An elated Macai Young sprinted off the field and embraced coach Noel Gibbons near the clubhouse after emphatically claiming the final wicket that earned St George’s their first win of the season at Wellington Oval yesterday.

The sheer joy on the face of the St George’s off spin bowler perhaps best summed up how much a hard-fought 50-run victory over tenants Cleveland County meant to the host side whose pressure in the field paid off.

It was only fitting for fourth-change bowler Young to serve the proverbial last rites with a gem of a delivery pitched outside of off stump that broke square and shattered Tamauri Tucker’s stumps.

Young claimed three for ten, a phenomenal return that went a long way towards helping St George’s to a maiden win of the season against his former team-mates.

“I’m extremely pleased with the way Macai bowled,” Gibbons said.

“He bowled extremely well and the guys were brilliant today. We were always not far off from victory.”

St George’s had been on a five-game losing skid going into the match.

“It has been hard for us because we have lost five straight,” Gibbons said.

“But I have been telling the guys to keep believing in themselves and the win will come — and it did today. The guys really deserved this one.”

Young was brought into the attack from the western end at the beginning of the 28th over and immediately made his presence felt by bowling middle order bat Adrian Burrows who was beaten for spin and pace on the way to a maiden wicket over.

And there would be no reprieve as he mopped up the tail in quick succession, trapping Randy Bean leg before and then beating Tucker all ends up to cap an phenomenal spell of spin bowling.

Herbie Bascome, the seam bowler, held his end of the bargain on the way to equally superb figures of three for 34.

Bascome made the most of the new ball by removing opening pair Jason Anderson and Courtney Trott cheaply before taking a sharp return catch off his own bowling to dismiss Dennis Musson, the Cleveland captain, in his second spell.

Macai Simmons, the seamer, took two for 25.

Despite losing early wickets Cleveland were coasting along with Treadwell Gibbons Jr and Damali Bell set at the crease and seeing the ball as big as a watermelon.

The pair added 64 runs for the third wicket before Gibbons chased after a wide delivery, got a faint edge and was held behind by Charles Marshall Jr, the wicketkeeper, off the bowling of Simmons.

Gibbons’s knock of 36 contained two massive sixes over deep cover and mid off and three boundaries.

Bell, who thumped five fours in an attractive innings of 32, was dismissed in the next over after substitute fielder Paynter took a spectacular one-handed catch at mid on off the bowling of Onais Bascome.

Cleveland then lost their remaining six batsmen for just 23 runs in the space of ten overs.

Earlier, St George’s rattled up 178 for nine after being sent in to bat after a delayed start because of a wet pitch that saw the contest reduced to a 46 overs.

Onais Bascome led the way with 30, that included a six, while middle order batsmen Troy Hall and Charles Marshall Jr chipped in with 24 and 23.

Musson, who claimed three for 27 from nine overs that included a maiden, was the pick of a Cleveland attack that were penalised ten points for a slow over rate.