Harry Player grasps one of his three excellent catches for Corinthians. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0788308)

BEFORE yesterday Dave Hooper probably would not have regarded Mark Culverwell as a prize wicket.

Yet last night at the KGV, Corinthians’ promising young all-rounder was highly delighted to dismiss his Argylls captain in the final over to win a match that fluctuated almost alarmingly through the evening.

Somehow, after their top order had made a right pig’s ear of chasing a modest target, St Pierre found themselves still in with a shout of winning the game as they required 14 off the remaining six balls.

That they were even that close was down to teenagers Glenn Le Tissier and Jack Batiste, who batted with far more maturity than any of their more experienced teammates who had gone before them.

The eighth-wicket pair had come together with their side 82 for seven chasing Corinthians’ 131.

Crucially, they still had more than five overs remaining and they concentrated on getting bat to ball and running hard.

Sounds simple and it proved highly effective – it is a wonder why others did not do it.