TWO big games tomorrow, the most important being Romerils against Rathbones OVs, a game that if Romerils win would mean their title defence is almost complete.
It would be premature for them to start celebrating however, as a full strength St Ouen could beat them on 26 July. There is still a chance that, come the final day of the season, three teams will have won seven matches and the league will be decided on that day, when incidentally, none are set to play each other, which would be a fantastic finale.
St Ouen v Aztec Springfield (G):
Both sides have won twice this season, St Ouen recording two wins over Caesareans while Springfield have also beaten Caesareans and won the first match between these two sides. That brought the score to 2-1 in Springfield’s favour over the last two seasons so they are likely to be approaching this match with a bit more optimism than last week’s, when they badly underperformed against Romerils.
Things could be different, however, than the last time these two met, as St Ouen had two notable absentees, Hugo Bishop and Dean Morrison, who will be playing tomorrow. Both of these are potential match winners and have been in good form lately, especially Bishop who scored 100 in an Evening League match for St Helier RFC as well as two fifties. If Springfield are to win they will have to nullify their influence on the game. Even if they do, it will not guarantee success, as the likes of Paul Horton and Simon Short have also proved they are in good form and Rob Tewkesbury, who has been hitting fifties in the Evening League, came good in the weekend version of the game when he hit 60 against Caesareans.
St Ouen were involved in a thriller in the Evening League on Monday night against Hautlians, with two bowlers missing out on a hat-trick and Charlie Johnson nearly hitting a six for Hautlians off the final ball to win the match, only to be caught out by 14-year-old Matthew Bignell who had earlier seen his hat-trick ball dropped.
Can’t help feeling a certain amount of sympathy for young Bignell, but would advise him not to ruminate about it otherwise he could become very bitter and go on and on about it which can be very tedious.
I probably haven’t told you, but it happened to me last year, on 19 August at 4.42 pm, against Guernsey in the Over 40’s match, but it’s not something I like to talk about!
Paul Horton took two wickets with his final two balls in Monday’s match, but failed to complete the hat-trick with his first ball in last night’s JEP Brighter Cricket KO Cup semi-final against St Helier RFC, although it was a dot ball.
Springfield will be keen to do well for their new sponsors, Aztec Financial Services, named after The Aztec’s, who were groups of people that lived in Mexico a few hundred years ago.
Hopefully the team is adopting only the name and not some of the customs of those people, which included human sacrifices and cannibalism, although hmm….Browny could you just come into our changing room for a minute?
Norah is using the Countdown Conundrum to deliver tomorrow’s prediction and has written STOUEN on apiece of paper. Damn it, I was never any good at these. Where’s Countdown King, Wayne Summers, when you need him. Is it Springfield?
Prediction: Aztec’s to find St Ouen well tasty. No Parker, not in that way, put your knife and fork away.
Romerils v Rathbones OVs (FB1):
Romerils’ destiny is in their own hands now, and even if they lose two of their remaining four games they could still retain the title. Having said that they have yet to play Fairbairn SCF, St Ouen and tomorrow OVs whose hat is now back in the ring after last week’s win against SCF.
That was a good performance with notable contributions throughout. Pete Gough set the standard at the top of his innings, with his brother, Jonny contributing a valuable 31 runs. I know it’s been mentioned that they are twins before and also that they are quite different in many ways. It’s something that puzzles me and whilst the Jonny came from a bad egg theory is feasible, I have another one. That the name you are given at birth influences how you turn out?
History is littered with Peters who have done great things and Peter is doing his best to continue in his namesakes, Peter the Great and Saint Peter’s, footsteps but, while there is a fair littering of Jonnies, if you look hard enough, they tend to be followed by things like ‘no-mates’, ‘come- lately,’ and ‘Fart pants’ and other derogatory terms.
I think it’s an interesting theory and one that may explain the differences between Robert Minty, who is doing his best to live up to the reputations of predecessors such as Robert the Bruce, King Robert and Robert Maxwell, and his brother Tom who has so much in common with famous Tom’s such as Tom Kitten, Tom Thumb and Tom Tit.
Ed Farley returned to the OVs side last week and carried on from where he left last season, whacking 48 runs, and with Chris Jones, and possibly Bradley Vowden if he passes a late fitness test, back they have a formidable line up.
Romerils remain a difficult team to beat, but if anyone can beat them it has to be a team with seven of the squad that represented Jersey in the ICC tournament in it (Ed Farley would surely have made it eight), so this could be the week they lose their unbeaten record. If OVs lose they will be deserving of any criticism that might come their way in this column next week.
Prediction: OVs to end Romerils’ unbeaten run.
Fairbairn SCF v Caesareans (LQ 1):
This is the most clear cut of the three matches and due to the unusually inordinate amount of nonsense in this week’s article only a few words can be used to sum it up. It should be suffice to say that SCF should win and will be determined to do so as they could pick up a few bonus points on both Romerils and OVs.
For all their effort Caesareans have yet to win this season; they should probably have beaten Springfield recently, and may have to now wait until the rematch when they will feel they have a legitimate chance of victory.
Although it’s been a difficult season, things on the bowling front haven’t been so bad and they have unearthed a couple of youngsters with potential. Charles Perchard has taken seven wickets and Andrew Rabet collected two last week. At the other end of the age spectrum, Marico Kemp has taken ten. Batting wise though, Pete German apart, their players haven’t scored enough runs.
Prediction: SCF to show Caesareans no mercy.
Can OVs put dent in Romerils title bid?
