Cleveland have made six changes to the team that lost to Bailey’s Bay in the Eastern Counties Cup last year, bringing in three colts for the first-round match at Sea Breeze Oval today.

Dion Stovell, the Southampton Rangers captain, and St George’s opener Mishael Paynter have been included to add some experience to a team featuring colts Bryce Daniels, the wicketkeeper, and batsmen Q’Shai Darrell and Kioshi Trott.

Recalled along with Paynter are seam bowler Mackih McGowan and spinner Isaiah Creighton. They replace Damali Bell, Treadwell Gibbons, Adrian Burrows, Clay Darrell, Keishon Smith and Najiyah Raynor from the 2017 team.

“It’s a nice team, well balanced and with an extra spinner as we feel Bay’s batsmen don’t handle spin that well,” said Carlton Smith, the Cleveland president, referring to the spin attack of Dennis Musson, last year’s captain, Stovell, Creighton and Levar Talbot.

“Musson tweaked his hamstring three years ago, couldn’t run in to bowl so just bowled off two steps and got wickets. He’s getting a little long in the tooth so to last a little longer he’s been bowling spin.”

Cleveland are pushing for promotion back to the Premier Division, battling for the automatic spot with Flatts, their Eastern Counties rivals.

“What worries me is we are down in the First Division and the quality of opposition isn’t going to be as good as what we’re going to face on Saturday,” Smith said.

The challengers managed just 89 runs last year as Kyle Hodsoll and Zeko Burgess, just like they did last weekend against Somerset, shared nine wickets in dismissing Cleveland. Bay lost two wickets chasing their target.

Cleveland are hoping things will be different against a Bay side who had a setback two days ago when the Bermuda Cricket Board insisted that the Eastern Counties Cricket Association honour the one-year suspension recently imposed on Derrick Brangman. Bay appealed the suspension, but the BCB turned it down. Brangman reacted to the Board’s letter to the ECCA on Thursday by announcing his retirement from cricket in a posting on social media.

“He’s definitely going to be a miss for them, he dominated every game last year,” Smith said of last year’s Player of the Series and Spinner of the Series. “I’m just worried about my team staying focused, when 10 o’clock rolls around everybody will be focused.

“We aren’t taking them for granted, they are the champions even though some of their batsmen haven’t had a good year.”

Cleveland’s captain, Steven Bremar, has just one county appearance under his belt, after making his debut last year when he was out first ball, leg-before to Burgess. Bremar hit form last weekend, scoring 114 not out against Somerset Bridge, although Smith acknowledges that the seam pair of Hodsoll and Burgess will be a big test once again.

Bay have named two colts of their own, bringing in Pierre Smith and Jarryd Richardson, a 15-year-old batsman who toured England with the BCB Development team two years ago. It is understood the club was scheduled to hold a meeting last evening to consider a replacement for Brangman.

Malachi Jones trained again on Thursday evening, the same day that Brangman posted on social media that he was quitting. Jones asked not to be considered for selection when the team was picked on Wednesday night, telling the selectors he was not focused on cricket.

• The title race in the One 50 Overs Premier Division will be decided during the final round of league matches this weekend. Southampton Rangers, despite their defeat by St George’s last weekend, are in the driver’s seat with a ten-point lead over St David’s, the two-times champions.

St David’s have had their recent rained out match with Bailey’s Bay recorded as a no-result by the Bermuda Cricket Board, leaving them with only a slim chance of retaining their title. They entertain St George’s at Lord’s while Rangers face a tough test at Sea Breeze Oval against Bailey’s Bay.

In the other match Somerset, already relegated, play Western Stars at St John’s Field in a clash of the bottom two teams. Stars are guaranteed to be involved in the play-off match with Flatts, Cleveland or Willow Cuts.

Flatts have the upper hand in the automatic promotion race as they lead Cleveland by six points, however they have to play Cuts in their last game tomorrow at Somerset. Cuts are a further 15 points behind in third place. Cleveland face PHC at Wellington Oval.

In the other match Somerset Bridge meet Devonshire Rec at White Hill Field. Warwick are scheduled to meet PHC today at Southampton Oval.

Cleveland Steven Bremar (captain), Makai Young, Dennis Musson, Dion Stovell, Mishael Paynter, Mackih McGowan, Isaiah Creighton, Bryce Daniels (colt), Q’Shai Darrell (colt), Kioshi Trott (colt), Lavar Talbot. Res: Keith Whorms, Tybrae Robinson, Jelani Richardson, CJ Fubler.