RATHBONES Old Victorians all but wrote their name on the Channel Island League trophy after Charlie Brennan and captain James Duckett led them to a thumping 129-run victory over TENN Wanderers Irregulars at Elizabeth College Field.
Having sealed the domestic Premier League title earlier in the season with a 100% win record, the OVs continued their long-format form into the Guernsey leg of the CI League, taking on the only other unbeaten side in the competition at the time.
Elizabeth College Field has always been an excellent batting track, and it was the OVs who made first use of it, with Brennan and wicketkeeper Jonny Heward opening, in a match shortened from 45 to 35 overs a side.
The powerful Jersey star Brennan shot out of the blocks, taking a four and a six from the second over of the innings, but Wanderers fought back in the third with the wicket of Heward, bowled by Louis Steyn for 2.
17 for 1 quickly became 25 for 2 for the visitors, when the returning Will Hodgson, batting at 3, was also removed by Steyn for just 1.
In a spot of bother, Brennan was joined by his experienced captain, both men carrying in good form of late and they quickly showed their class.
Over the next 19.3 overs, every member of the Wanderers attack caught the brunt of willow on ball, as both men made batting look easy.
Brennan was first to pass the half-century mark in the 15th over, the landmark coming from just 43 deliveries, with Duckett following not long after, reaching his 50 off 47 with consecutive boundaries from Zac Buttle in the 20th over.
Brennan was looking in ominous form and, with a century looming, he sensed Oliver Clapham’s fourth over as his chance, smashing two consecutive monster sixes to move to 97. However, he would fall just short of his century, holding out to Charlie Clapham for a wonderful 97 from just 69 balls, which included 8 fours and 4 sixes.
Duckett, however, would continue on his way, joined now by the arguably even more powerful striking of Ed Giles, fresh off his six-hitting onslaught on T20 Finals Day.
Despite picking up Brennan in his previous over, Oliver Clapham’s next would go for 18 as Giles lined him up for three maximums in the over.
Oliver Clapham would get a hollow revenge, taking the catch of Giles off Haisam Azeem for 32 from just 14 deliveries, but Duckett was still a man on a mission, leading the way as any great captain would.
Corey Bisson would come and go cheaply chasing some quick runs at the end, and with Scott Simpson now keeping him company, Duckett reached a sensational century with a crunching boundary of Anthony Armstrong, removing his helmet and saluting his cheering teammates, his century coming from just 91 deliveries in the penultimate over of the innings.
A further 15 runs came from Steyn’s final over of the innings, as Duckett strolled off the park unbeaten on 116 from just 96 balls, including 13 fours and 2 sixes, with Simpson contributing a handy 15 in a strong team total of 284 for 5.
Requiring a chase of over 8 runs an over from the off, Wanderers started their innings brightly with openers Gashirai Masvikeni and Steve Pappin, the former doing most of the damage through the first five overs.
Masvikeni was also the first man to go though, as the skipper again produced the telling moment, sneaking one through to rattle his stumps for a breezy 35 from just 25 balls.
His partner Pappin would follow shortly after for 13, Simpson this time the man with the wicket and Charlie Brennan turning catcher, the score at 55 for 2 in the ninth over.
Wanderers skipper Ben Wentzel and George Joannou looked to steady the ship, but 81 for 2 quickly became 100 for 5, Duckett removing his opposing skipper before throwing the insatiable Brennan the ball.
Not necessarily known for his bowling, Brennan could do no wrong on the day however, as he proceeded to run through the Wanderers middle and lower order to claim his first CI League five wicket haul, along with his 97 runs and two catches also.
Corey Bisson picked himself up a couple of wickets towards the end, but Brennan was the man to finish things off, bowling Steyn with the first ball of the 32nd over and sealing an outstanding victory.
The OVs have all but sealed the league title now, with their net run rate being far superior to those behind them. Although technically one more win would make it conclusive, Duckett and his troops can all but celebrate what has been a historic season for the club.
In the day’s other clash, fellow Jersey side RGA Walkovers had less success against their Sarnian counterparts Norman Piette Cobo.
Opting to bat first on an attractive fresh wicket at Grainville, openers Elliot Corbel and Jacques Van Der Walt looked cautious through the opening overs, as Will Peatfield and Kieran Le Gallez made the use of Alex Bushell’s excellent hands up to the stumps to nibble the ball on a length.
Corbel was the first to go, edging a drive behind to a smart catch from Bushell for 15 off Le Gallez, probably fairly dismissed after somehow surviving a very close LBW shout the over before.
Van Der Walt was joined by Ross Chadwick and the pair settled into their work at a steady pace to move the score past 50. Although no IPL contracts would have been handed out for the run rate, the pair were moving the score along comfortably, Van Der Walt in particular looking to punish anything over pitched.
The classy left-hander was next to go though, edging behind to the excellent Bushell again, this time off Tom Nightingale’s off-spin for a well-constructed 37 from 52 balls, the score now 74 for 2 in the 19th over.
Mikey Pih joined Chadwick as the pair took the score beyond the 100 mark, but he was next to go, caught off Dan Brown’s tidy off-spin for 18, before Sam Gott followed him back quickly after, trapped LBW by Brown for just 1.
In at number six was the exciting 14 year old debutante, Theo Bell, who looked impressive early on, slog sweeping Dec Martel’s leg spin for a boundary. However, he found himself in a mix up with Joel Bastable, run out by Peatfield for 11, with Bastable also falling just three balls later.
From 117 for 2, Walkovers now found themselves 139 for 7 and in need of some rearguard heroics. Skipper Joe Bevis looked to wrestle back some momentum, swinging away a mighty six over midwicket on his way to an unbeaten 22, but the innings continued to fall away and eventually finished on 171 for 9 from their 45 overs.
Knowing quick wickets were required, opening seamers Matt Langford and Corey Heath tried to extract some movement out of the pitch, but a crunching cover drive from langford first ball off the bat of Cobo opener Ollie Newey signalled what was to come for the home side.
As the pitch flattened out in the Saturday sunshine, Newey and fellow opener Alex Bushell took the Walkovers attack to the cleaners, Bushell in particular pouncing on anything slightly wayward, bring up his half century in just 35 balls.
With the pitch offering some turn, Harry Brooks took the ball from the pavilion end and managed to skid one under Newey’s bat, bowling him for 27 and breaking a brutal opening partnership of 95 in just 12.3 overs.
Bushell continued on his merry way, joined now by Dec Martel, as the boundaries continued to come and the run rate continued to remain high. Ross Chadwick’s introduction brought some consistency with the ball, but the majority of the damage had already been done.
The score had raced along to 143 when Chadwick earned himself a deserved scalp, trapping Bushell in front for an excellent 77 from just 58 balls which included 10 fours and 4 sixes.
With 26 runs required for victory from 27 overs, Bevis tossed the ball to young Theo Bell, and the teenager made history with his first legal delivery.
After his first delivery sneaked down leg-side for a wide, his second forced a miss-timed strike down the ground, excellently caught by Chadwick running in to give the 14 year old Bell his first wicket in Premier and CI League cricket.
This would be the last cause for celebration for the home side however, as Martel cruised along to his half century from just 28 balls, Cobo sealing a resounding victory by 7 wickets, chasing down the required 172 runs in just 21.1 overs.
ATF St Ouen Springfield were also scheduled to travel to Guernsey to face Canaccord Wealth Griffins, but the game was scratched after the latter could not field a side, the second time in as many weeks for SOS.
