Smith and Robinson the Stars of the show
A classy century by Nakia Smith and a nine-wicket match haul by Jacobi Robinson spurred Western Stars to an unlikely victory over Willow Cuts yesterday at St. John?s Field.
Though Stars performed well and applied pressure at the necessary junctures, the visitors must have returned to Somerset wondering how a game that looked like a draw got away from them so rapidly and late in the day as they slumped to defeat by an innings and nine runs.
Led on first innings by 107 after Stars batted the maximum 69 overs, Cuts began their second innings after 2 p.m. clearly looking to play for a comfortable stalemate.
However, Stars ? particularly Robinson and veteran Gershon Gibbons ? had contrasting ideas as they proceeded to scythe through the opposition line-up, sharing the ten wickets between them as Cuts fell for a mere 98 runs ? a far cry from the 231 which they amassed during Saturday?s first innings.
Speedster Robinson, picking up from his three for 49 off 13 overs in the first innings, signalled the death knell for the struggling Willow Cuts with an impressive six for 33 in 13.1 overs in the second innings to record handsome match figures of nine for 82.
Gibbons? left-arm spin mesmerised the losers? middle order as he collected four for 22 from 11 overs to add to his two for 55 when Willow Cuts first batted. The wily Stars allrounder flirted with a hat-trick as he dismissed Trevor Forth and Cordell Gilbert off successive deliveries in the first over after tea to leave Cuts reeling on 44 for five.
Looking bemused the podgy Gilbert hardly knew what had befallen him as wicket-keeper Jekon Edness had the bails off in a flash, condemning Gilbert to a golden duck. Forth also returned to the pavilion scoreless, being caught behind.
Bergon Spencer Jr. arrived at the crease with his team desperately in need of some of the meaty heroics which he produced on the previous day in a pugnacious 92 (nine fours; six sixes) from 62 deliveries. However, there was to be no encore though he survived Gibbons? hat-trick ball.
The burly batsman was among nine Willow Cuts players who failed. Only opener Ryan Sheppard (26) and Reggie Tucker Jr, with a polished and unbeaten 44, reached double figures as the Robinson-Gibbons demolition assumed full effect. Tucker, who struck six fours and a six, shielded the baby-faced lower order from the bowling as much as he could but, despite gritty assistance from tailenders 12-year-old Deunte Darrell and 13-year-old Kavon Fubler, Stars would not be denied.
Earlier in the day, Stars number-three Smith celebrated a smart hundred, scoring 138 from 171 balls. Batting just short of four hours, he smashed 12 fours and one six and shared a fifth-wicket partnership of 163 with Ian Armstrong. The latter contributed 62 (five fours, three sixes) and when he fell, with the score on 209, Smith and Gibbons (43; three fours, one six) put on another 76 for the sixth wicket. Dennico Hollis pitched in with a valuable 39 not out to carry the score past 300.
Seam bowler Sheroy Fubler grabbed four for 78 from 18 overs while Dwight Basden took two for 60 from seven overs.
Cuts? first innings revolved around Spencer and Forth who put on 93 for the fifth wicket after their side was in a bit of trouble on 71 for four. Forth scored 41 with three fours and two sixes while Basden got 27 near the top of the innings.