Somerset captain Terryn Fray has hailed Dion Stovell as Bermuda’s finest cricketer after the all-rounder’s match-winning heroics with the ball in Cup Match.

The 39-year-old’s bowling display in both innings played a huge role in the West Enders achieving victory, with his exploits helping him to join the likes of Clarence Parfitt, the best bowler in Cup Match history, in recording a five-wicket haul in two innings of the same encounter.

“You can’t say anything against Dion Stovell as he is Bermuda’s best cricketer by far and nobody even comes close to him,’’ Fray said.

Jeff Richardson, the retiring Somerset coach, was also impressed by Stovell’s ability to affect the game and not be disheartened if one aspect of his play is not where he needs it to be.

“He was absolutely phenomenal and if he doesn't make runs, he gets wickets,’’ Richardson said.

“He’s the new Mr Cup Match in my eyes, he’s taking over from Janeiro Tucker.”

Tucker, Somerset’s incoming coach, and known across the island because of his dominance in the Annual Classic during his playing days, was also full of praise for Stovell.

“He’s a good player, he scores runs and takes wickets and he does his job really well,” the Cup Match legend said.

“I don’t think anybody will be “Mr Cup Match”, but it'll be a different name for him. He deserves his accolades as well with twelve wickets in two innings, and he bowled really well.”

Stovell was delighted to put smiles on the faces of the people of Somerset by leading the red and blue to Cup Match victory.

“I’m really proud and I think the Somerset community is happy,’’ Stovell said.

“We came out here and played some really good cricket. For me it’s about winning, I wasn't looking at trying to make history and if it happened, it happened.

“I had to apply myself and let the ball do the work. In the first St George’s innings there was a lot of turn and in the second innings it started to die out. If you bowled in the right areas on that wicket, it was hard to bat on.”

Stovell praised the St George’s duo of Macai Simmons and Oronde Bascome for putting up a fight in the second innings with an 85-run stand for the seventh wicket.

“At the end of the day I thought Oronde and Macai held their own,” he said.

“To score 80 and running to bat injured, it shows the character of the guys. Hats off to St George’s because they’re fighters, they fight hard and they keep coming.

“Congratulations to Macai Simmons, he batted well, but at the end of the day we came out victorious.”