Lionel Cann marked his 50th appearance in the Eastern Counties Cup with 62 runs to help St David’s reclaim the trophy against Cleveland County at Sea Breeze Oval yesterday.

St David’s, who lost the cup to Bailey’s Bay last summer, dismissed Cleveland for 155 off 55 overs before Cann’s half-century inspired his side to a three-wicket victory in just 34.5 overs.

Cleveland, who upset Bay in the first round, found strong resistance from Cann after Macai Simmons, who scored 34, and Loren Marshall, who hit 15, shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 48 to carry the challengers from a precarious position of 27 for three.

Dion Stovell, who top scored for Cleveland with 70, claimed two quick wickets to remove St David’s openers Ankoma Cannonier and Delyone Borden with just nine runs on the board by the tea break.

When captain Chris Foggo was third out for 18, the match seemed to be shaping up for an exciting finish, reminiscent of the 2016 final when St David’s beat holders Cleveland by one wicket.

Chris Douglas smashed Dennis Musson for three fours in one over before the same bowler had him caught behind by Steven Bremar, the Cleveland captain, the next over.

Rudell Pitcher, the St David’s hero in 2016, again scored the winning runs, a straight six off Makai Young.

It was Cann, though, who was the key batsman for St David’s, hitting six sixes and three fours off 37 balls after coming in at 75 for four to tilt the match in St David’s favour.

Cann was out caught at mid-on by Mishael Paynter, his St George’s team-mate, with just six runs needed for victory.

Young led the Cleveland bowling with three for 54 — all catches held by Paynter at mid-on — while Stovell took two for 13.

Earlier Stovell had helped Cleveland recover from 38 for three, with his 70 coming off 78 balls, hitting six fours and a six before he was ninth out, trapped leg before trying to sweep a ball down the leg side.

Four balls later the innings was over as off spinner Borden had Levar Talbot caught by Loren Marshall to finish with three for 26. George O’Brien led the St David’s bowling with four for 41.

Curtis Jackson, the Cleveland player-coach, who was struck in the head in his previous match against Flatts, went off injured again, this time after taking a blow to his arm from a delivery from O’Brien.

He returned at the fall of the fifth wicket on 81 to share in a sixth-wicket stand of 32 with Stovell, scoring 22.

The draw for the 2019 series will pit St David’s against Bay in the first round in July, before Cleveland play the winners in the second round a month later. Flatts will provide the opposition in the final.

EASTERN COUNTIES CUP FINAL

Sea Breeze Oval

Saturday

Cleveland v St David’s

Sea Breeze Oval (St David’s won toss): St David’s beat Cleveland by seven wickets

Cleveland

M Paynter c O’Brien b J Pitcher 13

C Jackson lbw b Outerbridge 22

Q Darrell b O’Brien 10

†*S Bremar b O’Brien 4

D Stovell lbw b Borden 70

D Musson b O’Brien 1

M McGowan run out 7

M Young st wk Douglas b Borden 6

I Creighton lbw b O’Brien 5

L Talbot c Marshall b Borden 4

J Richardson not out 1

Extras (1b, 4lb, 4w, 3nb) 12

Total (all out, 55 overs) 155

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-38, 3-38, 4-52, 5-81, 6-113, 7-120, 8-129, 9-154

Bowling: G O’Brien 18-1-41-4; C Outerbridge 11-2-30-1; J Pitcher 4-0-20-1; C Smith 6-0-33-0; D Borden 16-2-26-3.

St David’s

D Borden b Stovell 3

A Cannonier lbw b Stovell 0

†*C Douglas c wk Bremar b Musson 18

M Simmons run out 34

L Marshall c Paynter b Young 15

L Cann c Paynter b Young 62

G O’Brien c Paynter b Young 1

J Pitcher not out 1

R Pitcher not out 8

Extras (7b, 4lb, 7w, 1nb) 19

Total (7 wickets, 34.5 overs) 161

C Outerbridge, C Smith did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-9, 3-27, 4-75, 5-107, 6-138, 7-150

Bowling: D Musson 13-1-58-1; D Stovell 7-2-13-2; M Young 9.5-0-54-3; J Richardson 4-0-13-0; I Creighton 1-0-12-0.

Umpires: E Carrington, C Brangman

Man of the match: L Cann (St David’s)

Man of the Series: D Stovell (Cleveland)

Spin bowler of the Series: D Stovell (Cleveland)

2019 matches will be held at Lord’s

First round, July 20: St David’s v Bailey’s Bay

Second round, August 17: Winners v Cleveland

Final, August 31: Winners v Flatts