St. David's 180, St. George's 105

St. David's bounced back from their Eastern Counties defeat the day before to score an easy 75-run victory over St. George's in the first round of the Premier Division Knockout at Wellington Oval.

It was the fourth time this season that St. David's have beaten their neighbours, this win taking them into the semi-finals of the knockout and keeping them in the hunt for another trophy.

Captain Clay Smith was high man for St. David's with 45 which came off 58 balls and included six fours and a six. The St. David's innings fell apart drastically after Smith was fifth out on 162, following a stand of 77 with O.J. Pitcher.

St. George's captain Charlie Marshall claimed Smith's wicket in his fifth wicket and two balls later bowled Lionel Cann who announced his arrival with a first ball six.

Marshall then claimed further wickets in his sixth, seventh and eighth overs as St. David's slumped from 162-5 to 180 all out. Marshall finished with figures of five for 31 from 7.2 overs while Herbie Bascome had figures of three for 30 from nine overs. Mark Ray bowled economically in his ten-over spell, finishing with figures of one for 20.

Two other St. David's batsmen also got in the 40s, with O.J.Pitcher scoring 43 off 88 balls and Chris Foggo 40 from 42 balls off six fours and a six.

St. George's never made a serious push for victory after losing openers Detroy Smith and Mishael Paynter with only seven runs on the board. And when their three most senior batsmen, Lewis Foggo, Mark Ray and Charlie Marshall, also went cheaply to make it 39-5, victory for St. David's was a foregone conclusion.

Troy Hall, batting at number seven, offered the most resistance with his gritty knock of 26. He shared in a 25-run, sixth-wicket stand with his nephew Freddy Hall (14) but the home team had little to offer once the pair departed.

Del Hollis was the pick of the St. David's bowlers, taking three for 15 from 7.5 overs of spin while spinner Glenn Blakeney made up for his failure with the bat by taking two for 23. George O'Brien claimed two for 18.