Somerset defeated Bailey’s Bay to ensure their own survival while relegating their opponents after winning by 25 runs at Somerset Cricket Club on Sunday.

With the match deciding who would be relegated to the First Division alongside PHC, it was Somerset captain Dominic Sabir who took the game away from Bay with his score of 83 helping his side to a total that could not be saved.

Rodney Trott, who took over Bay’s T20 captaincy at the start of the year was disappointed his side were relegated but suggested it could be a wake-up call for the club.

“Hats off to Somerset as they wanted it more,” Trott said. “We struggled last season and again this season. Hopefully, this will encourage our younger players to step up and maybe First Division might be good for us to rebuild and make a return to the Premier Division.”

Somerset coach Janeiro Tucker was thrilled his side came out on top in the winner-stays-up match.

“Our aim was to stay in the Premier Division T20 which we did,” Tucker said. “We have a young team and we are trying to develop more than anything. We are looking to build on this in the 50 overs competition.”

The decision to put Somerset into bat backfired as JJ Nel and Sabir put on a 90-run opening partnership before Nel would be first to depart trying to hit Bay captain Rodney Trott to the boundary but instead lofted a lollipop to Terryn Fray for 30.

Somerset were in a good position at 92 for one at the halfway stage of their innings as Alje Richardson would join his captain but only in a supporting role as Sabir would carry on the onslaught with some aggressive batting.

He hit a towering six over the long on boundary of Dennico Hollis, which cleared the fence, but the bowler would get the last laugh with the very next ball as he choked the captain for an easy catch to Jordan Burgess at mid-off. Sabir’s knock included eight fours and five sixes.

Contributions from Zeri Tomlinson (22), Kwasi James (15) and a quickfire 16 from Cofield Robinson helped the west enders post a challenging 199 for eight in their allotted 20 overs. Hollis was the pick of the Bay bowlers claiming three for 33 runs. Trott finished with three for 36 and also had Isaiah Richardson run out on the last ball off the innings.

Needing ten runs an over to have any chance of winning, Bay opened with Terryn Fray and Stephen Outerbridge and they would put on a 32-run partnership before the former was bowled by Richardson for 12 after three overs.

Bay were prepared to accept the challenge as they were 51 for one in the six-over power play. Outerbridge had given some stability to the Bay innings and would survive when wicketkeeper Robinson dropped him after he edged Sabir.

Jaiden Manders joined Outerbridge and the two put on a 41-run second-wicket partnership before Antonio Darrell bowled the former Western Stars player for 16 after he had just hit two sixes.

Jordan Burgess was brilliantly caught by Darrell, diving to his right with the west Enders starting to take the upper hand in the match. Captain Trott should have been caught first ball but Callum Macintosh would drop him at long off with the ball dipping away from him.

The momentum started to sway in Somerset’s favour as they restricted the opposition to 78 for three at the halfway stage.

Outerbridge batted sensibly and was picking his shots cautiously to give Bay a chance of winning this crucial match. However, he would be fourth out, losing his off stump having overplayed a straight drive off captain Sabir for a team-high 55. The score was now 104 for four with Bay’s chances off winning fading as slowly as the batter’s walk back to the pavilion.

Michael Agard (15) was out to a good sliding catch by captain Sabir on the boundary, with captain Trott becoming James’s second wicket in the over when bowled for 23. Bay were left with an insurmountable task requiring 18 runs an over with only four overs remaining.

Despite late efforts from Hollis (18 not out) and Kyle Hodsoll (19 not out), Bay could only post 174 for seven from their 20 overs to give Somerset the win by 25 runs. James was the pick of the Somerset bowlers with three wickets for 29 runs. Captain Sabir would finish with one wicket for 34 having claimed the scalp of high man Outerbridge to cap off a good all-round performance.