Irving Romaine, the Bailey’s Bay coach, admits that his team blew an excellent chance to inflict the first defeat on St David’s at the weekend.

Defending a modest 168 for nine, Bay had the champions in trouble at 31 for four but could not break a match-changing fifth-wicket partnership of 118 between George O’Brien and McLaren Lowe, which took the visiting side to the brink of a five-wicket victory.

“We had them on the back foot and things were going our way, but we really didn’t put enough pressure on to win the game,” said a disappointed Romaine after the defeat, Bay’s third in the league in four matches.

“We changed bowlers at times and the pressure got relieved and once George and McLaren got in it was just about picking the singles. With a total like that they could win the game on singles.”

O’Brien hit six fours and four sixes in his knock of 61 while Lowe supported with 55 not out. Bay did well to claw they way back into the match, taking three wickets in the space of three runs as St David’s went from 28 without loss to 31 for four.

“We had a couple of lbw appeals that didn’t go our way and a missed catch on the boundary,” Romaine said. “We didn’t play bad, but definitely we didn’t get enough runs. Another 40 runs and you never know.”

Bay and their supporters were sensing a big upset after, first, removing Delyone Borden for a well played 23, and then getting OJ Pitcher, Fiqre Crockwell and Angelo Cannonier cheaply between the eighth and eleventh overs.

O’Brien and Lowe resisted for 25 overs as Bay tried desperately for a breakthrough.

“That’s how cricket goes, you really have to be willing to play hard for the whole game,” Romaine added.

“We showed heart but came up short in the end. We needed to fight right to the end. As soon as we got those four wickets we relaxed and they punished us for it.”

Romaine is confident the team’s fortunes will change once overseas players Terryn Fray, Tre Manders and new signing Delray Rawlins return from England.

And Romaine, who played in his team’s win over St George’s, has not ruled out playing regularly this season.

“The Bailey’s Bay fans support us week in and week out and the atmosphere down at Bailey’s Bay are always good and I commend them for staying behind us,” he said.

“Better days will come and the team will get stronger, Delray and Terryn coming back this week.

“I’ve been in training myself and once I get in some shape I think I will play.

I’m looking to play again this season, maybe in the next game.”

There is no substitute for experience as Cleveland — Bay’s opponents on Sunday — got good contributions from veterans Clay Smith, Aaron Adams and Peter Philpott as they beat Somerset for their first win in the league.

Adams led the batting with 61 while Smith, the team’s coach, scored a valuable 32 as Cleveland posted 200 for the first time this season in the league.

Philpott claimed two for 36 with his left arm spin.