Zeko Burgess gave a show-stopping performance as his incredible 129 runs led Bailey’s Bay to a commanding eight-wicket victory over St George’s at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

St George’s elected to bat, with openers Treadwell Gibbons (74) and Oronde Bascome (42) helping them set a respectable 189 for eight from their allotted overs.

However, from then on it was all about Burgess who took it upon himself to inspire victory in a monumental innings which included fourteen sixes, including four in succession in the tenth over, and six fours as the opener finished up with 129 runs from just 46 balls.

The only negative for Burgess is that he was denied the opportunity to bat out the innings, caught spectacularly by Nzari Paynter with just a run required, in what proved a satisfying afternoon for the big-hitting all-rounder.

“I’m naturally a power hitter but to hit a score like that is pretty special,” Burgess said.

“It was one of those days where there was no sense in holding back. I’ve never really got close to a total like that before in T20. I’ve hit a number of half-centuries but never anything quite like that.

“That’s back-to-back wins now which is fantastic. We need to build on that platform now and work towards challenging for some silverware and achieve something not many would have given us any chance of doing this season with such a young team.”

Having built a promising early innings, standing at 92 for two after ten overs with the dismissals of Oronde Bascome and Temiko Wilson (0), St George’s suffered a collapse after the dismissal of captain Onais Bascome (25) in the fifteenth over.

From then on wickets fell at regular intervals, with Nzari Paynter (5), Drewonde Bascome (0), Osagi Bascome (0) and Kyajee Wilson (0) all departing without making telling contributions leaving the total, less daunting at 146 for seven with three overs remaining.

Jelani Carlington added 15 runs, with Gibbons the final wicket to fall, run out with the last delivery of the innings. Coolidge Durham was the pick of the Bay bowlers with two wickets.

However, once Burgess got in his stride there was only ever going to be one winner, with the supporting roles of Durham (28) and Terryn Fray (22 not out) helping to seal the inevitable victory with a little under four overs to spare.

Premier Division T20

Wellington Oval (St George’s won toss): Bailey’s Bay won by eight wickets

St George’s

T Gibbons run out 74

O O Bascome b Sancho Jackson 42

†T Wilson lbw b Zeko Burgess 0

*O G L Bascome b Coolidge Durham 25

N Paynter run out 5

D Bascome b Coolidge Durham 0

O S Bascome run out 0

K Wilson b KH Hodsoll 0

J Carlington not out 15

G Santucci not out 0

Extras (w 8, nb 7, b 2, lb 5, pen 6) 22

Total (8 wkts; 20 overs) 189

B Swainson did not bat

Fall of Wicket: 1-82, 2-92, 3-135, 4-143, 5-144, 6-144, 7-146, 8-183

Bowling: Hodsoll 4-0-35-1; Z Burgess 4-0-24-1; Burgess 2-0-38-0; Jackson 3-0-18-1; Blakeney 3-0-24-0; Durham 3-0-29-2; Sealey 1-0-8-0

Bailey’s Bay

Z Burgess c Paynter b Richards 129

*T F Fray not out 22

†J Richardson not out 0

Extras (w 7, nb 1, b 1, lb 2) 11

Total (2 wkts; 16.1 overs) 190

J Burgess, K Sealey, K Hodsoll, L Outerbridge, N White, Z Bowen, Z White, I Armstrong, S Outerbridge did not bat

Fall of Wicket: 1-53, 2-189

Bowling: Gibbons 4-0-43-0; O G L Bascome 3.1-0-49-0; O O Bascome 3-0-15-0; Paynter 2-0-28-1; O S Bascome 1-0-30-0; Richards 3-0-22-1