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St David’s and Rangers set for title-decider

Glancing off the legs: Justin Pitcher, the St David’s batsman, on his way to 38 not out during his side’s eight-wicket win over Bailey’s Bay in a Premier Division Twenty20 match at Lord’s on Sunday(Photograph by Lawrence Trott)

Lord’s (St David’s won toss): St David’s, 10pts, beat Bailey’s Bay by eight wicketsJoint leaders Southampton Rangers and St David’s are set for an exciting Premier Division Twenty20 title match this weekend at White Hill Field after both teams enjoyed wins at the weekend.Rangers put pressure on St David’s by beating St George’s by 31 runs at Wellington Oval on Saturday.Meanwhile St David’s had a comfortable eight-wicket win on Sunday after chasing down the 107 posted by Bailey’s Bay with 109 for two off just 11.3 overs.Ricardo Brangman and captain Justin Pitcher shared in an unbroken 82-run stand for the second wicket before Brangman retired hurt at 83 for two after not feeling well. Brother Derrick Brangman partnered Pitcher to score the remaining 26 runs for victory, with Pitcher finishing on 38 not from 28 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes. Opener Ricardo Brangman scored 43 from 29 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes in 50 minutes at the crease. It did not start well for St David’s in their run chase, losing Dean Simons to a catch at cover by Kazhi Sealey off Kyle Hodsoll’s second ball of the innings. And when OJ Pitcher was caught at square leg by Sinclair Smith on the first ball of Jordan Burgess’s opening over, it looked like being a thrilling contest between the Eastern Counties Cup rivals. However, Brangman and Justin Pitcher took the wind out of Bay’s sails with a partnership that was filled with boundaries. Ultimately, St David’s won quite comfortably with plenty of overs to spare. Ricky Brangman, the St David’s coach, is hoping to win his first piece of silverware with the club. “The players have responded well; it took a little time after I came here because when you come to a new club you bring different ideas,” said Brangman, the former Southampton Rangers coach. “The players have responded to it, thanks to George [O’Brien], [Kevin] Hurdle and OJ [Pitcher] coming out to help us, which strengthened the team. Plus, the youngsters we have done very well.” One youngster singles out by Brangman was Aaron Paynter, who just missed claiming a hat-trick in the final over of the match when he claimed three wickets in four balls on his way to figures of four for eight from 2.5 overs. He bowled top scorer Terryn Fray (62) with his second ball, bowled Zakao Hart first ball and then bowled Zeko White two balls later.“When I first saw him in training I thought he was 12 years old until the guys told me he was 17,” Brangman revealed. “He almost got a hat-trick and a catch was dropped off him so he almost got five wickets. “We’re going to put our best foot forward next week.“It was a good win today. Ricardo said he didn’t have any food and wasn’t feeling well so the umpire asked him to come off. Rangers are my former team, they are always in my heart because that’s where I came from, but right now I’m for St David’s.” One of the highlights of the match was a blistering knock of 62 by Bay captain Fray, whose 62 off 45 balls included four fours and five sixes. All of the sixes came in one over off youngster Shaddai Somersall, who was hit for five sixes and a four in his second over. Paynter ensured no more damage as Bay were restricted to a total of 108.Bay, fielding seven teenagers, including 13-year-old Daion Swan-DeSilva, lost wickets regularly as Fray lost partners regularly before he was eighth out in the nineteenth over. Bay were missing all-rounder Zeko Burgess who has already scored a century in the T20 competition. Jarryd Richardson, who played two matches on Sunday after leading the Bermuda Under-19 team in their loss to Flatts Victoria earlier in the day, was the only other Bay batsman in double figures with 14. Mikkail Crockwell supported Paynter with two wickets for 13. BAILEY’S BAY v ST DAVID’SSt David’s won by eight wickets at Lords on SundayBailey’s BayC Durham lbw b O’Brien 0†J Richardson c D Brangman b J Pitcher 14S Smith c wk R Brangman b D Brangman 3*T Fray b Paynter 62K Hodsoll lbw b Crockwell 5J Burgess run out 2D Swan-DeSilva c wk R Brangman b Crockwell 0K Sealey b Paynter 6J Blakeney not out 1Z Hart lbw b Paynter 0Z White b Paynter 0Extras (8w, 4b, 2lb) 14Total (all out, 18.5 overs) 107Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-8, 3-29, 4-41, 5-47, 6-51, 7-72, 8-107, 9-107Bowling: G O’Brien 4-0-15-1; D Brangman 4-0-8-1; J Pitcher 3-0-21-1; M Crockwell 3-0-13-2; A Paynter 2.5-0-8-4; S Somersall 2-0-36-0.St David’sD Simons c Sealey b Hodsoll 0†R Brangman retired hurt 43OJ Pitcher c S Smith b J Burgess 1*J Pitcher run out 38D Brangman not out 10Extras (11w, 2nb, 1b, 3lb) 17Total (for two wickets, 11.3 overs) 109A Paynter, B Hall, G O’Brien, M Lowe, M Crockwell, S Somersall did not batFall of wickets: 1-0, 2-1 (R Brangman retired hurt on 83-2)Bowling: K Hodsoll 4-2-5-1; J Burgess 2-0-17-1; C Durham 2-0-26-0; J Blakeney 2-0-23-0; K Sealey 1-0-22-0.Umpires: R Dill, S Caines