IT IS crunch time in the Carey Olsen GCA Championship. Tomorrow, Clubhouse Optimists take on Randy Paddle Mavericks at the KGV and C&W Rovers lock horns with PKF Wanderers at Port Soif. Optis will hope to stretch their lead at the top of the table while the other match will near enough determine who finishes bottom.

The last-placed team in the domestic weekend league miss out on the KPMG CI Championship. Instead they take part in the Sid Guy Trophy match on Saturday 12 August against the fifth-placed Jersey team.

‘This is the biggest game of the season for us,’ said Rovers captain Stuart Bisson.

‘We’ve got to win this, otherwise it’s gardening and golf for the rest of the summer. That’s good for the lads’ golf and gardens but not so good for Rovers cricket.’

Rovers go into the match on a high after defeating Optis in their last outing, although the Port Soif outfit have a tendency to run hot and cold depending on which side they put out.

Bisson revealed that he had everyone available for the game. He has also been buoyed by the return of medium pacer Rob Turville, who has just come back after a long-term shoulder injury.

‘It’s nice to have a full strength side out,’ said Bisson. ‘Especially after beating Optis and having Robbie T back. I feel confident that we will be meeting Jersey sides later in the year.

‘When we get our best side, we can beat anyone on the island as we showed two weekends ago. That’s the frustration of being Rovers captain.’

Playing the crucial match at Port Soif is another plus for Bisson and his men.

‘The fact we’ve played there four times this season, we are starting to get a home advantage,’ he said. ‘We’re getting used to it and we know what a good score is.’

If Rovers lose, it will leave them a lot to do in their last match against the in-form Mavericks. Nothing is certain as bonus points could play a role, but if Wanderers lose this, their final game, they might as well book their flights to Jersey for the Sid Guy.

‘It’s an extremely important match mainly because if you don’t qualify for the CI, there is not much cricket in the remainder of July and August,’ said Wanderers captain Richard Veillard.

‘I think Rovers will be thinking the same.

‘We’ve got a few missing and that’s been one of our difficulties, not getting a consistent side out.’

The KGV should witness an interesting clash as leaders Optimists face up to a resurgent Mavericks side who have hit a purple patch.

Mavs chased Rovers’ total of 244 to win off the last ball, then in a rain-affected match with Cobo, the Duckworth-Lewis ruling saw them defeated.

But they got their revenge as they impressively beat the west-coast side last weekend after they were set a massive 290 to win.

Mavs’ stand-in captain Justin Walker was the hero as he hit a classy 83 not out to see his side home.

Needing 20 runs to win off the last over, Walker got the asking down to three from the final ball, which he sublimely hit behind square for four.

‘I was absolutely ecstatic,’ said Walker.

‘You just get into some sort of zone.

‘It was not the best innings I’ve ever played but it was my most important.’

Walker will reprise his skipper role on Saturday with regular captain James Falla unavailable for the clash.

A major setback for Walker is the suspension of Justin Meades who has been devastating with the bat lately.

The Australian has been suspended for a fortnight after two level one offences in the Cobo matches.

The first was for kicking his bat after being given out hit wicket and the second for showing dissent after being given out lbw.

He was also clearly not happy when given out lbw in the evening league during the week as well.

‘I was really happy with the side for Saturday but with Meadesy being suspended, it’s a killer,’ said Walker.