North Field, National Sports Centre (Pembroke won toss): Pembroke Panthers beat Smith’s Sixers by 71 runs

Pembroke Panthers blew away Smith’s Sixers to record their first win in the Bermuda Smash Invitational yesterday.

A solid batting display, in which Tre Manders led the way with 40 runs, featured opener Jamal Todd and Akeem Jordan making identical scores of 31 as the top order powered Cal Waldron’s side to 181 for six in 20 overs.

Kwasi James then produced bowling figures of three for 14 in four overs with one maiden, and Jordan and Jeavor Royal picked up two wickets apiece as Sixers were bowled out for 110 in 18 overs.

The win lifted Panthers to second in the four-team group on ten points behind the unbeaten Sandys Spartans. Sixers, with no win in two matches, are bottom of the table with five points after their opening match against Hamilton Parish Hurricanes was abandoned.

Manders, who was bowled by Malachi Jones in the eighth over, was delighted to bounce back after losing to Sandys on Sunday.

“It feels good to turn things around from the first loss,” Manders told The Royal Gazette.

“It gives us the momentum going into the back end of the tournament. We want to be in the top seat and trying to win the whole thing come Sunday.

“We got a good start from Jamal Todd and he eased the pressure off for me while I got to do what I did. We tried to preserve our wickets at the start and then leave it to the big hitters, and that worked out.

“It was a good all-round performance, especially with the bat and we then finished nicely with the ball. There’s a great vibe in our team and that goes a long way. The professional players that came in are gelling well with the rest of us.”

Manders and Todd gave Panthers a solid start with a 50-run partnership before the New Zealander departed in the fifth over when caught behind by Zeri Tomlinson off Allan Douglas Jr.

After losing his opening partner, Manders went on the charge, with 13 runs taken off Douglas’s second over that went for 21 as Marcus Scotland also got in on the act. Manders eventually had his defence breached by Jones.

Scotland did not hang around long at the crease as Jones struck again with Tomlinson taking the catch behind.

Jordan timed the ball well before he was run out following a mix-up with Jermal Proctor, who went on to post an unbeaten 26 off 30 balls. Royal’s 20, off 12 balls, proved crucial in giving Panthers a score they were able to defend.

Sixers never got going after losing Jones without scoring fours ball into their run chase. Captain Onias Bascome was then run out in the third over and Clevie Wade’s side were in big trouble when Macai Simmons was bowled by Royal.

Keemo Paul went off injured after taking a nasty blow to the jaw when facing Zeko Burgess in the fifth over. While the West Indies all-rounder came back to the crease after Dalin Richardson’s departure, he could add only seven runs to his tally before he was removed by James.

“We haven’t got the start that we hoped for, but I'm playing with a bunch of good players so I'm sure we’ll get a win in the next game,” Paul said.

“I don’t think that we put enough partnerships in any of the games. Our batting has been letting us down a bit, so we have to work on that aspect.

“I got hit on the jaw but hopefully I’m good to go for our next match on Thursday. The reason why I came back was because I thought I could have still won the game by myself, but obviously that didn’t happen.”

James was thrilled to take his chance after being given an opportunity to bowl for the first time in the tournament.

“I took some positive energy into this match after not getting a chance in the first game,” the 30-year-old said.

“The pace of the wicket is up and down,” he said. “As long as you bowl in the right areas and use the variations, you tend to do well.

“We batted really well and that was a good score to defend. Our openers got us off to a good start, so I just came in during the middle overs to restrict them.”

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