One could be forgiven for thinking the heart-rate levels of local cricket fans might settle down slightly after the end of T20 action and resumption of the Channel Island League, but a hectic weekend produced three head-turning results.
The CI League table is currently populated with results from both islands’ domestic 45-over premier leagues, for which Old Victorians sit top after three successful wins. The final three rounds of fixtures see both islands’ clubs travel to take on each other to complete the campaign.
Farmers Caesareans, fresh off their recent T20 cup success, returned to the longer 45-over format with an extra bounce in their step as they headed over to Guernsey for a double-header weekend, however found themselves beaten in both contests by just one run.
Rhys Palmer and his teammates took on TENN Wanderers Irregulars on Saturday, before a clash with Norman Piette Cobo on Sunday.
Wanderers Irregulars took to the middle first on Saturday, with skipper Lucas Barker and Ben Wentzel starting off steady against the pace attack of George Richardson and Will Perchard.
The Farmers boys picked up wickets at regular intervals though, keeping a stranglehold on the run rate as they went as Wanderers reached 71 for 6 after 25 overs.
The spin duo of left-arm orthodox Toby Britton and off-spinner Nick Greenwood worked well in tandem, picking up five economical wickets between them in the middle overs.
At 121 for 8, the Wanderers tail showed some fight, with resistance from young Freddie Forshaw (18*) and an important 36 from Haisam Azeem.
Wanderers were eventually bowled out for 155 in the 44th over, Will Perchard finishing with 3 for 39 and Chuggy Perchard with an economical 2 for 19 from his nine overs.
In reply, it was Greenwood who got the men in green off to a flier once again, as Farmers took 45 runs from the first 5 overs. He would lose his opening partner Jack Kemp in the 6th over though, trapped LBW by Azeem for just 7, the score at 46 for 1.
Greenwood powered on, smoking the ball to all parts as he passed his half century, but he too would fall off the final ball of the 10th over, again trapped in front by Azeem for a well made 60 from just 37 deliveries.
Greenwood departed with the score at 80 for 2 after just ten overs, but the innings began to crumble away from there, as both James Smith (4) and Will Perchard (0) fell shortly after.
With the score at 108, the crucial swing of the match took place from the bowling of teenager Freddie Forshaw. Within the space of five deliveries, he removed Stan Norman (12), Rhys Palmer first ball and Jack De Gruchy second ball for a triple wicket over, leaving Farmers reeling at 108 for 7, still requiring a further 48 runs to win.
The last recognised batter in Chuggy Perchard fell just four runs later, but Adam Bradbury and George Richardson refused to back down.
From 112 for 8, the pair knuckled down to take 19 runs from the next eight overs, before Bradbury fell for 9, the score 131 for 9 with Toby Britton joining Richardson at the crease.
A nervy Farmers dugout watched the duo continue to tick the runs down, with Richardson contributing most of the damage.
As the runs dropped into single figures required, the tension reached boiling point. A game that had served up so much drama had one final act to play.
With just two runs required for victory, the heroic Haisam Azeem produced one more moment of brilliance to zip through Richardson’s defences, bowling him for 27 and sending College Field wild, victory for the home side by just one run.
Sunday dawned a new day for a surely shell-shocked Farmers side, who travelled on this occasion to take on a strong Norman Piette Cobo side, led by Guernsey national captain, Ollie Nightingale.
The Sarnian side batted first again, and openers Josh Butler and Charlie Birch made a strong and steady start, taking 84 for the opening partnership.
Butler was first man to go, trapped in front by Greenwood for 43, before Birch followed shortly after passing his half century mark, caught by Chuggy Perchard off Toby Britton’s spin.
Two more quick wickets fell, as both Alex Bushell and wicket-keeper Zac Damarell fell in quick succession to the spin duo, the score at 120 for 4 after 25 overs.
Skipper Nightingale combined well with Ben Ferbrache in the middle overs for an excellent 84-run partnership, before the latter became Greenwood’s third victim, bowled for a well made 31.
