SPORTING Club Franูais won the JEP ‘Brighter’ Cricket KO Cup for the ninth time in 20 years last night.
But the much expected landslide win against Division II St Helier RFC did not materialise as the minnows gave a fine account of themselves taking the Division I leaders to the last over before losing by five wickets with four balls remaining.
St Helier were restricted to 129 for 4 in the Twenty/20 six-ball over format, thanks to a stunning opening four overs from left-armer Mark Reynolds who conceded just two runs - one a wide.
And Tim Kearsey took a wicket with his first ball to finish with one wicket for 15 runs in his four overs.
Jules Nolli held the St Helier innings together with a fine 49 before being caught behind by Simon Short after dancing down the wicket looking to hit a Bradley Vowden ball which had been delivered with a lot more flight.
Richard Gomersall and Pat Dean kept the scoreboard ticking over late on to give St Helier’s score some respectability.
Dean, coming on at first change, then took four wickets for 17 runs in his four overs and with his unbeaten 22 - and a couple of fine stops in the covers, deservedly won the man-of-the-match award chosen by former Jersey Cricket Association president Ray Pearce.
Skipper Vowden and Jason Carpenter opened the Sporting Club innings with a partnership of 54 with Carpenter seeing little of the ball to be on nine runs after nine overs.
Carpenter was in danger of seeing the overs overtake his score before playing a fine shot down the leg-side for four runs.
Vowden, who played some fine cut shots, went to a good catch from Nolli, the impressive all-rounder taking the ball high to his left off Dean’s bowling.
Dean uprooted the off-stump of Justin Le Fort and then Carpenter before Patidar, a late replacement for the injured Paul Carberry, was bowled middle stump.
Peter Gough, incorrectly accredited a century in last night’s JEP when it was, in fact, his brother, Johnny, kept the score ticking along with a good 30 before he was brilliantly run out off the final ball of the 19th over after a clean pick up and throw in from the boundary by Dean Morrison.
St Helier made an excellent game of it before Trevor Rousseau hit the winning runs with four balls remaining.
Winning captain Bradley Vowden said: ‘Six and a half runs an over, there was no panic.
I put Jason in purely to hit out in the first six overs but it did not pay off.
‘St Helier had to defend a run a ball and that is difficult on a pitch the size of Grainville.
‘Peter Gough worked the ball round into the gaps well and although it was edgy towards the finish I was confident we would get home.
‘Pat Dean bowled very well, he will be delighted with the prize wickets of Justin and Meeku I’m sure.
‘You can see why St Helier are going well in Division II the way they played tonight.
They were never underestimated by us although I think they may have been disappointed with their total which I thought was around 30 runs short.
‘Mark Reynolds bowled a terrific spell and that was a massive contribution to our success.’ St Helier skipper Mick Poulter said: ‘The key for us was to make sure we batted out the 20 overs.
We did that and I believe we gave ourselves a defendable target considering at one stage it looked as if we were heading for around 100.
‘Jules batted really well while Pat is a bit of an unsung hero in the team.
Pat winning the man-of-the-match award is just reward for the effort he has put in this season.’ Dean said: ‘I’m made up, I never expected this.
The game was a lot closer than I thought it was going to be and we’re all happy we took them to the last over.’ Sporting Club can now concentrate on winning the NatWest Evening League Division I title while St Helier RFC, who two weeks ago won the SE Guy Memorial Trophy KO for Division II and Division III clubs, will be looking to make up the five points they are currently behind Hautlians at the top of Division II.
Article posted on 4th July, 2006 - 12.00am
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