Clay Smith, the Cleveland County coach, and Dennis Musson, their captain, assured they held on to their Premier Division status for next season when they comfortably won Saturday’s play-off match at Somerset Cricket Club.

Smith, the Bermuda coach who just returned from a tour to Toronto, struck a valuable 68 against his former team in his first match of the season, after sharing in a century partnership (109) with Musson who supported with 43. That helped Cleveland recover from 88 for six to 197 when Musson departed.

Smith hit six fours and five sixes as he led the Cleveland batting before departing nine runs later, soon after the 200 came up. The final total of 220 proved too much for the First Division side who managed just 149 in 36.5 overs.

“We had a couple of players like Aaron Adams and Jason Simons off the island or working and some youngsters returning overseas to school, so I had to suit up,” Smith said. “It’s a very good track up at Somerset, quite easy to bat on, and it was just a matter of occupying the crease and spending some time there.

“It is important to keep Cleveland up, we worked hard over the years to build a team to stay in the Premier Division. This year was all about rebuilding, we had four 15 or 16-year-olds playing with us so it is about developing.”

Smith looked like his old self during his more than two hours at the crease, coming in to join his son, Clay Darrell, at 82 for five, before Musson came him six runs later after Darrell departed for 18.

Ryan Steede, the St George’s player-coach who broke the Smith-Musson partnership in his second spell, finished with three for 35 while Onias Bascome had three for 50.

“We were in a bit of trouble when I came to the wicket and I told Dennis to try to take it down to the last ten overs and then see where we were, just so that we had something to bowl at. I was happy with anything over 180, but I feel sorry for St George’s because my mate “Droopy”, the coach, has worked tremendously hard with St George’s and hopefully next season they will reap the benefits.”

Musson completed a fine all-round game, taking five wickets for just 16 runs to keep St George’s well away from the Cleveland target.

They were 114 for three at one stage, when a promising stand of 45 between brothers Oronde Bascome (22) and Onias Bascome (29) ended with both batsmen departing on 114 to make it 114 for five. After that wickets fell regularly as Cleveland dismissed their opponents with plenty of overs left.

Also contributing to the runs were Ryan Steede with 25 and Chris Foggo 24 as Stephen Bremar backed up his captain with three for 32. Clay Darrell took two for 35.

“St George’s was my club, I love St George’s and know that one day they will get back to the highest level,” Smith said.