings, Cobo could see a chink of light but then Queripel, having hammered the ball hard to point, was rightly sent back by Renouf and failed to beat the throw, which really ended Cobo's hopes. In the next over Renouf was run out trying to complete two runs to the deep and it was all over for Cobo, all out for 107. Mike Kinder's fine spell of 5 for 15 in nine overs had destroyed Cobo's middle order and without their injured talisman, Jeremy Frith (broken finger), Cobo were simply unable to cope with Kinder's guile.
In the other game on the last day, Randly Paddle Mavericks again proved themselves to be masters of the chase with an amazing last-ball win, their third last-ball win of the season, chasing 279 at College Field to beat C&W Rovers to clinch third place.
Rovers, who were fielding a weak side, were again indebted to Quentin Hubbard and Richard Headington, who both got into the 70s, and then skipper Stuart Bisson again just missed on his maiden century (he was out for 97 in the earlier meeting of the two sides) when on 94 he drilled back a sharp drive which hit non-striker Gordon Irish and ballooned off his pads for bowler Meades to grab a freak caught and bowled chance. Rovers ended up 279 for 4 in their 45 overs.
The Mavericks' trio of Paul Cone (70), Vince Kenny (50) and Justin Meades (66) kept them in the hunt all the way, but Bisson wasn't finished yet, taking a hat-trick with Mavericks still 11 runs short, before skipper James Falla saw his side home by 3 wickets, taking 6 off the last over and 1 off the last ball.
© Guernsey Cricket Board
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