Stephen Outerbridge used his experienced at the top of the batting order to score 77 from 49 balls as Bailey’s Bay chased down a challenging 180 in 20 overs to beat their Eastern Counties rivals with just two balls to spare in the Twenty20 League yesterday.

Outerbridge shared in an opening stand of 54 with Rodney Trott as the two former Bay captains laid the foundation after their team were set a target of nine runs an over. Trott departed for 23 in the seventh over six over before Coolidge Durham was bowled next over by Cejay Outerbridge as St David’s fought back with two quick wickets.

The departure of Shaquille Outerbridge on the last ball of the tenth over left Bay on 72 for three and with the run rate now more than ten an over, as 109 was still needed off the last ten overs.

Outerbridge shared in two useful stands with Derrick Brangman and Zeko Burgess for the fourth and fifth wickets in the run chase.

Brangman contributed a valuable 20 from just 11 balls in the 36-run stand for the fourth wicket before Burgess added 27 from 14 balls with three sixes and a four in a stand of 42 for the fifth wicket, which carried Bay to 160 after 17.4 overs. Bay were 131 for four after 15 overs, just slightly behind the 133 for five St David’s had at the same stage.

Outerbridge departed on the last ball of the nineteenth over, caught by Rudell Pitcher after hitting seven fours and four sixes. His departure let Bay needing five runs off the last over when captain Terryn Fray walked to the crease at No 8 to join Kyle Hodsoll.

The pair scored singles off the first two balls before Fray, celebrating his 28th birthday, hit a double and then a straight driven four to secure the victory that keeps them five points behind Southampton Rangers with two matches remaining. It was the second win for Bay over St David’s in the competition this season.

“Normally I would come a little earlier, but I just felt today was a day for guys who are a lot more aggressive than me to have a try at a total that was the highest total we’ve seen in T20 this season,” Fray said.

“One hundred and eighty in T20 in Bermuda is a really good score so you definitely want to give the batsmen who can take advantage of the bowling the best chance possible. I don’t mind coming in that late as long as we win. It was nice to come in with a little bit of pressure, but not too much pressure.”

Fray missed last weekend’s loss to Rangers as he was in Texas and New Jersey supporting Bermuda’s football team at the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Outerbridge showed his experience at the top of the order, making St David’s pay for dropped catches as he was put down by Janiell Carlington in the deep before reaching his 50.

The extras 40 runs he added was the difference between victory and defeat as St David’s failed to defend their total, effectively losing any chance of retaining their title.

“We needed ten runs an over in the last ten overs which is standard as you’re always going to be positive in the last ten overs,” Outerbridge said.

“We talked about setting certain targets at certain overs and we were probably behind at the eleventh over, but always knew if we got one or two big overs the run rate comes down. It comes down to mathematics.

“As long as you have wickets in hand and have guys who can hit the ball and clear the boundary we always knew we were in with a shout.

“I watch a lot of IPL when guys chase down 200 and make it look easy because they are very calculated.

“I study enough cricket to know that with 50 runs needed in the last ten overs that we were bang on target.

“We’re two different teams; [St David’s] like to clear the boundaries while we like to calculate and accumulate our runs differently with the odd boundary.

“They didn’t run well and I think that was probably the difference between the two teams.”

Cejay Outerbridge was the only St David’s bowler taking more than one wicket, finishing with two for 29 from his four overs.

Macai Simmons and Rudell Pitcher both scored 46 for St David’s. Simmons, batting at No 3, hit three sixes and four fours off 35 balls while tailender Pitcher, batting at No 7, hit three sixes and five fours in his first knock of the season.

A mix-up between Pitcher and Allan Douglas cost St David’s a vital wicket at 138 for six in the sixteenth over when Douglas called for a risky run after Pitcher drove firmly to Coolidge Durham in the covers. Douglas turned back but was caught short of his crease. He scored 39 from just 18 balls, hitting five sixes and a four before he departed.

Pitcher kept the runs flowing in the final overs to finish on 46 not out from 26 balls.

Earlier, Lionel Cann and Simmons put on 58 for the second wicket in just eight overs after OJ Pitcher was out on the fourth ball of the match, caught behind by Jarryd Richardson who had two catches and two stumpings filling for regular wicketkeeper Sinclair Smith.

Hodsoll took two for 22 and Rodney Trott two for 15 to lead the Bay bowling.