AFTER last week’s washout, the local Premier League cricketers enjoyed a sweltering Saturday with the wind barely at a zephyr.
With dual implications riding on the games, both counting for the overall Belasko CI League standings and the Jersey standings in the longer format, there was much at stake for the four sides.
At Les Quennevais, Rathbones Old Victorians (OVs) comfortably beat a short-handed ATF St Ouen Springfield (SOS), without captain Harrison Carlyon, Jersey spinner Elliot Miles and others.
Meanwhile, over at Grainville, Farmers coasted to a mammoth 213-run victory over RGA Walkovers, as Josh Lawrenson’s stunning knock of 153 and Will Perchard’s 90 did much of the heavy lifting.
OVs captain James Duckett led from the front against SOS, with a chasing knock of 63, while also starring with the ball, with four wickets from his nine-over spell, conceding just 24 runs in the process.
He said: “It was a good result for us. We’ve had a tricky couple of weeks with availability and trying to get a team together for away trips in Guernsey.
“But we finally got some good availability again for this game and the boys were really up for it.
“The Premier League trophy effectively started this week, and we’ve put ourselves in a good position for that after yesterday’s game.
“We were far more clinical than previous weeks.
“To reduce them to 35/5 is a great position to be in.
“AK [Anthony Kay] came in and was great for them, so they probably scored 50 or 60 more than we would have liked.
“But we batted really well, probably one of the better performances we have put together this season.
“We were sensible and knew we had plenty of balls to work with to just pick our moments.
“Jamie [Watling] played a fantastic innings, which really helped me when he’s doing that down the other end.
“Walkovers come next, so for us, we need to stay on the front foot and go out and win again.”
SOS, without star opener Carlyon were reliant on a man in form in the shape of Patrick Gouge, who has made quite the impression of late for Paul Hutchison’s Jersey side.
He would score 27 up front, but help was scarce elsewhere.
Fellow opener Sam Patidar walked for a duck, as did Charley Webster.
While Peter Gough (2) and stand-in captain Dom Blampied (3) also went cheaply.
The hosts were toiling.
Fortunately, Lee Meloy and Kay steadied the ship and the latter managed almost half his teams runs with 83 from 85 balls as SOS trudged off setting 172 from 45 overs.
The chase in turn proved light work, despite powerful left-hander Charlie Brennan’s absence, as captain Duckett again led his team superbly with 63, while Watling’s 38 help chip away at the target.
Freddie Harben, the 14-year-old added 16, while Luke Gallichan and Theo Pullman scored 14 apiece for the winning runs with just north of eight overs in hand.
Across at Grainville, comfortable does not do Farmers situation justice as they tore Walkovers apart from start to finish.
Youngster Toby Britton assumed the captaincy with James Perchard absent.
He said: “It was a really dominant display from the boys.
“We won the toss and it proved a great decision.
“The deck was flat and the opportunity was there to score runs.
“Lawro [Josh Lawrenson] and Will [Perchard] were brilliant with the bat, Walkovers didn’t bowl great, but also the fielding set-up felt sightly wrong, so the pair were clever in picking the gaps that were given to them.
“Chuggy came in and added a nice 36 and even though we lost some quick wickets, the total was huge.
“We bowled very nicely too.
“The wicket offered a bit to us and the spin worked well.
“I took a couple, but Sol [Bennett] was great and took three, while Adam [Bradbury] took three as well.
“It was a complete display really and a comfortable day.”
Up top Joel Dudley got the Farmers innings off to a good start, reaching 23, before a horror torn Achilles injury while attempting a quick single forced the opener to hospital.
We all wish Joel a speedy recovery.
Then came the fireworks as stylish Jersey batsman Lawrenson made himself at home in the middle, so much so that Walkovers were delighted to see the back of him, but not before a staggering 153, 82 of those accumulated with 19 boundaries and one maximum.
A well-deserved standing ovation followed for the 21-year-old.
Meanwhile, batting partner Will Perchard enjoyed a superb knock of his own, firing 90 as the pair surpassed a 200 partnership.
Chuggy Perchard also contributed with a handy 36 to set a staggering 356 for walkovers to chase.
Walkovers captain Joe Bevis huffed and puffed, taking two wickets in two balls, before Armand Fourie survived his hat-trick attempt.
He would take three of the seven wickets, while spinner Harry Brooks kept up his high return of wickets this campaign with a couple more added to the tally.
Walkovers powerful top-order batter Tiaan Kruger provided some resistance with an impressive knock of 66, before his South African counterpart Scott van Breda caught him in the deep off the bowling of stand-in captain Britton.
Farmers young spin duo between Britton and Sol Bennett were imperious and the latter’s three wickets from nine overs, came at the expense of just 22 runs.
Adam Bradbury also took a liking to the Walkovers batsmen, taking three wickets himself for just 12 runs from four overs.
Walkovers were skittled for a mere 143 to give Farmers a massive win of 213 runs, handily boasting their net run-rate substantially.
This weekend sees Farmers return home to face an SOS outfit in search of an immediate response from the defeat at the hands of OVs, while Walkovers will hope for a far better experience at Grainville when they welcome Duckett’s OVs.
