Somerset Cricket Club league captain Dominic Sabir cracked a swashbuckling century marked in just 67 balls, but they fell short by 43 runs to Warwick Workmen’s Club in a marvellous exhibition of power at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Warwick star Luke Horan was pleased with their victory. “I think we set the tone with the bat,” he stated. “290 off 35 is difficult to chase.”

Horan emphasises his increase in speed has paid off. “I just tried to increase my pace a bit,” the teenager added. “I am enjoying my game.”

Sabir played a captain’s total 108 from just 69, but failed to garner adequate support, as the home side had to chase 290 for victory after the match was reduced to 35 overs per side. The wicket had a hazardous patch near the bowling crease, which eventually took more than three hours to adequately resolve. Opening bowler Kwasi James slipped after delivering the first ball.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat, and had to regroup after the lengthy delay. The returning Drewonde Bascome opened with Alex Brown, and placed two beautiful shots to the boundary to begin the scoring off James. James made a solid comeback from that shaky start, conceding just one from his next.

Fellow opener Isaiah Richardson got the breakthrough for Somerset, when Brown totally missed his stroke and Richardson’s quicker delivery broke the bails. James got into the wickets when Bascome popped straight to Richardson at first slip, on the penultimate ball of a wicket maiden.

Sabir bowled economically for the most part, and got a maiden third over to leave Warwick 51 for two at the first drinks break, with Tre Manders and Horan at the crease.

Manders and Horan were rotating confidently, and sending most poor deliveries to the boundary, before they reached the half-century partnership for the third wicket in 59 balls.

Callum McIntosh, like most Somerset bowlers, struggled with his line to the visiting batsmen. The young spinner conceded five boundaries in his first two overs. However, to his credit, he claimed the key wicket of Horan. The rising all-rounder failed to connect on a reverse sweep, and edged straight into the grateful gloves of wicketkeeper Amari Ebbin.

Manders smashed two sixes off Antonio Darrell in the 24th over, part of five sixes in three overs. Manders and Leverock hit their fifties in differing speeds, Manders in 57 balls and Leverock in 28, both hitting four sixes.

Manders played a shot towards third man, but got a very thin edge and Ebbin took an easy catch to end the 93-run partnership off the bowling of Brianna Ray.

Malachi Jones stepped in and powered two sixes in Sabir’s sixth over, before Leverock saved the best until last with four consecutive monstrous sixes off James. James bounced back well for the next ball, and Leverock drove straight to Sabir at the long-off boundary just seven runs short of his century.

Jones made his fifty off just 17 balls, but played to Sabir at the exact same position from the opposite end for Ray’s second wicket. Young Jamar Stovel and captain Cory Burgess put on a 20-run cameo, before Stovel drove to JJ Nel for Sabir’s lone wicket on the final ball.

Somerset knew the challenge was going to be huge, as they chased 290 to win at nearly 8.3 runs per over. They got off to a solid start, as Zeri Tomlinson placed three boundaries off the first over by Seth Campbell.

Horan came on from the northern end, and Tomlinson drove right to Manders at short mid-wicket. Campbell conceded three wide balls in his second over, after giving up 13 total runs in his first.

JJ Nel and Ebbin reached the 50 stand for the second wicket off 58 balls, but holed out to Brown at short mid-off off the third over by Malachi Jones. The Somerset Cup Match legend needed to be admitted to hospital with a broken finger after a powerful drive by Ebbin in his fourth over, and didn’t return to the game.

Stovel conceded 23 runs from his first over (with three sixes by Sabir), and ten from his next before being taken off the ball. Ebbin would not be denied with his role in the 111-run effort for the third wicket, before Manders took his second catch of the chase. James had a terrible overall day end with a tame shot to Campbell off Leverock, before he could trouble the scorers.

Sabir was losing support by the over at this stage, with Antonio Darrell and Jade Morrissey out on consecutive deliveries by Horan with three overs remaining.

Leverock finally got the stubborn and brilliant Sabir with a quicker delivery, as Somerset lost their enthusiasm. Jerez Eve was run out trying to run with Ray, and then Horan also bowled out Ray on his final ball.

Horan, candidate for player of the match, made a beautiful diving catch to get last man Callum McIntosh and finish off the 43-run victory.