LA GRANDE MARE GIANTS have exacted revenge over their great rivals, Randy Paddle Rangers, in the men’s fastpitch knockout. The Curt Taylor-led team won the best of three series 2-1. They lost to the red-and-blacks in last year’s final.

‘Its nice to have it back,’ said Taylor.

Giants took the first match 3-2 but then went on to lose the second game 7-6. Sunday’s decider was not so close as Giants literally blew their opponents off the Beau Sejour diamond, 11-0.

Taylor could not pick out any individual performances from the match.

‘Sunday was a very good team performance and so was our first game,’ he said.

‘There was good batting and our fielding was much sharper than the second game.’

In the Babbe Le Pelley Tostevin-sponsored league, things are tight at the top between first placed Giants and Rangers as only two points separate them.

‘We’re pretty much neck and neck with Rangers,’ said Taylor.

‘We’re two points ahead but it’s still pretty open. We won the league last year.

‘Again it was a close contest with Rangers as it was the year before and this year is proving to be the same.’

Plough Inn Titans are third while Slattery Decor Sluggers are holding up the table in fourth.

Sluggers are making their league debut this year and are mainly made up of promising juniors.

‘We’re much the same as the other teams,’ said Titans’ Marco Silvestri.

‘There are no big convincing wins. It’s all pretty tight and it’s only the Sluggers who are getting dominated.

‘They are brand new and they are still finding their feet.’

MHV Upholstery look set to take the women’s fastpitch league as they have control over Randy Paddle Rangers and Tangles. They may face a stiffer challenge at next month’s women’s fastpitch tournament when top teams from London and Prague are set to visit.

Heyford Diamonds are in line to enter as well and in their ranks they boast Czech national pitcher Eliska Pojerova.

Some big names could also feature in the Men’s Open International over the August bank holiday weekend as club sides from London and Prague could be journeying over.