The Normans conquer SOS in showpiece

Monday 02 September 2024

Norman Piette Cobo have been crowned Belasko CI League champions, after a four wicket victory over Jersey side ATF St Ouen Springfield.

The two teams clashed at Cobo’s home ground, KGV in Guernsey, both sides hungry for silverware after outstanding campaigns.

Sarnian side Cobo, led by former SOS captain and current Guernsey national skipper Ollie Nightingale, secured their spot in the final after an undefeated league run, consisting of five wins and one rained off match.

SOS landed their finals day spot after four wins and two defeats in the round-robin league stage.

Travelling over on Saturday morning, the SOS side were hampered by unavailability, leading to Elliot Miles skippering the side over regular captain Harrison Carlyon.

Former Jersey captain Peter Gough joined the side for the big occasion, and his wealth of experience and skill did not
disappoint.

Batting first, the make-shift SOS side got off to an excellent start, with openers Gough and Hamish McKeon starting steady.

McKeon fell for 12 in the ninth over, bringing teenage star Ben Heelis to join Gough at the crease. The pair built momentum for the Caesareans, Gough playing the steady anchor role, while Heelis took the attack to the home side.

An excellent partnership of 72 carried SOS to 93-2 midway through the 21st over and  looking prepared to build a solid total.

However, Heelis would fall agonisingly short of what would have been a well deserved half- century, finding the safe hands of eventual man-of-the-match Tom Veillard off the bowling of Tom Nightingale for 49.

Abhishek Hongekar came and went for just 11, leading to an unfortunate collapse for the Jersey squad.

Hongekar departed for 11 off the left-arm spin of Veillard for 11 with the score on 113-3 in the 28th over, but SOS would go on to lose their remaining seven wickets for just 44 runs.

Gough was the last man out, finally dismissed attempting a reverse sweep off Josh Butler’s off-spin for a well constructed 61, holding the innings together as they were eventually dismissed for 157 in 39.3 overs.Skipper Miles admitted after the game, he felt his side were “at least 40 runs short”, and this proved the case.

The strong Sarnian opening pair of Butler and Charlie Birch strode to the crease with victory in their sights, however, SOS were up for the fight.

Taking the mantle himself, stand-in skipper Miles took the new ball with his wily left-arm spin, backed up excellently by talented seamer, Barney Aston.

After a controlled start, Miles made the important bowling change, bringing on teenage débutante, left-arm seamer Luke Bosio.

Playing his first ever CI League match, Bosio produced a peach to remove former Guernsey captain Butler clean bowled for just eight.

The hard-hitting Tom Nightingale joined Birch in the middle and immediately made his intentions clear, striking the ball cleanly on his way to a rapid 25 ball half century.

However, it was Miles who was the man to step up and break the promising 60-run partnership.

Trapping Birch plumb in front, the opener was removed for a watchful 17, offering SOS more than a glimmer of hope.

This turned into delirium for the Jersey club, as, just five balls later in the same over, Miles had the big wicket of Nightingale, Gough taking a smart catch to remove him for 50 and leaving Cobo at 77-3 after 14 overs.

Wicketkeeper Zak Damarell came and went quickly as well, veteran Gough turning bowler on this occasion and forcing the extravagant Damarell to chip a catch to the excellent Bosio for just eight.

Skipper Ollie Nightingale looked positive at the crease, however he was struggling to find a partner to stay with him.

After Damarell was dismissed, Ben Ferbrache was walking back just as quick as he walked out, Gough smashing his front pad for a first ball duck.

Cobo now found themselves 103-5 and a few nerves would have definitely been settling into the home dressing room.

Dec Martel stuck with his skipper for a short partnership, but he fell victim to Bosio again, having his stumps disturbed for another duck, leaving the hosts six wickets down and still requiring 35 runs for victory.

The final was teetering and could have gone either way.

However, the vastly experienced Will Peatfield joined his skipper in the middle and the pair set about marshalling the latter stages of the innings.

Peatfield would finish unbeaten on 17, with Nightingale playing a match-winning innings to see his side to the title, ending 45 not out as Cobo sealed their four-wicket win on home soil.

After the match, skipper Miles said: “Considering the side we brought over, I thought we were absolutely superb. Yes we were 40 or 50 short with the bat, but we showed amazing fight with the ball and in the field.

“I don’t think we could have given much more.

“Luke Bosio in particular was superb, considering his age and his experience, he held his nerve so well and helped give us a real chance of victory there.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t quite get over the line, but it was a good game and an excellent season all round.

“To have made both domestic finals, the T20 and the CI League, we have had a very successful season and I’m incredibly proud of the whole club.”

Victorious captain Nightingale said, saying: “It feels great to get over the line and lift the trophy.

“We have probably played the best cricket this year in the competition and we were still able to step up and deliver a winning performance in the final.

“Completing the CI League campaign unbeaten is extremely pleasing.”

Pictured top: Tom Nightingale pictured in last weekend's Guernsey win over Malta during the T20 World Cup regional qualifier.