ONE over into the game it seemed to be business as usual. St Pierre were nine for nought, Justin Walker having flicked one beauty off his legs for four, with Carl Le Tissier adding one of his typical boundaries.

Then it all slowed right down, almost to a stop. And as Moody and the ever-wily Ted Enevoldsen turned the screw, it became obvious that this was not going to be an evening of leather-chasing fielders and whirring scoreboards.

The grey-and-blacks struggled to get the ball off the strip, let alone the square.

Le Tissier chopped one onto his stumps, Karl Ogier was caught on the back foot and right in front as Enevoldsen twirled one down a fraction faster, Moody beat Phil Cox and then James Warr held on very well in the deep.

Game over – 23 for four in the eighth over.

Andy Burkhardt stuck around to work a few singles and thrash a couple of fours, as did Doug Mackay. But the rate never approached four an over.

Pessimists unveiled Andy Cooper, an new signing who turned his arm over to good effect – an above-medium pace right armer, who later also looked a reasonable bat.

The batting honours went to James Warr, however, who again gave every indication that he will score plenty of runs for the full island side before too long.

Possessing an immaculately straight bat from a high backlift, Warr never looked in danger.

When he lent onto the front foot he placed the ball exactly where he wanted and one back-foot checked cover drive of Cox was as sweet a shot as will be seen at KGV this season.

‘Almost every game James is looking a better batsman,’ said Pessimists’ Dave Piesing.

‘Ami [Banerjee] has worked well on him and he’s now batting with much more confidence.

‘A couple of years ago you could have bowled straight at James and he’d have patted it back. Now he’s turning it where he wants and working singles.’

Pessimists were aided by a resignation in the St Pierre field that defeat was imminent.

Cooper announced himself with a fine cut for four before Warr completed proceedings with a boundary.