Wellington Oval (St George’s won toss): Cleveland County beat St George’s by three wickets

Dion Stovell’s match-winning knock powered Cleveland County through to the Bermuda Cricket Board Knockout Cup semi-finals yesterday.

The experienced all-rounder struck an unbeaten 61 from 75 balls and dominated a 54-run eighth-wicket partnership with Tamauri Tucker (12) that carried the visitors safely across the line with 50 balls to spare.

“I just want to take my hat off to Dion,” Clevie Wade, the Cleveland coach, said after his team’s impressive win.

“The guy is just a master who studies the game and understands the game, so much credit must go to him.”

Stovell, whose polished innings contained four fours and a six, was the glue that kept Cleveland in the hunt throughout their chase as wickets tumbled around him.

The game hung in the balance after Cleveland were reduced to 137 for 7 in the 28th over after wasting a decent start with Stovell the last recognised batsman at the crease.

With St George’s sensing blood and moving in for the kill, Stovell put his head down and stuck to the task admirably, using his feet to great effect and piercing the gaps with some elegant and precise stroke play.

Stovell batted sensibly on the way to a second successive fifty, which he reached off 62 balls, after dispatching Macai Simmons to the backward square boundary for four.

Stovell and Tucker rotated the strike with some excellent running between the stumps to keep the pressure on the fielders before the former ended the game in style after lofting Simmons over cow corner for six to seal the deal.

“Dion understands scoreboard pressure and knows how to calculate runs per over,” Wade added. “You saw that today, how he just picked up the singles and twos and put the bad ones away.”

Allan Douglas Jr (25), Steven Bremar Jr (20), Q’shai Darrell (21) and Jabari Darrell (18) all made starts but failed to go on. Shakai Darrell (two for 32) and Charles Trott (two for 34) were the pick of the St George’s bowling.

St George’s had earlier failed to capitalise on a promising start which saw them 50 without loss before losing a bunch of wickets as Douglas wreaked havoc with his off breaks.

The experienced all-rounder, and former St George’s player, opened his account when he bowled Trott who was attempting a slog sweep amid a mini slide that featured the hosts losing three wickets for ten runs in the space of two overs.

Douglas was brought back into the attack for a second spell at the start of the 38th over and made an immediate impact as he trapped the returning Jonté Smith leg before with a doosra.

He then bowled wicketkeeper Sinclair Smith with an arm ball and had Oyinde Bascome caught at cow corner to finish with impressive figures of four for 41.

“I think Alan bowled very well,” Wade said. “He kept his line and lengths, bowled in the right areas and bowled to his field.”

Douglas was ably supported in the attack by Treadwell Gibbons (two for 39) and Isaiah Greaves (two for 23) as St George’s were dismissed for 187, with 27 of those runs coming via extras, of which 26 were wides.

Opener Oronde Bascome, who featured in an opening 50-run partnership with cousin Nzari Paynter (13), topped the home team’s batting with 38.

Simmons (33), captain Onias Bascome (29) and Oyinde Bascome (13) were the other St George’s batsmen in double figures.

“It was a great win, a great team effort,” added former St George’s captain Wade. “I think everybody put in a great performance and credit to the entire team.

“It was a big effort and we are moving on to the next round. This one here is for the Cleveland community who came out in full force to support the team. I want to take my hat off to them and thank them for coming out.“