Young Men's Social Club 282

Somerset CC 286-9

Promising teenagers Shaquille Jones and Justin Corday played the innings of their young careers to guide Somerset Cricket Club to an exciting one-wicket win over two-time defending Premier Division champions Social Club at the Den in the opening round of the 2009 Limited Overs campaign.

The pair fashioned an unbroken 50-run tenth-wicket partnership that lifted the West Enders from 236 for nine safely home with two balls to spare.

It was still anybody's match going into the final over with Somerset requiring another seven runs for victory with two inexperienced batsmen at the crease.

However, the Under-15 national team players proved equal to the task with Jones ending the match in dramatic fashion with a six off medium pacer Jeff Tyrell.

"Shaquille and Justin showed a lot of maturity. They have been working really hard on their game and now it appears to be paying off," said victorious Somerset skipper Jacobi Robinson.

"This was a big win for us and was certainly a positive way to start the season off. Hopefully we can build on this result which was a good morale booster."

Jones, who thumped two sixes and three fours, was unbeaten on 40 from 46 balls while Corday (17) provided valuable support.

Also making valuable contributions were skipper Robinson, who cracked five sixes and seven fours in a whirlwind 62 from just 35 deliveries, Azeem Pitcher (40), and Reid Jones (36).

Kevin Hurdle, the Social Club skipper, seized three for 58 while Kani Darrell (two for 26) and player/coach Charlie Marshall (two for 42) also contributed.

Earlier, player/coach Marshall blasted a ruthless 90 off just 68 balls and shared in a 106-run sixth-wicket stand with Tyrell (52) after Social Club had slipped to 141 for five in the 32nd over.

Marshall punished a wayward Somerset attack that tossed down 21 wides in a total of 45 extras, slamming five sixes and eight fours while Tyrell hit five fours and a six at the other end.

Also getting in among the runs was opener Damon Robain who hit 40 off 66 balls including six fours and a six.

Under-19 national team seamer Jordan DeSilva led the Somerset attack with figures of four for 41 while skipper Robinson (two for 45) and teenage spinner Joshua Gilbert (two for 41) also chipped in.

Bailey's Bay 155

Southampton Rangers 156-5

Player/coach Janeiro Tucker produced a dazzling all-round performance to inspire Southampton Rangers to a comfortable five-wicket win over Bailey's Bay at Southampton Oval.

The all-rounder bagged four for 20 with gentle seam and then smashed an unbeaten half-century batting at number five to power Rangers to victory with 72 balls to spare.

Tucker was the driving force behind a middle and lower order Bay collapse that saw Bay lose eight wickets for 79 runs.

The third change bowler opened his account in his fourth over when he had Wendell White caught at midwicket for a duck.

He then dismissed Kyle Hodsoll (0) and Reid Trott (3) in successive balls before trapping Jim West (1) leg before to cap another fine display of swing bowling that Bay could find no answer to.

Assisting him in the dismantling of Bay's batting order were Ryan Belboda (two for 14), skipper Malachi Jones (two for 23) and Shannon Raynor (two for 37).

Under-19 national team skipper Terryn Fray led the Bay resistance with 28 from 53 balls followed by Devrae Hollis who chipped in with a run-a-ball 26.

In reply, Rangers took only 27.2 overs to knock off the required runs for victory with Tucker belting an unbeaten 67 from just 65 deliveries. He hit six fours and four sixes.

Hodsoll (two for 25) and White (two for 26) were the pick of the Bay bowling.

PHC 259-9; Police 214

PHC defeated Police to mark a triumphant return to top flight cricket at Police Field.

Guiding the men in black to an inspiring 45-run victory were batsmen Fiqre Crockwell and Dean Stephens who both smashed robust half-centuries and bowlers David Adams and Cal Waldron who shared six wickets between them.

The visitors rattled up a decent total after being sent in to bat with Crockwell (86) leading the charge. The national team cricketer clattered 12 boundaries including three sixes and a four off spinner Andy Cumberbatch who went for an expensive 22 runs in his sixth over.

Stephens (58) and Crockwell put on 68 for the fourth wicket.

Jamaican-born fast bowler Traddie Simpson (two for 36) and Melvin Best (two for 33) led the Police attack.

Cumberbatch (53) made amends at the top of the order as Police made a positive start to their reply before PHC skipper Cal Waldron claimed three wickets in one over to trigger a slide.

Waldron trapped Vincent Bradshaw lbw, bowled Dennis Archer through the gate and then capped off a remarkable over by bowling Alex Kinght.

Assisting Waldron in the bowling was veteran wrist spinner Adams who snatched three for 23 off 7.3 overs to keep the pressure on the host side.

"I think we showed a lot of character and were fortunate to come out on the wining end because it was a hard-fought match that went right down to the wire," said Waldron.

Cleveland 190

St.David's CC 191-4

In-form seamer Justin Pitcher continued his remarkable start to the season, taking four wickets to lay the foundation for St.David's' six-wicket win over Cleveland at Sea Breeze Oval.

Pitcher took four for 32 off nine overs and had one maiden to help keep Cleveland below 200.

He received solid support from Lionel Cann who claimed three for 42 while spinner Del Hollis had two for 17.

Veteran batsman Aaron Adams (62) topped the Cleveland batting, while Courtney Trott stroked 36 and Steven Douglas jr added 20 before his team's innings ended on the last ball of the penultimate over.

Pacing the Islanders to victory was OJ Pitcher jr who cracked 77 while skipper Delyone Borden added 33 and the returning Landro Minors 37.

National team spinner and Cleveland skipper Tamauri Tucker claimed two for 21 to lead his team's bowling attack.