Somerset Cup Match XI 223-7

Barbados 224-2

As Bermuda marked the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Fabian on Sunday, the Island?s cricketers bore the full brunt of ?Hurricane Martin?.

The latest batting sensation in the Barbados national team ? Martin Nurse ? unleashed a torrent of strokes on the Somerset Cup Match XI?s bowling, battering the hosts into submission as the Caribbean champions romped to another impressive, eight-wicket win.

A stormy 100 in just 54 balls from the strong opener?s bat cut a swift, if brutal, path to success for Barbados as they took a mere 31.2 overs to surpass Somerset?s 223 for seven; the visitors replying with 224 for just two wickets.

Resuming where he left off against the West Indies on Saturday, 19-year-old Nurse signalled his intentions early, bludgeoning strike bowlers Jacobi Robinson and Kevin Hurdle to the far reaches of Somerset Cricket Club and beyond.

So vicious was his onslaught that Barbados posted 44 runs in three overs and motored past 50 in 3.4 overs as the rampant left-hander pulled Hurdle hard over the pavilion. The next ball was crashed for another six before the final delivery of that over was thumped to extra cover for four.

Barbados ? 65 runs in four overs; Nurse 48 of them with his opening partner Dale Richards giving him all the strike possible.

Meanwhile, Robinson and Hurdle were quickly excused from duty with horrific figures of two overs for 35 runs and two overs for 26 runs respectively.

Nurse raced past 50 off 21 balls with five fours and an equal number of sixes, maintaining his aggression against the spin of Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock and Hasan Durham, though the latter had the consolation of conceding only three runs in his first over before bowling a maiden in his second.

Barbados? 100 came off 10.2 overs and by then it was clear that once Nurse ? who survived a scare when he lofted Durham to mid-on ? remained at the crease the opposition?s total would be easy pickings, even with rain clouds threatening. The fearless teenager moved into the 90s with no hint of nerves and duly marked his first century for his country with a straight six off Durham.

The 54-ball landmark included eight fours and ten sixes and was achieved in 55 minutes off the fifth ball of the 14th over with the team score on 127. However, the whirlwind abated abruptly in the next over as Nurse, aiming to go over the fence again, was caught by Robinson off Leverock at deep mid-wicket without further addition to his score. Overall, he faced 56 deliveries and batted for 57 minutes in a first-wicket stand of 128 runs.

Jason Parris, who also starred in Saturday?s triumph over the West Indies, arrived at the wicket to put on 22 runs with Richards before the latter succumbed for 36 (five fours, one six), cutting wily seamer Saleem Mukuddem to skipper Janeiro Tucker at point.

That was the extent of Somerset?s inroads into the Barbadian line-up as veteran Floyd Reifer and Parris saw matters to a conclusion with an unbeaten 74-run stand. Reifer blossomed to be not out on 43 from 42 balls with nine fours while Parris carried his bat for 29 from 35 balls with four fours.

Mukuddem ? one wicket for 13 runs from four overs ? and Leverock ? one for 55 off seven overs ? were the lone Somerset bowlers with any wickets. Robinson was stunned as his four overs cost 59 runs.

In Somerset?s turn at bat ? after being sent in by Barbados ? only Tucker and Mukuddem made any significant contributions, scoring 47 not out (seven fours, two sixes) and 33 respectively and sharing a fourth-wicket bond of 63 runs. Unfortunately, the Cup Match XI failed to capitalise on a good 70-run opening partnership between Kwame Tucker (27) and Clay Smith (23). However, extras top-scored for the hosts as Barbados gifted 54 to their rivals, including 22 wides.

Nurse proved an all-round hero taking two for 35 in a nine-over spell with Callitos Lopez and skipper Sherwin Campbell also bagging a pair each. In a bizarre close to Somerset?s innings, Lopez was given the ball for the final over and had Durham caught behind from the first delivery when scorers alerted the umpires that the bowler had already exhausted his ten overs.

Campbell finished the job ending with 4.5 overs for 18 runs while Lopez recorded 10.1 overs for 34 runs.

?My intentions were to prepare myself for the upcoming Red Stripe Bowl back home and to get myself in form and press on and make the West Indies team,? revealed Nurse afterwards of his mindset for the Bermuda tour.

He rated his 78 in 57 balls against the West Indies on Saturday of greater value given that the regional team edged to a ten-run win over Barbados last Tuesday night and his side wanted revenge.

Regarding his penchant for boundaries ? 160 of his 178 runs on the weekend coming in fours and sixes ? he said it?s not a deliberate tactic ?but if the ball is there in my space to hit it, it will be hit?.

His only regret about his maiden 100 for the senior team was that it was not in an official tournament.