Rangers look to finish with T20 triumph
Bailey’s Bay and Southampton Rangers meet on Sunday at Somerset Cricket Club in a repeat of last season’s Premier Division Twenty20 final while Somerset and St George’s will battle in the First Division final in the opening match.
The matches, which were postponed in May because of rain, start at 11am and 3pm
Bay defeated Rangers by 21 runs in last year’s final at Sea Breeze Oval and two former Rangers players, Derrick Brangman and Malachi Jones, will hope to help Bay retain the title.
However, Rangers, who failed to retain their league title this season, will be aiming to add the T20 to their Western Counties title and finish on a high.
“The players have been looking forward to this match for most of the season since it got postponed,” Ricky Brangman, the Rangers coach, said.
“We are very keen to capture this trophy and get our revenge over Bay from last year.”
This weekend’s games are the last matches before next weekend’s season-ending Champion of Champions competition featuring the three counties champions, Rangers, Western Stars and St David’s.
Lloyd Fray, the president of the BCB, is looking for an exciting weekend of cricket, which starts with the play-off match tomorrow between Cleveland and St George’s, also at Somerset.
“Most importantly, we are looking for the games to be played with the highest levels of sportsmanship and respect,” Fray said.
“I wish all the teams competing the best of luck and thank Somerset Cricket Club as the host club for these major matches.”
St George’s will hope there is not a repeat of last season when Devonshire Recreation Club, also of the First Division, lost to Willow Cuts in the playoff match and then went down to Western Stars by 30 runs in the First Division T20 final the next day.
Somerset will have home advantage against St George’s, with both teams welcoming back players from Bermuda’s trip to Toronto.
Bermuda finished their tour with a fourth straight loss, going down on run rate to a Canada High Performance team after rain ended the match with Bermuda struggling at 156 for eight after 32.3 overs in reply to Canada’s 405 for six.
Naveen Singh (125) and Srimantha Wijeyeratne (107) both scored centuries as Canada piled on the runs.
Rawlins, batting at No 4, was the top batsman for Bermuda with 47. Opener Fray, who captained the touring side, scored 32 and DeSilva 26 not out.