Somerset Cricket Club (Warwick won toss): Cleveland beat Warwick by 9 wickets.

Cleveland served further notice as to their intention of mounting a serious challenge for top honours in the BCB 50 Overs Premier Division, with an effortles victory over Warwick on Sunday.

Allan Douglas Jr and Mackih McGowan combined for five wickets while exsposing the frailty of Warwick’s middle order, after opening batters Malachi Jones and Kwasi James had given them a reasonable 33-run start and youngsters Luke Horan and Omari DeShields followed with identical knocks of 13.

Douglas first engineered the run out of James, before bowling and catching Horan, while McGowan, the fourth bowler used, took care of DeShields, after whom there would be only token resistance offered.

From 84 for 4, Warwick crumbled to 110 all out as Douglas and McGowan took advantage of poor shotmaking and a helpful wicket that offered a fair degree of movement.

Douglas claimed3 for 13 with his brand of offcutters, while paceman McGowan took 2 for 19.

“Today was pretty easy,” said Cleveland captain Q’Shai Darrell. “We came to the game confident.

“We bowled well and fielded well and were confident in our batting, which made it an easy game.

“It’s all about the confidence level when we go into a game. If you're confident enough it will all work out. It’s a mind game, where if you think you’re going to get out you’ll get out, while if you think about making runs you’ll make runs.”

Darrell led his side’s chase with 41, he and Treadwell Gibbons (17) scoring at more than ten runs an over and threatening to end the match before tea, before the latter was undone by Luke Fulton, who trapped him lbw.

Gibbons vehemently protested the decision by umpire John Pitcher, claiming the ball had first hit the bat and remained at the wicket for several minutes as the umpires conferred before confirming the decision.

Gibbons’ dismissal would be a lone bright spot for Warwick’s bowlers, with Stephen Bremar joining Darrell in an unbroken 68-run second-wicket partnership.

Darrell feels that Cleveland, who now have a stacked line-up including premier all-rounder Dion Stovell, Gibbons, Douglas and several complimentary pieces, are expecting to challenge for multiple honours this season.

“We’re definitely looking pretty good and feeling pretty confident looking at the season,” said Darrell. “We want to take everything home, that’s our goal.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum are Warwick, who have lost their first three matches and are prime candidates for relegation.

Captain Corey Burgess was aware of the direness of the situation, with the club now thrust into must-win situations for their remaining matches.

“I just believe our heads were not in it,” said Burgess. “Being we had lost two games back to back, it can be a little bit frustrating, especially as we have set standards for ourselves, but we are just struggling to meet those standards right now.

“Being it’s only one round, we are in a bit of bother to win every game from here on out. The three games left are definitely must win.”