One camp is seething, the other is smiling ? all the way to the title.

Thus were the respective contrasting reactions yesterday from Devonshire and Somerset cricket teams regarding the Bermuda Cricket Board?s (BCB) decision to award maximum points to Somerset for their final-day First Division league clash that determined the championship and promotion.

While Devonshire?s secretary Ellsworth Christopher fumed about the lack of proper protocol by the BCB, Somerset coach Winston Reid could not hide his delight at the news that this club had prevailed in the One-Day championship and, with that, were elevated to local cricket?s elite circle again.

The six points awarded to Somerset ? following the abandonment of their July 24 game because of in-fighting among Devonshire players ? boosted them to 32 points ? two more than Warwick. Devonshire finished third on 26.

?I am excited. That?s wonderful. We were looking forward to promotion. That was our aim at the beginning of the season but we know we will have to do a lot in the Premier Division next year,? said Reid.

?We only lost one league game this season and we worked really hard. The guys have been working out in the gym from January and that made things easier in the season and in training.?

However, it was the players? unyielding commitment which he felt made the decisive difference.

?I couldn?t complain about the commitment. That was the main thing. The guys were focused on what they wanted. It was a real team effort.

?Initially people thought we weren?t going to do well because we had a lot of youngsters but the senior players knew that instead of scoring 20 they had to score 40. They rose to the occasion.?

The former Bermuda batsman cited the likes of Cup Match colt Azeem Pitcher, Reid Jones and John Woolnough ? who freed Jones up from wicket-keeping to concentrate on batting ? as some who shone for the West End outfit.

There was also much praise for teenage bowler Jordan DeSilva who, at just age 15, picked up more than 20 wickets.

?I thought that was great for him at that tender age. He had a lot of responsibility. He even got among the runs with some good 20s and 30s when needed,? said the coach, admitting however that the team?s overall bowling wasn?t that good this year and must improve.

The Somerset diehard, who was coaxed back into coaching for this season, chuckled when asked if he would stay on in 2006.

?If I don?t stay the chairman (of cricket Anthony Bailey) would kill me and I plan to live a bit longer. They are a great group of guys and I enjoy working with them.?

Not surprisingly he was fully supportive of the BCB?s verdict.

?I thought it would have gone in our favour because we didn?t do anything wrong. We were on course for victory and we didn?t start the fight and we weren?t involved in it,? he noted.

?As a matter of fact when the fight started I asked my players to come inside the dressing room and sit down and we left as soon as the umpire said the game was abandoned. It would have been wrong to penalise us.?

Though he would not comment on the decision itself, a clearly annoyed Christopher blasted the BCB for not informing the clubs before the matter was made public.

?Devonshire Recreation Club has not been notified about the outcome of that match. Now if that?s the way the Board is conducting their business well good for them. In my time we would send something to the club before something gets published in the paper,? said the club official who previously contended that the umpire abandoned the match prematurely.

?I really can?t believe they haven?t had the courtesy of informing us or asking us anything about the match. Maybe these people who are new in the administration need to learn some common etiquette.

?I?m disappointed with the process. They haven?t even had the courtesy to let us know what?s going on and I don?t like that.?

As for whether Devonshire would appeal, he said he would have to consult others at the club.

St. George?s were also on the losing end as their appeal against the outcome of their rain-affected match with Social Club was turned down.

Despite finding that umpire Randy Butler erred in using the Duckworth-Lewis system and not run rate to calculate St. George?s adjusted target ? and in awarding Social Club victory rather than calling the match a tie ? the Board ?determined that the ruling on the field would stand and therefore Social Club retained their full points?.

BCB secretary Marc Wetherhill stressed that St. George?s would still have been relegated had the matter been decided in their favour.

?Irrespective of the outcome of that match, St. George?s overall run rate would still have been less than that of Social Club ? who would have been the other team in danger of relegation ? so they would still have gone down based on net run rate,? he explained.

Meanwhile, Bailey?s Bay will seek to defend their Eastern Counties title in the second round against Cleveland today at Lord?s.

A strong Bay line-up will no doubt feel confident against rivals who tasted the bitter reality of relegation this season. However, with nothing to lose, Cleveland should not be underestimated ? and Bay have vowed not to make that mistake.

?My team is fine. I think we?ll be ready to play and concentrate. We?re not going to take them lightly because (the) county (competition) is a totally different atmosphere. All the teams in the Eastern Counties are always raring to go on their day. I think it will be a good match as usual,? said Bay skipper Jermaine Outerbridge, listing Glenn Blakeney, Rodney Trott and Burton Outerbridge as notable absentees from the champions ranks.

?We won?t take it for granted that we will win. We?re going out there and play hard.?

Bay will turn their attention to the semi-finals of the Combined Knockout tomorrow, taking on Police at Prospect while Somerset get to see what?s in store for them next year as they tackle Southampton Rangers at Southampton Oval. Jermaine Outerbridge (captain), Jermaine Warner, Dennis Trott, Stephen Outerbridge, Irving Romaine, Charlie Marshall, Corey Hill, Calvin Dill, Dennis Pilgrim, Jim West and Roderick Masters. Kearon Trott and Jordan Commissiong.Carlton Smith (captain), Jason Simons, Jeffrey Tyrell, Dennis Musson Jr, Aaron Adams, Courtney Trott, Kevin Sheills, Hasan Durham, Charles Richardson, Tamauri Tucker (colt), Damon Rabain (colt), Derek Musson, David Trott and Steven Douglas. Daz Simons.