St John’s Field (St David’s won toss): St David’s beat Western Stars by 24 runs

St David’s held their nerve in the final ten overs to win a close match over a Western Stars side hoping to repeat last year’s shock result at the same ground.

St David’s posted 288 for eight in their 50 overs and eventually restricted Stars to 264 for six when their overs ran out. Brian Hall, the key man for Stars last year with a top knock of 71, threatened to do the same as he led the Stars reply with a dashing 76 off 53 balls, smashing six sixes and four fours to keep Stars in the match late in the afternoon.

Coming to the crease at 134 for three, Hall shared in two important partnerships as Stars set themselves up for a thrilling run chase in the final ten overs when they needed 103 runs. Jekon Edness was out on the final ball of the 39th over to make it 186 for four, after he and Hall added 52 runs in just 32 minutes off 41 balls. Edness, batting at No 4, scored five fours in his 54.

Hall then put on a further 56 in 29 minutes from 43 balls for the sixth wicket with Rohan Davis, carrying the score from 191 to 247 when Hall was finally out in the 49th over with victory now out of the reach of Stars. However, Dalin Richardson, the Bermuda Under-19 captain, ensured Stars ended with a flurry when he struck 14 off the last seven balls, including two sixes off the last over from Allan Douglas.

Stars went into the final ten overs with an outside chance of victory. However, scoring only three runs off Douglas in the 41st over and then two off the next from Cejay Outerbridge put Stars further behind the run rate. Hall made it interesting when he smashed straight sixes off Douglas’s next over to bring up the 200.

Some tight bowling from Outerbridge enabled St David’s to keep their nerve as Stars was left still needing 59 off the final five overs. It might have been different had Richardson come ahead of Rohan Davis in the order, with Davis needing 19 balls to score his 13 not out at a time when boundaries were required.

Tre Manders, batting at No 3, was the other main run-getter for Stars with 54 off four fours and two sixes.

George O’Brien was the top bowler for St David’s with three for 24 while Outerbridge claimed two for 36, also off ten overs. While Dion Stovell gave up 37 runs in his ten overs, the other spinners, Douglas and Delyone Borden, were expensive. Douglas went for 47 in his five overs and Borden for 37 off just three.

Earlier, Borden scored 47 at the top of the order off five boundaries while Chris Douglas, playing his first match, also contributed 47. The pair added 100 for the second wicket after opener Ajuan Lamb departed with only three runs on the board.

Two wickets fell on 103 before Stovell and Douglas, batting at Nos 5 and 6, added 77 for the fifth wicket in bringing up the 100. Stovell stroked 63 with seven fours and Douglas 54 including five sixes and two four, before Kevin Hurdle showed the depth of the St David’s batting by adding 34 not out at No 9 as 40 came with Ricky Foggo for the unbroken ninth wicket.

Hall was also the top bowler for Stars, taking three for 46 off ten overs after coming on as first change. Justin Robinson supported with two for 58 off ten. Opener Seth Campbell and Jaiden Manders each took one for 29.