St John’s Field (Cleveland won toss): Flatts beat Cleveland by 88 runs

With Kamau Leverock “back in the house”, Flatts put down a big marker for the Eastern Counties Cup second round on Saturday with a crushing win over their rivals in the One First Division Championship.

Leverock, batting at No 3, survived a chance to first slip on three to provide the ballast to a Flatts total of 223 for nine in 50 overs with a team-high 68 from 61 balls — that plus a staggering 45 extras conceded by Cleveland, including 37 wides.

Flatts promised much more with the bat, but after Reggie Baker’s curious innings came to an end — his 25 required an unimaginable 109 balls — they fell away.

Largely responsible for that was Makai Young, who took six for 33. He could feel hard done by ending on the losing team after making 49 from 34 balls at No 9 in the reply, with one four and five sixes. To add insult to injury, Young was bizarrely overlooked for the man-of-the-match award, that honour going to the returning Leverock.

Nelson Bascome broke the back of the Cleveland innings with the first four wickets and Paul Carr later chipped in with three.

Captain Cofield Robinson refused to get carried away with county cup in mind. “This means nothing,” he said of yesterday. “[County] is all on the day. I’m not getting too much ahead of myself.”

He was, though, glad to have Leverock back in the fold: “He is a quality player, and you cannot give them second chances.”

Jason Simons, Cleveland’s acting coach hopes this pasting was the wake-up his team need before Saturday’s showdown. “I had been feeling a little complacency and arrogance in the team since we’ve won Eastern Counties,” he said. “I told one of my players on Thursday that they weren’t focused and ready to play this game, so I’m happy for the loss because out of bad things, good things can happen.

“I’m hoping we can bounce back and turn it around for next week Saturday. I’m expecting a bigger fight.”

SCORECARD

Flatts

R Baker c Musson b Young 25

R Smith c K Trott b J Darrell 7

K Leverock c McGowan b Musson 68

D Carey c K Trott b McGowan 32

*†C Robinson c Burrows b Young 5

D Farrel c McGowan b Young 14

K Franks b Young 11

N Bascome b Young 7

P Carr c Musson b Young 6

A Robinson not out 3

Extras (b 2, lb 4, w 37, nb 2) 45

Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 223

L Jones did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-108, 3-139, 4-160, 5-183, 6-200, 7-207, 8-213, 9-223.

Bowling: McGowan 5-0-31-1; Richardson 5-1-20-0; J Darrell 8-0-42-1; Musson 10-2-22-1; Q Darrell 8-1-41-0; Young 9-1-33-6; Bremar 5-0-28-0.

Cleveland

A Burrows c Carey b Bascome 1

B Trott c Jones b Bascome 7

J Darrell run out 7

S Bremar b Bascome 2

Q Darrell c Farrel b Bascome 5

D Musson c Farrel b Smith 19

K Trott c Franks b Carr 5

†B Daniels st Robinson b Carr 20

M Young b Franks 49

M McGowan c Robinson b Carr 2

J Richardson not out 2

Extras (b 2, lb 1, w 13) 16

Total (31.4 overs) 135

Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-12, 3-16, 4-28, 5-50. 6-57, 7-106, 8-120, 9-125.

Bowling: Leverock 7-0-25-0; Bascome 7-1-16-4; Carr 9-2-35-3; Smith 6-0-38-1; Franks 2.4-0-18-1.

Umpires: M McCormack and S Caines.

Third umpire (DLS official): S Douglas.

• UPDATE: this article has been amended to correct that Kamau Leverock was named man of the match and not Makai Young