Flatts 120

Western Stars 121-2

The mission was two-fold: to win and win very quickly because captain Albert Steede had another mission to accomplish before the evening ended.

Thus were the objectives as Western Stars took to the field against Flatts yesterday at Sea Breeze Oval. A few hours later, as Philip Burgess tossed up a wide to Steede himself, both goals were achieved - and with time to spare. Western Stars had replied to Flatts 120 all out in 33 overs with a commanding 121 for two in 20.4 overs, keeping the St. John's Road team well in the hunt for the league title.

Steede, a judge in the Miss Teen Bermuda pageant which took place later in the evening, needed to leave the ground at 4.45 p.m. and his players did everything to ensure he remained on schedule.

They got the upper-hand early, reducing Flatts to 55 for five, and never loosened the stranglehold as they zeroed in for the kill.

Dwayne Leverock and Wilbur Burt shared the bowling limelight with three for eight off five overs and three for 22 off seven overs respectively. Gershon Gibbons took two for 25 off seven. Only Derek Wright - 37 not out with a four and four sixes - and opener Garth Warner, who was bowled by Burt for 21, produced any scores of note for Flatts. Nineteen extras were the third-highest contribution to the total.

In Western Stars' turn at the crease, the race to meet Steede's deadline was kept well on track thanks to a robust unbeaten 50 from Arnold Manders, promoted to number four ahead of Saleem Mukuddem. The 43-year-old veteran reached his whirlwind half-century off just 28 balls, smashing five fours and four sixes.

Manders, who has played for Western Stars for 31 years, joined Steede at the wicket with the score on 47 for two after the quick demise of Treadwell Gibbons and Gershon Gibbons. It was a move that paid handsomely with an unbroken 74-run partnership that saw Western Stars to victory at 4:36 p.m. Their cause was helped by Flatts' skipper, Rahji Edness, who conceded 19 runs from the penultimate over - his only one of the day.

"This has been been a long time coming. Usually I come in with just a few overs left but today was ideal for me - a low score and the captain needing us to finish quickly - so I came in a bit early.

"I have not been too pleased with this season. I've had opportunities but threw my wicket away and my strokeplay has been limited by a cartilage injury to my right knee," said Manders.

However, the no-nonsense batsman is confident he can again respond when his team needs him in coming matches.

"I am sure that before the end of the season I'll come good again when they need me."

As for Steede, heading off to choose the prettiest girl in the land, he chipped in with purposeful 39 not out, including seven fours.

Shaking hands with the opposition as he hurried from the field, he would perhaps have been echoing that signature phrase of the late George Peppard on the former television series, The A-Team: "I love it when a plan comes together."