Sandys Spartans are hoping to continue their winning ways in the Bermuda Smash Invitational when they go up against champions Hamilton Parish Hurricanes in the first match of a T20 double-header today at North Field, National Sports Centre.

Jeff Richardson’s star-studded team are heading into the midday match full of confidence after getting their campaign off to a flying start with a 33-run win over Pembroke Panthers in a tournament opener reduced to eight overs because of rain.

“I think we have a bit of an edge by completing a game and having batted first,” Richardson told The Royal Gazette.

“To be fair it was a little iffy whether we were batting first or not because we knew it was going to be rain impacted. Normally in a rain-impacted match you would want to bat second so you know exactly how to approach your innings.

“Obviously we lost the toss and that was basically taken out of our hands, but it was a good toss to lose. We can go in to this game with the confidence that we can look at ourselves as the favourites and I hope we approach the game as such.”

Richardson has every right to be optimistic about his team chances of being crowned champions this year with a team boasting explosive Bermuda all-rounders Kamau Leverock and Delray Rawlins along with former South Africa Under-19 captain Chad Bowes.

“It’s fair to say that I have a better team than I had last year,” Richardson said. “I look at my team and it’s a very all-round team. From the batting, bowling and fielding line-up I think we should be considered favourites.”

The other match today, which takes place at 4.30pm, features Hamilton Parish Hurricanes and Pembroke Panthers hunting their first win of the tournament.

Hurricanes had to settle for a share of the spoils in their opening match after rain brought their game against Smith’s Sixers to a grinding halt an over into their reply.