Jordan DeSilva and Lionel Cann scored match-winning centuries for Somerset and St George’s in Premier Division and First Division matches last weekend to earn One Communications Player of the Week awards.

DeSilva, the Somerset captain, scored 106 not out to lead his team to a seven-wicket victory over Bailey’s Bay, after he and Joshua Gilbert rescued the visiting side from 19 for three with an unbroken stand of 153 for the fourth wicket. DeSilva admits it was a big win against one of the teams expected to be challenging for the title.

“One of the things we talked about when we got promoted is that every year we have been in the Premier Division we always seem to take points from the so-called bigger teams and then struggle against the teams expected to be where we are,” DeSilva said. “If you beat Bailey’s Bay, who are expected to fight for the league, and then lose to Cleveland, who are expected to be fighting relegation with us, then it looks like a fluke.

“Obviously this is a big win against Bay, everybody played well and this is probably the best all-round bowling performance that I’ve seen us have. Our batting didn’t start well but when I joined ‘Gilly’ at the wicket I just told him lets just get through six or seven overs without losing another wicket.”

DeSilva, who hit six fours and five sixes in 130 minutes at the crease, had earlier claimed two for 28 off ten overs as Bay were dismissed for 171. Greg Maybury took three for 33, Isaiah Richardson two for 27 and Micah Simons two for 28.

“One thing our coach [Jeff Richardson] always told us is our bowling keeps us in games, but it was our batting that lets us down,” DeSilva said. “On Sunday, bowling out a team like Bay for 171 we would take that every day of the week, but our batting started off horribly. I’m just glad that myself and Joshua, the two senior players in the team, were able to steer the ship in the right direction.

“Winning the toss was a big thing because we got the best part of the wicket. They struggled for their whole 50 overs but the wicket played a lot better for us. If we batted for 50 overs we knew we would win the game.

“Every game is a learning experience for us. I’m the oldest in the team at 27 so that gives you an idea how young we are. We have situations where it is just a lack of experience and maybe those three wickets we lost early on chasing 171 was an example of that.”

DeSilva says survival remains the team’s top priority and maybe finishing in the top four just in case the competition formerly called the Belco Cup is revived next year under a new sponsor.

“The way the league is set up, if you don’t get relegated then you almost get into the Belco Cup,” he said. “I’ve played for Somerset my whole life and haven’t played Belco Cup before, so it’s definitely a goal to come in the top four.

“We see no reason why we can’t, and if we can have performances like we did against Bailey’s Bay then we should get enough victories to get us, at worst, in fifth and in the [relegation] play-offs rather than straight relegation.”

Straight promotion is something Lionel Cann wants to help St George’s achieve this season. The veteran batsman helped them to their second win in the First Division, scoring 101 in their win over Willow Cuts to go to the top of the standings after three games. Cann, opening the batting, was playing in his first match of the season and was fourth out on 182 as St George’s chased the Cuts total of 206, winning by five wickets.

“We have some seasoned players and they’ve set goals and want to get promoted this year,” said Cann, who joined St George’s this season from Warwick, where he was player-coach. “I’ll give them my experience to help them towards that goal. I don’t see why we can’t get promoted if we put the work in, train hard and connect as a unit.”

Cann was recalled to both the St David’s Eastern Counties and St George’s Cup Match teams last season and would love to bow out of Cup Match on home turf at Wellington Oval.

“I’m training and trying to regain my fitness,” he said. “My focus is to try to get St George’s as high up in the league as possible.

“Flatts on Sunday is going to be a big game. Flatts and Willow Cuts, I would say, are the other two teams that will be challenging for automatic promotion so those are the teams you want to beat. It was a good start beating Willow Cuts and if we can beat Flatts it will be a good start to the first half of the season.”

At 44, Cann is the oldest player in the team and knows his experience could be vital this season. “I enjoy being around the youngsters and showing a bit of experience and what it takes,’ he stated.

“Most of the players have come up together, are good friends, and are playing for their community and their club. A lot of them have the dream to play Cup Match.

“The stands are starting to go up and it is always Cup Match fever whenever the game is in St George’s. I’ve always said the best 22 players should be playing Cup Match and if it comes down to the final trial and I’m performing, fit enough and feel like I’m one of the top 22 players in Bermuda, then of course I’ll challenge for a spot. That’s always been my stance: that the best 22 players should be playing Cup Match.”

In other Premier Division matches on Sunday, Bailey’s Bay will host Western Stars at Sea Breeze Oval while St David’s take on Southampton Rangers at home in a top-of-the-table clash. In the First Division, Willow Cuts play PHC tomorrow and Warwick meet Somerset Bridge on Sunday.

Western Stars will play Tuff Dogs in the second round of the Central Counties tomorrow at St John’s Field.