St.David's CC 181-8

Devonshire Rec. 106-4

Devonshire Recreation Club were crowned Open League champions following one of the most anti-climatic cup finals witnessed in recent memory at the National Sports Centre on Saturday.

Set a target of 182 to chase in 53 overs, Devonshire's defensive-minded batsmen poked and prodded their way to an inevitable draw that was enough to land them the title by a single bonus point.

Each team received four points for the stalemate with Devonshire earning two bonus points for snatching eight wickets while the Islanders received one bonus point for scoring 150 runs.

That Devonshire prevailed in a match about as exciting as watching paint dry owed much to the disciplined bowling of medium pacers Ricky Brangman and Wilbur Burt and off break bowler Derrick Brangman.

Player/coach Ricky Brangman (two for 16) and Burt (two for 81) tossed down 36 overs between them, including a remarkable 18 maidens, before skipper Derrick Brangman (four for 36) kept wickets tumbling at regular intervals as the Islanders put their foot on the gas in search of quick runs in the closing overs of their innings.

After bringing himself into the attack in the 54th over, skipper Brangman made the big breakthrough in his second over when he had opposite number, Delyone Borden (36), held by a juggling Tori Henri at midwicket.

Brangman struck again two overs later when he trapped an aggressive Justin Pitcher (13) leg before after the batsman had lofted him over the boundary ropes for a mighty six.

He then collected the scalps of Del Hollis (one) and teenager Shea Pitcher (nought) with no addition to the total to reduce the Islanders to 142 for eight in the 60th over.

"To be honest, I really wasn't looking to bowl. I worked with the wicket which turned a bit and helped make me a better bowler," a modest Brangman commented afterwards. "I thought it was good team effort and everyone came to play."

It was only through the sensible batting of middle order bat Angelo Cannonier (55) that the Islanders were able to post a more respectable total for their bowlers to defend.

Cannonier stroked three fours and a six off 84 balls in 121 minutes and added 51 runs for the fifth wicket with Borden. He also added 39 runs in an unbroken ninth-wicket stand with sibling Ankoma (seven) as St.David's gathered 75 runs off the last ten overs.

Others in double figures for the Islanders were opener Lionel Cann (35) and number three bat OJ Pitcher who chipped in with 21.

In reply, Devonshire made it quite clear from the outset they had no intention of going after St.David's' total as they shuffled their batting order and hid their key batsmen lower down the order.

In-form fast bowler Justin Pitcher picked up two early wickets to give St. David's the upper hand.

Pitcher had Henri (nought) caught at forward short leg and Steven Bremar jr (six) caught behind by wicketkeeper Shea Pitcher to leave Devonshire wobbling at 27 for three in the 18th over.

But any thoughts St.David's may have had of making further inroads with the new ball were dashed as former Islander Chris Foggo (30) and player/coach Brangman (37) grinded out 65 runs in an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership that took the match completely away from their opponents who didn't help their cause by putting down chances off both batsmen.

Foggo gave a difficult chance behind off the bowling of Borden (one for 31) before he was set while Brangman was dropped on the square leg boundary off the same bowler, hitting recklessly across the line.

Had they taken their chances, the Islanders would have been declared winners on Duckworth/Lewis as they were well ahead on run rate at that stage.

But they didn't, and in the end Derrick Brangman's dismissal of Shea Pitcher proved decisive as it earned his team two precious bonus points.