Gallant North Village broke their duck at the eleventh attempt with victory in a high-scoring Evening Cricket League game against De Wicketest and then gave High Flyaz a run for their money in their next match.

Renegades tightened their grip on group one with a 21-run victory over The Associates — despite Will Tyrrell's superb 38-ball 92 — and Bailey's Bay added to The Associates' disappointment when they beat them by eight runs.

De Wicketest, whose captain, Justin Brookes, called it a “cracker of a match”, set their opponents a tough target at Sea Breeze Oval after Rian Lindo (57 not out) and Paul Carr (56 not out) guided their side to 189 for three.

But Shervin Jennings, who made 57, and Derwin Adams (43) spearheaded the reply which saw Village end a streak of ten defeats to romp home with five wickets and nine balls to spare, Shwonde Butterfield and Kenny Thompson helping the cause with 30 and 29 respectively.

"We went in to bat chasing one of the highest scores of our season. Given our track record this season, we assumed that this would be a crushing defeat and we aimed to just make it respectable," Andrew Griffith, the Village captain, said.

"In the first over Shervin Jennings made 20 runs and we thought, wait a minute, we might have a chance.

"Then in the second over Kenny Thompson hit a six and a four and we thought that we definitely had a chance. As they say, the rest is history!"

Encouraged by their win, Village put up a spirited fight in their next game against High Flyaz, second in group two, before succumbing to a 16-run defeat.

Dwight Basden, a 49-year-old former Bermuda batter, followed up his unbeaten 62 against league leaders Tuff Dogs the previous week by steering High Flyaz to 139 for six with a 52-ball 77 not out that included seven fours and three sixes.

Thompson, the club's 57-year-old football coach, led the Village reply of 123 for four, with a 34-ball 44, while Jennings, who also took two for 26, weighed in with 25 and Adams 24. Shawn Riley was High Flyaz's most successful bowler with two for 18.

Gerald Simons, spokesman for High Flyaz, said: “We got off to a rocky start [25 for two], but Dwight Basden [at No 3] steadied the ship and propelled us to a respectable total.

“In reply, Village were restricted from scoring a lot of boundaries, but were willing to run between the wicket, led by Kenny Thompson, who played shots all around the wicket.

“On two occasions he played exquisite shots through extra cover off Herbie Bascome, who later quipped that Thompson ‘should have played in Cup Match for Somerset many years ago’.”

Ryan Miller, the captain, and Riaan Engelbrecht (43) gave Renegades a flying start with a century stand against The Associates before Christof van Tonder followed up with some big hitting near the back of the innings with 35 in a total of 178 for five.

Hugh Stanton marked his farewell game for Renegades by snapping up five for 22 as The Associates’ reply closed on 157 for nine, Tyrrell ploughing a virtual lone furrow with eight sixes and seven fours in his explosive innings.

Miller, whose 51 from 32 balls included four fours and three sixes, said: “Will Tyrrell played a fantastic innings to keep The Associates in it right until the last over.

“We managed to take regular wickets at the other end thanks to some great bowling by Hugh Stanton in his last game for Renegades before he heads back to the United Kingdom.”

Kujuan Simons played a key role, making 23 and claiming three for 23, as Bailey’s Bay edged The Associates, who closed on 127 for eight in reply to the hosts’ 135 for seven at their home ground.

Alzado Minks-Cole made 26 and Burton Outerbridge 22 not out for the hosts after The Associates’ opening bowler, Rich Biram, bagged two wickets in his first over and was on a hat-trick before finishing with three for 39.

Matt Ball led the visiting side’s reply with 38 and fellow opener Alex Kirby made 22 before he fell to a smart one-handed catch by Maurice Steede at short extra cover from the bowling of Simons.

Lorenzo Simmons, the Bay captain, who took three for 20, said: “It was a great match, good camaraderie between the sides. We’re excited about the win against one of the contenders for the league.

“We’ve started taking our catches and I commended my team for sticking to the wicket after six or seven years out of the league and not playing together.”

West XI moved off the bottom of group two with a 28-run victory over PHC.