Wellington Oval (President XI won toss): Vice-President XI beat President XI by five-wickets

Zeko Burgess justified his recall to St George’s Cup Match team with a menacing display of fast bowling that ripped the President’s XI to shreds.

The St George’s and Bermuda seamer claimed impressive figures of four for three from just six overs, which included four maidens, during the final trial match at Wellington Oval on Saturday.

Burgess blew away the top order as the President’s XI slumped to 17 for four in the tenth over and never really recovered before eventually folding for 69 in 26.3 overs.

Burgess made the breakthrough in the second over when he had opener Allan Douglas Jr caught behind by wicketkeeper Sinclair Smith without scoring and then proceeded to slice through the president XI’s top order with devastating effect.

Kyle Hodsoll and Jabari Darrell plucked out the middle order to keep the pressure on before Jordan Burgess mopped up the tail to secure his spot in the challengers’ team, that will do battle with perennial rivals Somerset at Somerset Cricket Club on Thursday and Friday.

Hodsoll claimed three for 17 with his medium pace and Bay team-mate and colt Jordan Burgess two for 30 as the Vice-President XI got the job done in the field using only four bowlers.

Tail-enders Dean Simons led the batting with 18 while Mackih McGowan and Treadwell Gibbons, the remaining batsmen in double figures, managed 15 and 14.

As well as Douglas, St George’s captain and fellow all-rounder Onias Bascome was also among those dismissed without bothering the scorers.

St George’s club wicketkeeper Smith cemented his spot with another outstanding display behind the stumps having clung to four catches and executed a stump out.

In reply, the Vice -President XI reached their target with five wickets in hand with Jonte’ Smith, son of St George’s coach Clay Smith, topping the Vice-President XI batting with 29, which was sufficient enough to secure his spot in St George’s’ Cup Match team as one of two colts.

Bay all-rounder Rodney Trott chipped in with 17 and Temiko Wilson, who was also among those losing their places this year, 14 facing the new ball at the top of the order.

Seamer Bascome led the President XI’s attack with two for nine.

The Vice-President XI remained at the crease after crossing the president XI’s total to allow the selectors to assess more batsmen and were ultimately dismissed for 153 chasing a revised target of 250.

ST GEORGE’S CUP MATCH FINAL TRIALS

Wellington Oval (President’s XI won toss): Vice-President’s XI beat President’s XI by five-wickets.

President’s XI

T Gibbons c J Burgess b Hodsoll 14

A Douglas c Smith b Z Burgess 0

Q Darrell c Smith b Z Burgess 0

Z Tomlinson lbw Z Burgess 2

*O Bascome Smith b Z Burgess 0

†J Richardson lbw Hodsoll 1

C Trott c R Trott b Hodsoll 0

D Simons c Smith b Darrell 18

L Jones c Wilson b J Burgess 5

M McGowan st Smith b J Burgess 15

J Stovel not out 4

Extras (b 4, lb 4, nb 2) 10

Total (26.3 overs) 69

G O’Brien did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-12, 3-16, 4-17, 5-19, 6-21, 7-21, 8-36, 9-64

Bowling: Hodsoll 11.04-17-3; Z Burgess-6.0-4-3-4; J Burgess 7.0-2-30-2; Darrell 2.3-0-11-1.

Vice-President’s XI

T Wilson b Obrien Jr 14

C Durham c Richardson b Stovell 2

J Smith b OGL Bascome 29

N Paynter c Richardson b C Trott 7

M Simmons lbw b Bascome 0

R Trott not out 25

†S Smith b Douglas 9

J Darrell b Douglas 9

J Burgess b Jones 20

K Hodsoll c Bascome b Gibbons 18

I Greaves b Gibbons 0

Extras (b 13, lb 2, nb 2, w 3) 20

Total (47.0 overs) 153

C Outerbridge, J Pitcher, OJ Pitcher and Z Burgess did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-16, 3-55, 4-55, 5-59, 6-79, 7-100, 8-123, 9-153, 10-153

Bowling: Obrien Jr 10.0-2-36-1; Stovell 5.0-1-15-1; McGowan 6.0-1-22-0; Bascome 4.0-1-9-2; Trott 7.0-2-16-1; Douglas 8.0-2-18-2; Jones 6.0-1-21-1; Gibbons 1.0-0-1-2.

• Nominal target amended to 250

Umpires: M Best and S Smith.