TWO big games tomorrow, the most important being Romerils against Rathbones OVs, a game that if Romerils win would mean their title defence is almost complete.
It would be premature for them to start celebrating however, as a full strength St Ouen could beat them on 26 July. There is still a chance that, come the final day of the season, three teams will have won seven matches and the league will be decided on that day, when incidentally, none are set to play each other, which would be a fantastic finale.
St Ouen v Aztec Springfield (G):
Both sides have won twice this season, St Ouen recording two wins over Caesareans while Springfield have also beaten Caesareans and won the first match between these two sides. That brought the score to 2-1 in Springfield’s favour over the last two seasons so they are likely to be approaching this match with a bit more optimism than last week’s, when they badly underperformed against Romerils.
Things could be different, however, than the last time these two met, as St Ouen had two notable absentees, Hugo Bishop and Dean Morrison, who will be playing tomorrow. Both of these are potential match winners and have been in good form lately, especially Bishop who scored 100 in an Evening League match for St Helier RFC as well as two fifties. If Springfield are to win they will have to nullify their influence on the game. Even if they do, it will not guarantee success, as the likes of Paul Horton and Simon Short have also proved they are in good form and Rob Tewkesbury, who has been hitting fifties in the Evening League, came good in the weekend version of the game when he hit 60 against Caesareans.
St Ouen were involved in a thriller in the Evening League on Monday night against Hautlians, with two bowlers missing out on a hat-trick and Charlie Johnson nearly hitting a six for Hautlians off the final ball to win the match, only to be caught out by 14-year-old Matthew Bignell who had earlier seen his hat-trick ball dropped.
Can’t help feeling a certain amount of sympathy for young Bignell, but would advise him not to ruminate about it otherwise he could become very bitter and go on and on about it which can be very tedious.
I probably haven’t told you, but it happened to me last year, on 19 August at 4.42 pm, against Guernsey in the Over 40’s match, but it’s not something I like to talk about!
Paul Horton took two wickets with his final two balls in Monday’s match, but failed to complete the hat-trick with his first ball in last night’s JEP Brighter Cricket KO Cup semi-final against St Helier RFC, although it was a dot ball.
Springfield will be keen to do well for their new sponsors, Aztec Financial Services, named after The Aztec’s, who were groups of people that lived in Mexico a few hundred years ago.
Hopefully the team is adopting only the name and not some of the customs of those people, which included human sacrifices and cannibalism, although hmm….Browny could you just come into our changing room for a minute?
Norah is using the Countdown Conundrum to deliver tomorrow’s prediction and has written STOUEN on apiece of paper. Damn it, I was never any good at these. Where’s Countdown King, Wayne Summers, when you need him. Is it Springfield?
Prediction: Aztec’s to find St Ouen well tasty. No Parker, not in that way, put your knife and fork away.
Romerils v Rathbones OVs (FB1):
Romerils’ destiny is in their own hands now, and even if they lose two of their remaining four games they could still retain the title. Having said that they have yet to play Fairbairn SCF, St Ouen and tomorrow OVs whose hat is now back in the ring after last week’s win against SCF.
That was a good performance with notable contributions throughout. Pete Gough set the standard at the top of his innings, with his brother, Jonny contributing a valuable 31 runs. I know it’s been mentioned that they are twins before and also that they are quite different in many ways. It’s something that puzzles me and whilst the Jonny came from a bad egg theory is feasible, I have another one. That the name you are given at birth influences how you turn out?
History is littered with Peters who have done great things and Peter is doing his best to continue in his namesakes, Peter the Great and Saint Peter’s, footsteps but, while there is a fair littering of Jonnies, if you look hard enough, they tend to be followed by things like ‘no-mates’, ‘come- lately,’ and ‘Fart pants’ and other derogatory terms.
I think it’s an interesting theory and one that may explain the differences between Robert Minty, who is doing his best to live up to the reputations of predecessors such as Robert the Bruce, King Robert and Robert Maxwell, and his brother Tom who has so much in common with famous Tom’s such as Tom Kitten, Tom Thumb and Tom Tit.
Ed Farley returned to the OVs side last week and carried on from where he left last season, whacking 48 runs, and with Chris Jones, and possibly Bradley Vowden if he passes a late fitness test, back they have a formidable line up.
Romerils remain a difficult team to beat, but if anyone can beat them it has to be a team with seven of the squad that represented Jersey in the ICC tournament in it (Ed Farley would surely have made it eight), so this could be the week they lose their unbeaten record. If OVs lose they will be deserving of any criticism that might come their way in this column next week.
Prediction: OVs to end Romerils’ unbeaten run.
Fairbairn SCF v Caesareans (LQ 1):
This is the most clear cut of the three matches and due to the unusually inordinate amount of nonsense in this week’s article only a few words can be used to sum it up. It should be suffice to say that SCF should win and will be determined to do so as they could pick up a few bonus points on both Romerils and OVs.
For all their effort Caesareans have yet to win this season; they should probably have beaten Springfield recently, and may have to now wait until the rematch when they will feel they have a legitimate chance of victory.
Although it’s been a difficult season, things on the bowling front haven’t been so bad and they have unearthed a couple of youngsters with potential. Charles Perchard has taken seven wickets and Andrew Rabet collected two last week. At the other end of the age spectrum, Marico Kemp has taken ten. Batting wise though, Pete German apart, their players haven’t scored enough runs.
Prediction: SCF to show Caesareans no mercy.
Article posted on 4th July, 2008 - 3.00pm