A record-breaking partnership between Cleveland County pair Makai Young and Tybrae Robinson overshadowed champions St David’s’ successful title defence as the Eastern Counties second round ended in a draw at Lord’s on Saturday.

The match looked destined for an early finish with Cleveland on the ropes at 99 for nine shortly after lunch and St David’s pushing for the victory.

However, last man and colt Robinson and middle-order batsman Young had other ideas as they led a remarkable fightback to earn a draw with a unbroken 113-run tenth-wicket partnership.

“We showed a lot more than just character to come out of the slump we where in,” Curtis Jackson, the Cleveland player-coach, said.

Man-of-the-Match Young led the charge en route to a first career century, stroking 102 from 150 balls, which included six sixes and four fours.

“My plan was to hit a certain amount of singles before I started to hit the rope and it just worked out,” Young said.

“I had a good partner in Tybrae who played beyond his age.

“This [century and record partnership] probably would never have happened without him because he’s a big part of that.

“He was the last wicket and he stood his ground and showed major character.”

Robinson, who stroked 27 from 58 balls, which included three fours, said his vital innings exceeded expectations.

“I was just surprised at myself because I have never batted like this before,” the Bermuda Under-19 seam bowler said.

“I just wanted to stay there and help my mate get his hundred.”

George Cannonier, the St David’s coach, added: “We were just unlucky not to get that last wicket but Makai and Tybrae batted well. “Makai deserved a century and it was great for him.

“We might have underestimated Cleveland a bit, especially in the position that we where in.

“We kept attacking but luck didn’t run our way and those two batted well. We learnt from this game today.”

Jackson (18) and Kioshi Trott (13) the only other Cleveland batsmen in double figures.

Justin Pitcher led the St David’s attack with three for 50 while new-ball partner Chare Smith and off spinner Brian Hall claimed two wickets each.

The match was interestingly poised after Cleveland declared their innings just before tea at 212 for nine.

In reply, St David’s were coasting at 105 for one on a pitch that got easier to bat on as the day progressed.

However, the match turned sharply after Cleveland captain Steven Bremar introduced leg spinner Lavarr Talbot into the attack.

He pegged the batsmen back on the way to figures of four for 21 from 13 overs.

“We don’t have a genuine spinner and I knew what Lavarr could bring to the table so that’s why I called him out,” Jackson said.

Cleveland made considerable inroads with the ball but St David’s ultimately held on for the draw.

The champions were 149 for seven when stumps were drawn at the mandatory cut off time at 7.20pm, with Shannon Rayner top scoring with 61 from 96 balls, which included two sixes and eight fours.

The opener reached a maiden Eastern Counties half-century off 83 balls and added 72 runs for the second wicket with Delyone Borden (31) before being held at long on off the bowling of Talbot.

Rayner’s dismissal ignited a slide that saw five wickets fall for the addition of 21 runs.

However, cousins OJ Pitcher, 12 not out, and Rudell Pitcher, who scored 20, dug in and added 23 runs for the seventh wicket to guide the champions to safety. Rudell Pitcher was dismissed on the last ball of the match.

“I knew they could not bowl us out with the rest of the time we had because we have a batting team and that was a batsman’s strip,” Cannonier said.

Jackson feels his team would have finished the job off had they had the clock been on their side.

“Another half an hour or ten overs and it would have been on,” he said. “I’m not disappointed at all. If anything at all I am proud of these guys.”

Eastern Counties Second Round

St David’s v Cleveland

Lords (St David’s won toss): Match drawn

Cleveland County

N Raynor c D Simons b C Smith 6

C Jackson c OJ Pitcher b Hall 18

L Talbot lbw J Pitcher 4

Q Darrell lbw J Pitcher 0

+*S Bremar b Hall 4

K Trott b C Smith 13

M Young not out 102

D Musson run out (Borden) 2

S Darrell run out (Cann) 2

J Richardson b J Pitcher 7

T Robinson not out 27

Extras (b 12, lb 3, w 3, nb 4) 22 (St David’s penalised five penalty runs for time wasting)

Total (9wkts, 63.5 overs declared) 212

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-24, 3-31, 4-46, 5-51, 6-71, 7-83, 8-85, 9-99.

Bowling: J Pitcher 17-2-50-3; C Smith 16-3-46-2; M Simmons 9.5-0-34-0; B Hall 16-4-52-2; R Pitcher 4-1-7-0; OJ Pitcher 1-0-3-0.

St David’s

D Simons lbw Q Darrell 16

S Rayner c Trott b Talbot 61

D Borden lbw Talbot 31

B Hall lbw Talbot 0

OJ Pitcher not out 12

M Simmons c Richardson b Talbot 0

L Cann b Musson 1

R Pitcher c Raynor b S Darrell 20

J Pitcher, S Smith, C Smith Did not bat

Extras (b 1, lb 1, w 6) 8

Total (7wkts, 45 overs) 149

Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-105, 3-105, 4-125, 5-125, 6-126, 7-149.

Bowling: T Robinson 3-0-11-0; J Richardson 3-0-18-0; D Musson 9-3-24-0; Q Darrell 5-1-20-1; S Darrell 6-0-25-0; L Talbot 13-3-21-4; M Young 6-0-27-0.

Umpires: C Brangman, A Knight.