St. David's 385-5

Bailey's Bay 272/8

Glenn Blakeney's super-successful season shot into cricketing outerspace yesterday when he blasted a mind-numbing 303 not out against a hapless Bailey's Bay at Lord's.

Perhaps still dissatisfied with scores of 63 and 18 in a losing Cup Match effort for St. George's last week, the St. David's opener gorged himself on the opposition's bowling, launching the ball to all parts of his home ground with 20 fours and 17 sixes in his 193-ball spree.

His run feast was the underpinning of a massive St. David's total of 385 for five in their 50 overs. That the second-highest contribution came from extras (31), with O.J. Pitcher's 16 being the second-best offering by a St. David's batsman, underlines Blakeney's dominance.

Try valiantly as they did, Bailey's Bay were never really in the running, despite a courageous 272 for eight in 41 overs, opener Dennis Trott showing he too can swing the bat, scoring 102.

They suffered the additional setback of having nine overs deducted from their batting allotment because of exceeding the time limit while bowling to St. David's who won by 113 runs.

The afternoon belonged to Blakeney who was in ominous touch from the start. His first 100 runs came off 72 balls and his 200 from 136 balls. He punched a full-pitched delivery from Yusef Pitt through the covers for four to pass the 300 mark in 191 balls.

"The bowling wasn't all that tight and I just took advantage of it. I guess like I usually do," said the 29-year-old making it sound "oh so easy".

While Blakeney was erasing his previous highest score - 245 last season versus Willow Cuts - he was also helping Bailey's Bay bowler Corey Hill to an unwelcome century. The latter, who enjoyed the honour of hitting Somerset's winning boundary in the Cup Match, was brought back down to earth by some severe thuds from Blakeney. His figures: nine overs for 100 runs - no wickets, no maidens.

Dennis Pilgrim and Rodney Trott escaped with a little less damage to their bowling reputations, both going 10 overs for 62 runs. Pilgrim managed one wicket. Only Jermaine Outerbridge emerged with anything to boast about in Bailey's Bay attack, bagging four for 59 from 10 overs.

"I am lost for words right now," declared Blakeney, still revelling in his glory.

Recalling his innings, he said he was on "about 230 with about seven overs left" when he realised he had a chance to go where he never has before. The St. David's demolition man credited his team-mate Del Hollis, who joined him with the score on 276, for helping him achieve the signal landmark.

"He just gave me most of the strike and I just kept going. St. David's is not a small field and I am pretty pleased with what I did considering how big it is compared to other grounds."

Blakeney, who has been playing Premier League cricket since he was 15, was well rewarded for his onslaught by fans who were treated to 657 runs in the match.

"When I got to 300 it was electrical. It was unbelievable how people were getting on down here. There were even people running out onto the field to give me money, like in Cup Match."

Just how much money?

"A few hundred (dollars)," revealed the star batsman chuckling.

It was no laughing matter for Bailey's Bay though as they stared a sizeable 9.4 runs per over rate in the face as they began their reply. Trott's gallant century (13 fours and two sixes) was the mainstay of the visitors' innings with extras - yet again - being the second-best contributor to the score (35).

The efforts of Pilgrim, Roderick Masters and Ricky Hill, scoring 33, 25 and 22 respectively, were nowhere near what was required.

George O'Brien Jr took three for 35 off eight overs and Hollis, two for 57 from 10 overs. Three other St. David's bowlers took one wicket each. Their burden considerably lightened by their huge total, they applied the icing to Blakeney's cake.