Somerset Cricket Club (Somerset won toss): St George’s beat Somerset by 42 runs

Zeko Burgess and Jonté Smith shone with bat and ball to power St George’s into the T20 Premier Division knockout Cup final on Sunday.

Burgess, who was named St George’s captain in the absence of Sinclair Smith, smashed 71 from 31 balls and fellow all-rounder Smith an unbeaten 52 from 29 as they featured in a 122-run fourth-wicket partnership that laid the foundation for the away side’s total of 202 for four after they were sent in to bat on a flat track.

The pair then took two wickets each with their seam bowling, while left-arm spinner Isaiah Greaves also picked up two wickets as Somerset were restricted to 160 for eight in reply.

Stand in-captain Burgess was delighted to oversee the win and secure a place in the final against his former club Bailey’s Bay.

“It’s always good to get into a final because we know how to win,” he told The Royal Gazette.

“Obviously we were missing key players in Sinny [Sinclair Smith] and Macai [Simmons]. But I always back my team no matter who we are missing and when the team work together and they do the job efficiently, everything is possible. Today proved that.”

Burgess came to the crease in the eleventh over with his team in a spot of bother at 63 for three but unleashed a vicious assault on the bowlers with some powerful strokeplay to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

He smashed seven sixes, including from the first ball he faced, and four fours as Somerset’s attack was ruthlessly put to the sword.

Burgess’s whirlwind knock was not without luck, as he was dropped at deep mid-wicket in the twenties. The missed opportunity proved costly for Somerset as he went on to score a half-century and feature in a century partnership with Smith.

“Obviously we fell behind a few overs and had a lot of dot balls,” Burgess said. “But T20 cricket is where you make it up in the end and I figured if I stayed there for as long as possible a lot of things can happen

“I am seeing the ball good and it’s just all about control and composure. That’s the important part, and I am glad I was able to do that efficiently.”

Smith started off slowly and seemed intent to keep Burgess on strike as he tore into the bowling before accelerating later in his innings.

He stroked four sixes and three fours to play his role in the huge partnership, which was finally broken in the penultimate over of the innings when Burgess was trapped in front attempting a reverse sweep off the bowling of Somerset captain Dominic Sabir.

“I told Jonté to back himself and that I was not the strike batter,” Burgess said. “We are both strike batters and proved that with more than a 100-run partnership. That’s what made the difference

Smith added another 17 runs with Clay Darrell (14 not out) that carried St George’s past 200 as Somerset paid the price for loose bowling.

Openers Jason Anderson (26) and Nzari Paynter (15) were the remaining St George’s batters in double figures, while Sabir was the pick of Somerset’s bowling with two for 19.

Somerset got their reply off to a sluggish start and were 73 for three midway through their innings. Despite an explosive knock of 76, from 55 balls, by Sabir they came up well shy of their target.

Sabir dominated partnerships of 72 with opener Alje Richardson (39) and 37 with Antonio Darrell (6) but when the latter two batters departed in the space of four overs, the writing was on the wall.

Greaves led the St George’s attack with two for 17 while Burgess took two for 20 and Smith two for 39.

Amari Ebbin (12) was the only other Somerset batter in double figures.

Sabir admitted his team were too costly in the field.

“I just think we gave up too many runs,” he said. “I think 160 definitely makes it a good game because we have the batsmen to do it.

“But congratulations to St George’s and Zeko. He had a fine innings which probably won them the game.”