Bailey's Bay 123, Flatts 124-8

Though home fans would not have enjoyed it, celebrations broke out at Sea Breeze Oval yesterday when Flatts beat Bailey's Bay by two wickets - their first win over their neighbours in 29 years!

Loud cheers erupted from the clusters of Flatts supporters at their opponents' ground as wicketkeeper and number nine batsman Nigel Burgess, though looking a bit nervous at the crease, steered a four to third-man for the victory.

That took his team's score to 124 for eight in 39. 5 overs, surpassing the 123 all out which Bailey's Bay had mustered in 43. 4 overs.

While the runs-per-over equation was always in Flatts' favour, the hearts of all in their camp would have skipped a beat or two as they suffered a mini-slide on the home stretch of their victory quest. Well poised on 119 for six in the 38th over, they suddenly found themselves on 120 for eight an over later, with Bailey's Bay looking to re-write the script.

However, after negotiating a few balls from Burton Outerbridge, Burgess edged the fifth ball to the third-man boundary to seal a memorable triumph.

"These low totals don't mean you're going to win automatically. You've still got to go out there and win. I never doubted we could do it, though we lost a few wickets towards the end. It was just a matter of applying ourselves.

"We've been having a rough season. This is our first victory in the League and it's a good way to start turning things around for the second half of the season. We're going to show we belong in this division.

"There's still a lot of work to do but we'll be looking to go from strength to strength. This is definitely a great jump start," said Flatts skipper Rahji Edness.

He led the scoring for his side with 25, including two sixes, before being the seventh batsman out. His attempted pull off his opposite number, Corey Hill, lobbed comfortably to Yusaff Pitt at forward square. Earlier, Vernon Eve had contributed 22 with a four and a six to Flatts' cause while Lloyd Fray, 19 not out, and James Celestine, 15, were the other main knocks. There were also 19 extras.

Jermaine Outerbridge took three for 32 off 10 overs to be Bailey's Bay's best bowler while Hill chipped in with two for 37 off 10. Rodney Trott, just 14-years-old, sent down 10 overs, including five maidens, for a meagre nine runs.

In Bailey's Bay's innings, only Irvin Romaine and opener, Dennis Trott, made any scores of note, the latter hitting 21 (two fours and a six) and Romaine, 35, with three fours and a six. The home side had their backs to the wall from early on, losing their first three wickets with the score on 44.

The decline was steady thereafter and only an eighth-wicket partnership of 31 between Romaine and Burton Outerbridge saved them from deeper embarrassment.

Nelson Bascome and Troy Dean were the most successful bowlers for Flatts taking two for 22 and two for 25 respectively.