SPORTING Club require just one point from a possible maximum of 80 in their final two league matches to retain the Division I title.

The current champions, who retained their 100 per cent record from eight games, collected 39 points from a nine-wicket victory against Caesareans on pitch one at Les Quennevais on Saturday.

Caesareans, last season’s runners-up, batted first and after after being restricted to 23 for 2 wickets after 20 overs they were eventually all out for 94 in the 44th over.

Sporting Club reached their target in the 20th over with Steve Carlyon the only man out for 56, including six 4s and a six.

Simon Short, who opened as he had to leave early, was unbeaten on 38 after hitting four boundaries.

Winning skipper Matt Hague said: ‘Everyone bowled well, it really was difficult for the batsmen batting first as it was up and down.

Balls would be low or take off, it was certainly not nice to bat on.

‘There was no pace in the wicket to hit the ball and the batsmen could not do a thing about it.

Unfortunately the pitch ruined the game.

A better wicket and I’m sure it would have been a lot more competitive match.’ Tony Carlyon took his second five-wicket haul in consecutive weekends.

He followed up last weekend’s 5 for 14 against St Ouen with 5 for 19 in a ten-over spell on Saturday.

Opening bowlers Nick Jewell and Mark Reynolds both returned excellent figures, Jewell 1 for 6 in ten overs including seven maidens – his last seven overs going for just one run.

Reynolds supported with four maidens, his ten overs going for one run for 11 runs.

Second-placed Old Victorians defeated St Ouen by three wickets at Grainville.

Jonny Gough did his chances of a first Island call-up no harm with a man-of-the-match performance of five wickets for 38 runs and then guiding his team into a winning position with 56.

Just two of the 17 wickets to fall at Grainville were clean bowled.

A ten-wicket stand of 45 between Karl Moyse (24 not out) and Richard Anthony (19) help St Ouen to a total of 125 in 43.4 overs.

OVs were struggling at 27 for five after good opening spells from Paul Horton (4 for 18) and Moyse (2 for 34).

But Tom Perchard steadied the ship with a 28-run sixth-wicket partnership with Gough before the latter and Andy Brown put on 61 runs for the next wicket.

OVs skipper Chris Jones said: ‘It was a good win in the end, Jonny turned in an excellent performance all round while Andy batted sensibly to keep an end going and let Jonny do the hitting.

Andy was in a long time but his patience helped us reach our winning target.’ Romerils had the biggest win of the day by 105 runs against Old Codgers at FB1.

Winning the toss and batting first, Romerils raced to 100 runs in 14 overs without loss.

The first wicket eventually fell when Mark Saralis (82, 13 4s and one 6) lost concentration to be stumped by Dave Buxton with the score on 144 in the 20th over.

Danny Coyne joined Ian Crocker at the crease and continued pushing the score along at the same rate before he was run out in the 30th over with the score on 200.

Jon Prince joined Crocker and was soon placing good shots around the ground to finally finish undefeated on 53 (four 4s).

Crocker was finally out in the 36th over for 80 (nine 4s and a 6) with Romerils declaring on 42.5 overs.

Old Codgers never looked like reaching Romerils’ target closing 197 for 7.

Jim Walls was undefeated on 59 (nine 4s) while Dave Buxton hit six boundaries on his way to 49.

Yesterday’s rain put paid to the two Minor Cup matches and the under-17s’ match against Guernsey.

New dates have yet to be finalised.