North Field, National Sports Centre (Pembroke Panthers won toss): Hamilton Parish Hurricanes beat Pembroke Panthers by seven wickets

Hamilton Parish Hurricanes made it through to the final of the inaugural Bermuda Smash Invitational with an easy victory over Pembroke Panthers in the curtain-raiser on the final day.

On a slow pitch with timing critical and runs hard earned, Alex Dore further stated his pedigree with an intelligently constructed top-order display against a Panthers attack made to look innocuous.

Understanding the chase for 140 to be that of a sub-par target, Dore for the most part eschewed the usual aerial route in favour of correctness, scoring 59 not out, his third half-century of the tournament, dissecting the field for five fours and adding a six.

Dore dominated first- and second-wicket partnerships of 32 and 53 runs when teaming with Terryn Fray (five) and Sinclair Smith (22) to place Hurricanes firmly on the path to victory and the final.

Charles Trott (28) accompanied Dore to within eight runs of reaching the mark before he was run out by an accurate Isaiah O’Brien throw to wicket-keeper Ricardo Brangman, making way for Carlos Brathwaite to help with mop-up duties.

“All it is, is having the mindset to understand what the total is relevant to the 120 balls,” Dore said.

“If you look at what they scored by comparison their total was low. As a batsman you have to still play your game but consider as well the risk and there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

“We played no-risk cricket and I’m just thankful to my team for having faith in me because it was a team effort really.

“We bowled well and we batted well and it was not just a good performance, but a great performance.”

For Panthers coach Janeiro Tucker the loss was disappointing, even if it was one of his former pupils at Southampton Rangers and now under his instruction at Somerset, that put an end to his side’s campaign.

“I don’t think we came to play today, as we had for the previous matches,” said Tucker.

“Our batting wasn’t fluent and we didn’t pick up the boundaries that were necessary to put up a decent total.

“That total, 139, is not big enough for a team to get into a final. Still it was a good three days of cricket, not so much the fourth day as the players were flat, they didn’t have as much energy and are tired.

“Alex has done well throughout the tournament and definitely showed his class. He’s fit, puts in the work and it’s nice to have him up Somerset playing.”

Batting first, Panthers lost their first wicket with just eight runs on the board when international player Chandrapaul Hemraj wafted outside the off stump and sliced a George O’Brien delivery to Terryn Fray at backward point.

Seven runs later, No 3 Azende Furbert followed his team-mate back to the players’ tent, his misguided dance toward Derrick Brangman abruptly ended via stumping.

Pushed up the order, Isaiah O’Brien proved a profitable surprise as he grafted his way to a well-paced 33 from 28 balls, including a four and two sixes.

He and captain Tre Manders (25) managed 38 for the third wicket before the youngster became Brangman’s second victim.

Other double-figure contributions were made by Marcus Scotland (21), Zeko Burgess (14) and Dominic Sabir(13).

Brangman’s two for 20 were the best figures for Hurricanes, while Carlos Brathwaite (two for 25) and Abdul Salaam (two for 40) also produced to positive effect.