St John’s Field (Cleveland won toss): Western Stars beat Cleveland by eight wickets

Western Stars got back to winning ways after handing visiting Cleveland County an emphatic eight-wicket defeat at St John’s Field yesterday.

Cleveland’s decision to bat first after a delayed start because of a waterlogged outfield backfired as they were restricted to 163.

Stars then took 27.4 overs to reach their target and bring a six-game losing streak to a screeching halt.

Temiko Wilson, the wicketkeeper, led Stars’ run chase with an unbeaten half-century and along with fellow opening batsman Wayne Campbell added 93 runs for the first wicket to get the home side off to a flying start.

Earlier, opening bowler Mackai Young claimed three wickets and Brian Hall and Justin Robinson, the captain, two apiece as Cleveland folded in 48 overs.

“This was a crucial game for us in the battle for survival and it was good to get a comfortable win in the end,” Robinson, the Stars captain, said.

“We dropped a few catches but was able to still press on and bowl them out for a low score. Then, our opening batsmen Wayne and Temiko applied themselves and done a really good job.”

Cleveland found themselves in deep trouble at 28 for four after Young had made the initial breakthrough in the second over of the innings before their middle and lower-order batsmen made useful contributions to give the visitors a fighting chance of defending their total.

Jason Simons led the fightback with a knock of 41 from 49 balls and made Stars pay for dropping him three times.

Simons, whose innings included two sixes and as many boundaries, added 25 runs for the seventh wicket with Dennis Musson, the Cleveland captain, 27 for the eighth with Mackai McGowan and a further 16 for the ninth with Justin Talbot before he was caught off the bowling of Brian Hall.

Hall also dismissed last man Jelani Richardson in the same over to bring the curtains down on the innings.

Q’Shai Darrell, Clay Darrell, Adrian Burrows, Musson and McGowan were the other Cleveland batsmen in double figures.

Young took three for 21 sharing the new ball while second change Hall two for 15 and Robinson, the seventh bowler used, two for 24.

Stars were always in control in their reply with Wilson and Campbell setting the tone for the innings with some aggressive hitting either side of the stumps and down the ground.

Former Western Stars president Campbell, who celebrates his 54th birthday this week, struck four sixes and two boundaries in a knock of 42 from 40 balls and seemed destined for a half-century until he went for one big hit too many and was caught off the bowling of Talbot, the off spinner, shortly after pulling a hamstring.

Cleveland’s joy was short-lived, though, as Wilson added a further 58 runs for the second with Treadwell Gibbons Jr to keep Stars firmly on course.

Wilson lived a charmed life after being dropped twice and brought up his half-century off 59 balls after pulling Musson, uncharacteristically bowling off break spin, to the square leg boundary for four.

Gibbons, who is seeking to retain his place in St George’s Cup Match team this year, departed in the 27th over with Stars on the verge of victory after stroking 21 from 23 balls.

Wilson carried his bat throughout the innings to finish with an unbeaten 64 from 70 deliveries after Young, promoted up the order, finished things off in a hurry to earn Stars their first league win since May.

Talbot had figures of one for 19 and Musson one for 36.

• Kevin Tucker hammered a blistering half-century and Vernon Eve and Ryan Belboda claimed six wickets between them to inspire Southampton Rangers to a 27-run win over Willow Cuts on Saturday.

Batting at number nine, Tucker, more known for his bowling, blasted ten boundaries in a whirlwind knock of 60 from 78 balls.

The tailender reached his 50 off 63 balls and dominated a 102-run eighth-wicket partnership with Vernon Eve that gave the visitors’ bowlers just enough runs to defend as Rangers made 210 for eight in their 50 overs.

Sheroy Fubler claimed four for 34 and former Rangers player Dean Stephens four for 40 to lead the Cuts attack.

The hosts made a fist of it in reply but ultimately came up short of their target after being dismissed in the 48th over for 183.