Sea Breeze Oval (Western Stars won toss): Bailey’s Bay beat Western Stars by 75 runs

Kyle Hodsoll returned career best league figures to guide Bailey’s Bay to a convincing victory over Western Stars at Sea Breeze Oval yesterday.

The Bay opening bowler made the most with the new ball, claiming seven for 42, bowling his full quota of overs unchanged from the southern end of the ground.

Stars did well to dismiss their hosts for fewer than 200 runs, a target that seemed within reach on the small Sea Breeze Oval outfield.

However, any thoughts Stars may have had of securing a second straight major scalp after upsetting league leaders St David’s in their previous outing were dashed by Hodsoll, who sliced through the visitors’ top and middle order.

Hodsoll, who varied his line and pace with deadly effect, made the breakthrough in the first over of the Stars innings when Temiko Wilson, the Stars wicketkeeper, got a top edge and was caught behind by Sinclair Smith, his opposite number.

The bowler struck again in his second over, trapping Treadwell Gibbons in front leg-before, before shifting into high gear and sparking a massive collapse that broke the back of the Stars order.

Hodsoll had Wayne Campbell caught behind by Smith and then bowled Dalin Richardson with a delivery that jagged back sharply off the seam.

At 34 for four, Stars were in serious trouble and their problems got worse as Hodsoll bagged his fifth wicket when Khiry Furbert failed to pick a slower delivery and was caught at mid off.

The unrelenting bowler continued to tightened the screws when he had Justin Robinson, the Stars captain, caught behind chasing a short delivery that would have been better left alone, and then capped a devastating spell by claiming the wicket of Ian Armstrong, who was also deceived by a slower delivery and held comfortably at short long off.

With Stars limping along at 68 for nine, the end seemed near.

However, the visitors tail wagged with last pair Rohan Davis and Seth Campbell adding 49 runs for the tenth wicket before Campbell spooned an easy return catch to Terryn Fray.

Davis led Stars’ unsuccessful run chase with an unbeaten 25 from 26 deliveries that included three fours and a six.

Earlier, Bay suffered a collapse of their own as Stars fought back in the late overs.

Fray and Rodney Trott, the Bay captain, added a timely 55 for the third wicket to stabilise the innings after the hosts slipped to 42 for two after the early loss of Smith and Azende Furbert.

Fray reached his half century off 74 balls in 122 minutes, and after Trott was dismissed added a further 35 runs for the fourth wicket with Stephen Outerbridge to keep the hosts on course for a good total.

Fray eventually fell in the 31st over when he was caught behind by Wilson off the bowling of fourth change bowler Davis for a well played 59 that included eight fours.

Outerbridge stepped on the gas, sending the ball to all corners of the ground with some powerful hitting.

The former Bay captain lashed four sixes and a boundary in a robust knock of 47 from 55 deliveries, and along with Dennico Hollis carried the score along to 177 before he was the seventh wicket to fall in the 42nd over, caught by Davis in the covers off the bowling of Hall.

With the threat of Outerbridge back in the pavilion, Gibbons and Young mopped up the tail in quick succession as Bay’s last three wickets fell for 15 runs.

Young led the Stars attack with three for 26 while Davis, Hall and Gibbons took two apiece.