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Trott backs Bay to continue strong start

Bay captain Rodney Trott

Four teams will look to put their name on the Belco Cup this weekend in what will be the power company’s fourteenth and final year sponsoring the competition.

Southampton Rangers, the champions, will be slight favourites after winning the cup nine times in the last 13 years, but this time they can expect strong competition from the other three teams, all motivated to be the final winners of the competition under its present name.

Bailey’s Bay, the in-form team after an unbeaten start to the season, are also upbeat about their chances as are St David’s who are one of the early season tips for the league.

Even Cleveland, who have never reached the final, are capable of pulling off a couple of upsets and land a first title.

Cleveland will play Bay at Lord’s in Saturday’s semi-final while Rangers take on St David’s in the other match at Somerset Cricket Club, with the final scheduled for Lord’s on Sunday.

Lord’s has been the venue for the last 14 finals and 18 of the last 19, going back to 1997 when it was the Camel Cup.

Bay have won just one Belco Cup title, in 2012 when they beat St David’s, but they did win the Camel Cup three times in four years between 1994 and 1997.

There is expectation around Sea Breeze Oval that this could be Bay’s chance to be the dominant team, having already reached the final of the postponed Twenty20 tournament.

Bay could have bowlers Kyle Hodsoll and Lateef Trott available for their first games of the season.

Hodsoll is recovering from a knee injury while Trott was away with the Bermuda Regiment.

“Kyle is eager to play, he’s been our best bowler the last couple of seasons and is a big asset to us,” Rodney Trott, the Bay captain, said.

“Hopefully next weekend once he gets some more training this week.

“It’s competition, and if you want to stay in the team you have to come to training and then perform on Sundays.”

Having a strong squad should put Bay in good stead this season, but Trott says team harmony is also a key ingredient.

“I would say it is very close and off the field we’re tight so that’s a big part,” said Trott, who took over the captaincy from Stephen Outerbridge.

“It’s all about understanding the relationship we have with one another.

“Bay have had some brilliant teams so I can never say that one team is better than another, but what we do have is a good relationship off the field which can take us a long way. And we’ve got talent, too.”

Trott added: “Every trophy we’re looking to win, our next aim is the Belco Cup next weekend which is another trophy we would like to win.

“Whatever comes our way we’re looking to take it, but at the same time we have to play good cricket.

“Everybody comes out Tuesdays and Thursdays to train, we hang out together and there are good vibes all around.”

Rain washed out last weekend’s T20 final with Rangers, although Bay did get one over on the league champions the next day when they handed Rangers a 143-run victory in their 50-over league opener.

“Really we wanted to play, it would have given us another game to look at a player or two because guys do have to perform,” Trott said.