After six rounds of high-octane T20 action, Saturday will see Rathbones Old Victorians, Farmers Caesareans and RGA Walkovers SCF battle it out for the title at the National Cricket Centre at Grainville.
After finishing top of the league standings, Old Victorians have qualified straight into Saturday afternoon’s final.
Farmers finished in second place, with Walkovers completing the roster in third to reach their first-ever T20 Finals Day. Heading into last Saturday’s final round, Walkovers and St Ouen Springfield were locked in a do-or-die battle.
Walkovers travelled to Farmers Field while SOS headed to FB Fields, with both sides needing wins to secure a third-place finish.
Walkovers had the advantage on net run rate, but the challenge of facing the defending champions on their home turf loomed.
On a fresh wicket and with a short boundary towards the nets, Walkovers captain Dan Birrell had no hesitation in batting first.
Despite the absence of current league top run-scorer Drew Sylvester, the men in blue backed themselves to put a score on the board against a solid Farmers attack.
Scott Van Breda struck early to remove Will Taylor, who chopped on for just two, before catching Robin Carnegie’s outside edge for nought to complete a double-wicket maiden in the third over.
The Jersey Rugby star finished with excellent figures of 2 for 16 from his four overs.
Chuggy Perchard fought back well after being struck for a few lusty blows by Birrell, bowling his Jersey team-mate for a quick 30.
James Bradbury’s left-arm spin drew Joel Bastable out of his crease to be well stumped by Jack Kemp, and brother Adam Bradbury’s introduction accounted for fellow opener Elliot Corbel, caught behind chasing a wide one for 32.
At 83 for five, with the innings in the balance, 15-year-old academy star Theo Vautier (30) and Jack Gott (25) combined crucially late on to help drive their score to a competitive 148 for seven.
With runs on the board, the Walkovers opening bowlers, Birrell and Taylor, made an bright start.
Taylor, after ripping his first ball past the outside edge, fired one in to force Armand Fourie to chop on, before Birrell forced Perchard back into his crease with the keeper up and enticed a leading edge back for the easiest of caught-and-bowled chances.
Birrell would outdo himself, though. Wicketkeeper Jack Kemp, batting at four smashed a drive back towards the big quick, who stooped low to pluck it mid-tumble inches off the floor, for one of the catches of the season.
Momentum continued to swing towards the visitors, despite the efforts of Van Breda, whose wicket was holding things together.
Taylor was impressive, conceding just seven runs from his four overs to keep the required run rate climbing.
Van Breda smashed Ross Chadwick for a big six, but Chadwick would have the last laugh. Shortly after, he caught Van Breda’s outside edge for 33, before nicking off George Richardson in the same over after having previously trapped James Smith LBW – fair enough, Smithy, it might have been a touch high.
With the required run rate well in excess of ten an over, young spinner Sonny Derrien stepped up for his first bowl in Premier cricket and claimed his first wicket with his first ball, trapping James Perchard LBW on the sweep.
Robin Carnegie brought the game to a close with a couple of burgled wickets late on – although he did throw away his hat-trick opportunity with a wide, criminal!
Farmers concluded their innings on 100 for 9 , handing Walkovers a convincing 48-run victory and a spot at Finals Day, where they will face the same opposition in the morning qualifier.
Over at FB Fields, the already-qualified Old Victorians sealed St Ouen Springfield’s fate with a 39-run victory.
Charlie Brennan (left) smashed 57 from 38 balls at the top of the order, backed up by 23 from skipper Scott Simpson and a rapid 20 from Corey Bisson.
A middle-order wobble followed, but a crucial 28-run partnership at the end from Ali Webster (21) and Theo Pullman (12) saw them reach 146 for 8.
SOS’s Jon Best was superb with the ball, taking 4 for 18 as he ripped through the OVs’ middle order to dismiss Simpson, Bisson, Jamie Watling (1) and the powerful Ed Giles for a two-ball duck.
In reply, SOS star Patrick Gouge looked in good form as usual, but he fell too early for his team’s liking, caught behind off Pullman for 22.
Pullman struck again to remove Marshall Taylor for 3 before Simpson stepped up to dismiss fellow opener George Cousins for 11.
Jack Stevens impressed through the middle overs to claim 3 wickets, first removing captain Dom Blampied cheaply, followed by Best for 3 and Elliot Miles for a well-made 24.
Sam Dewhurst’s leg-spin was tidy, conceding just 15 runs from three overs, and Giles returned to bowl Toby Thirkettle.
The final two wickets fell to run-outs as SOS were bundled out off the final delivery for just 107, confirming their place at the bottom of the division.
OVs then headed to Farmers Field for the final league fixture, with both sides knowing qualification was already secured.
Batting first with a heavily changed side, OVs struggled through 18.5 overs and were eventually bowled out for just 120.
Ed Giles opened the batting and smashed the ball to all parts for 36 off just 11 balls, including taking 20 from George Richardson’s first over and a six that nearly cleared the pavilion to the long side.
Corey Bisson made 17 and Rob Duckett added a classy 25, but 2 wickets each for Van Breda, Tom Shenton and Will Wray, plus 3 for stand-in captain Chuggy Perchard, kept the hosts on top.
In reply, Giles removed Perchard early for just 1, but fellow opener Adam Bradbury backed up his unbeaten 20 against Walkovers with an impressive 32.
James Smith added valuable runs at number three with 27 before Charlie Brennan was introduced.
Brennan delivered a promising spell to pick up 3 for 27, removing Bradbury, Smith and Jack Kemp, with Theo Pullman taking a smart catch on the mid-wicket boundary to dismiss the latter.
After Van Breda was also removed by the timeless Tommy Minty on his highly popular return to the scene, it was left to George Richardson (22) and Chris Hopwood (19*) to see the game home in the 19th over.
The National Cricket Centre at Grainville will host this Saturday’s DFDS Premier T20 Finals Day.
Defending champions Farmers Caesareans will face RGA Walkovers in the qualifier from 11am, with the winner progressing to the final at 3pm to take on Rathbones Old Victorians.
