St George’s enjoyed some early bragging rights yesterday when they comfortably beat Somerset by 62 runs in the Colts Cup Match at Wellington Oval.

The holders were restricted to 162 after being sent in, with opener Jarryd Richardson their top bat with 51 before he was fifth out on 102. Somerset were in with a chance going into the final 20 overs in the last hour when they had 72 for four.

However, things quickly fell apart for them as the first five overs yielded just 11 runs while two wickets also went down to leave them in deep trouble at 83 for seven.

Spinner Oni Smith claimed a wicket in the second over when captain Isaiah Richardson was caught at slip by Q’Shai Darrell.

Dominic Sabir, the last of the Somerset recognised bats, was dropped at mid-wicket by Jelani Richardson next over from captain Isaiah Greaves.

St George’s kept up the pressure with Oyinde Bascome, returning to replace his captain at the club end in the fifth over of the last 20, picked up two wickets when he had Jermal Proctor caught behind by wicketkeeper Amari Ebbin and then next ball removed Seth Gibbons when he scooped a catch to Jelani Richardson at short mid-wicket.

Smith then followed up with the wicket of Azar Morrissey in the next over to make it 85 for eight, and when he had Sabir stumped four overs later the match was already in the bag, with Cameron Jeffers needing just three balls to claim the wicket of last man Tayo Smith and seal the win.

Smith won Man of the Match honours for his figures of six for 33 from eleven overs, while Bascome claimed two for 29 from eight.

Opener Jerez Eve was the top bat for Somerset with 26, while three other batsmen scored 14, Jade Morrissey, Sabir and Dalin Richardson.

“This is my first year as skipper in Colts Cup Match so I was learning the ropes,” Greaves said afterwards. “I figured with Oyinde Bascome who moves the ball a lot and Jelani [Richardson] with his pace that we had the upper hand to start.

“When the batsmen started to attack more I brought on my spinner Oni, who slowed up the run rate and started to take wickets. Oni got six wickets and bowled very well today. In our batting we did have a shaky start, but we played with a lot of heart today.”

The match started late, at 12.30pm because of rain, and Somerset soon had the champions in early trouble, thanks to a good first spell from 13-year-old Jermal Proctor, who claimed a wicket in his third over and two more in his fourth to leave St George’s 17 for three by the eighth over.

A stand of 47 between Jarryd Richardson and Bascome began to rebuild the innings after lunch before Bascome departed for 29. Richardson was fifth out on 102 before Jeffers offered some resistance in the tail end, scoring 37 before he was trapped lbw by Nirobi Mills.

Mills and Proctor, who shared the new ball, both took three wickets, Mills giving up 46 runs in 10.5 overs while Proctor had figures of three for 40 from nine overs.

Dalin Richardson, the first change, also took three wickets, giving up 26 runs in nine overs.