Nightingale continued, however, dismissed off the penultimate ball of the innings for a fighting 75 off 69 balls to help his side post a strong score of 251 for 9 from their 45 overs.
Wickets were shared round, but Greenwood was the star again with another 3fer, backed up well by two each for Will Perchard and Toby Britton and one each for Chuggy Perchard and George Richardson.
The reply was equally explosive as the previous day, except this time it was young Kemp who took centre stage. He and Greenwood took advantage of the powerplay to smash 67 between them, before Kemp was first to go for a positive 35 from just 22 deliveries.
Greenwood too would fall just three balls later for 22, before Stan Norman also fell after a couple of tight overs, the score now 77 for 3 after 13 overs.
James Smith and Will Perchard combined well for the fourth wicket, adding a well-constructed partnership of 60 from 16 overs through the middle, Tom Nightingale broke the partnership, Smith edging behind for 25.
Perchard was joined by cousin Chuggy in the middle, and they again combined for another important partnership of 34, but Cobo kept finding a way, removing Chuggy for 13, stumped well by Bushell off Josh Butler’s off-spin.
When Jack De Gruchy was also removed shortly after for just five, Farmers were again staring at a close finish at 189 for 6, needing 62 more to win from 50 balls.
The crucial wicket of Will Perchard came in the 40th over, a crushing blow for the men in green, as the all-rounder was struck on the pad by the impressive Butler for a superb 77 from 85 balls.
For the second time in as many days, it was up to Richardson and Bradbury to get their side over the line, and they set about doing just that, showing grit and determination to move the score to within just three runs of victory with just two balls remaining.
Seamer Charlie Birch had the ball and he succeeded in producing the magic moment, finding the edge of Richardson’s bat for 27, leaving captain Rhys Palmer to face the final ball, needed 3 to win, 2 to tie.
Contact was made and Palmer took off for the run, completing the first but was run out by Birch attempting to come back for the second, sealing their second one-run defeat in as many days.
Back in Jersey, the other game over the weekend saw Rathbones Old Victorians dismantle a disappointing Canaccord Wealth Griffins side by 9 wickets.
Bowling first, OVs skipper James Duckett and seamer Scott Simpson had the ball on a string and bowled 18 overs straight through, picking up 4 for 42 between them, with the captain particularly impressive with his figures of 9 overs, 4 maidens, 3 wickets for just 11 runs.
Duckett removed Luke Le Tissier in just the second over for 0 to start the procession, with fellow opener Nathan Le Tissier going in the fourth for just 5 and Jack Birch falling not long after for 3.
With the top three back in the hutch, the middle order chipped away, with Adam Martel (13), Tapan Bairagi (19) and Luke Bichard (16) all getting starts, but unable to convert as both Rob Duckett and young James Wiseman picked up two wickets each with fielder’s surrounding the batters close in under the lid.
The innings came to an end in the 27th over when Dan Le Messurier, who had struck a quick fire 20, was struck by a nasty bouncer from young Louie Pullman and unable to continue, the score finishing on 90 for 8.
The chase was never destined to last long with Charlie Brennan opening the batting, the Jersey star making a statement with an onslaught on the Griffins attack on his way to 60 from just 41 balls, including 7 fours and 3 sixes.
He would fall with OVs still requiring just 17 runs to win, which were quickly knocked off by number three Beau Gurner, who struck 15 from just 6 balls to see his side home comfortably by 9 wickets inside 12 overs, with opener Sam Patidar also unbeaten at the other end on 14.
CI League action continues again this Saturday as the OVs travel to Guernsey to face TENN Wanderers Irregulars, while both ATF St Ouen Springfield and RGA Walkovers face their first Sarnian opposition of the season and Farmers have the weekend off.
SOS will travel to have Griffins at KGV in Guernsey, while Walkovers remain at home, welcoming Norman Piette Cobo to Grainville, all scheduled for 10.45am starts.