Southampton Oval (Warwick won toss): Flatts beat Warwick by eight wickets

Young all-rounder Keegan Jones had a standout day with the ball, taking five wickets to spearhead Flatts Victoria’s first win of the 50-over Premier Division season over Warwick on Sunday.

Warwick won the toss and were beneficiaries of a poor bowling line in the first over of the innings by Shane Robinson. However, opener Staphen Dill was spared two lives in Robinson’s second over, playing powerful straight shots right back to the young bowler, whose palms were stung as he was unable to hang on to either difficult catch.

Dill showed his aggression by powering a six over the eastern boundary at mid-wicket off Robinson and then got a third life when Xay James nearly ran him out at short extra cover when he and fellow opener Callum MacFarlane tried to cross for a second run.

Warwick would conclude the opening powerplay at 67 without loss and Dill having the leadership to send MacFarlane back if a run wasn’t on.

Keegan Jones made the breakthrough with a delivery that totally fooled MacFarlane, who could only swing and miss handsomely. Young MacFarlane showed glimpses of strong composure in his knock of 23 from 47 balls, which included one boundary.

Dill reached his half-century off 40 balls, but would soon be sent back to the pavilion by a slower delivery from Sai Kumar. Wickets began to accrue on a more regular basis. Shonari Boyles-Simons was trapped leg before to give Jones his second scalp.

Warwick wicketkeeper Ajani Lee was then dropped by Jones on the third ball he faced, but the bowler then got him to play right into the arms of Jan-Johan Nel at long off without scoring.

In-form Kamau Leverock and Cory Burgess got their power on immediately, with the pair making 26 runs off the two overs from Ryan Belboda but an amazing day continued for Jones when he dismissed both Leverock and Burgess to complete his five-wicket haul.

Leverock gave Nel his second catch of the day and Burgess cut straight to Kumar at cover point.

James trapped Jalani Richardson leg before and then got James Macfarlane to smash to an onrushing Brianna Ray, who stopped just in time to make the grab.

Veteran Paul Carr-Harvey picked up the final two wickets in the first two balls of his second over with Flatts in charge of the game.

Jones spoke on the importance of his spell, which saw him concede just 31 runs in ten overs to go with the five wickets.

“I needed that, as did my team,” he said. “This was a strong and important victory.”

Jones also gave credit to the contribution of female player Brianna Ray. “Brianna did well again today,” he said. “Her fielding is always on point and she delivered with two catches.”

The pink and green light work of the run chase, although a few catches were dropped and some terrible bowling lines massively helped their cause. Opening duo Dajon Carey and the mercurial Reggie Baker went about their business with control and panache as Warwick bowled 53 extras to greatly assist the cause.

Flatts made it all the way to 143 runs before losing their first wicket when captain Carey was eventually caught at mid-wicket by James MacFarlane off the bowling of a lame Leverock.

Baker did not even need to break a sweat to deliver the final few positive shots, helped by Shane Robinson and JJ Nel.