Lord’s, St David’s (Bailey’s Bay won toss): Bailey’s Bay beat Flatts by 324 runs)

Bailey’s Bay overcame a poor start to come away with an emphatic victory over Premier Division 50 overs rivals Flatts and remain in the thick of the title race.

Gus Logie’s team were wobbling at 71 for five after 13 overs before Delray Rawlins and wicketkeeper Jarryd Richardson produced a timely century partnership to steady the ship and lay the platform for their massive total of 387 all out in 47.5 overs.

Rawlins and Richardson were among four Bay batters scoring fifties, including Azende Furbert and Jordan Burgess as Bay capitalised on some poor Flatts bowling and fielding.

Having earlier failed with the bat, off spinner Michael Agard more than compensated with the ball as he returned brilliant figures of six for 12 off seven overs, which included a double wicket maiden, as Flatts folded for 63 in 22.3 overs.

Earlier, it was a totally different story for Flatts, when they had their Eastern Counties rivals reeling with captain Terryn Fray (3) among the early casualties.

Furbert and Richardson began the fightback as they added 46 for the sixth wicket. Furbert led the charge with an aggressive 68 off 58 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes.

The top-order batter nudged a single off Jahmi Douglas into the covers to bring up his 50 off 47 balls before perishing shortly after when he was caught down the ground by Brianna Ray after attempting another big hit.

Rawlins took over from there, thumping nine fours and five sixes in a whirlwind innings of 94 from 56 balls and added a vital 111 with Richardson.

The former Sussex player put the Flatts attack to the sword with some powerful stroke play all around the ground and swept Paul Harvey over the square leg boundary for six to bring up his fifty off 33 balls.

Richardson provided the perfect foil at the other end in an equally fine innings of 61 from 63 balls, which included four sixes and three fours. He reached his fifty off 51 balls after dispatching Keegan Jones over the square boundary for six but saw his innings come to an end after being trapped in front by Ray.

Rawlins kept his foot on the gas and seemed destined for a century but fell six runs short when he was held by Reginald Baker, who took a fine catch at wide mid on.

“Obviously it would’ve been nice to get the century but that’s how it goes,” Rawlins told The Royal Gazette.

“I probably could’ve played the situation different, but I am pretty happy with 96 and it was nice to contribute to a big win.”

Flatts must have felt relieved to see Rawlins and Richardson back in the pavilion but it proved short-lived as Burgess picked up where the duo left off with an unbeaten 76 from 32 balls that included seven sixes and five fours.

Burgess played some attractive shots all round the ground and reached his fifty off 22 balls in style with a huge six off Xavier James over long on before eventually running out of partners.

Shane Robinson (two for 32) was Flatts’s most economical bowler and was among five bowlers taking two wickets.

Flatts had their work cut out chasing a target of 388, which proved well beyond reach as first change Agard ran through their order with minimum resistance working in tandem with fellow off spinner Rodney Trott, who took two for 14.

Baker (19), captain Dajon Carey (10) and Jan-Johan Nel (10) were the only Flatts batters in double figures.

Flatts were 44 for three at one stage before losing their remaining seven wickets for only 19 runs in the space of eleven overs as the unrelenting Agard and Trott tightened the screws.

“The wicket was taking a bit of spin, so I was pitching the ball just outside the off stump for it to spin back onto the stumps and that’s all it took really,” Agard said.

Bay are now third in the standings, tied on points with second place Somerset and ten points adrift of unbeaten leaders St George’s.