Captain Joshua Gilbert remains hopeful that a positive season for Somerset Bridge on the pitch can help fulfil his ambition of changing perceptions of the club.

Bridge continued their promising start to the new Twenty20 First Division campaign at the weekend, securing their second win from the opening three games with an eight-wicket victory over winless Devonshire Recreation Club.

While victories are obviously welcome for Gilbert, he believes success this season could have a far greater significance in helping to change the views of their rivals and the wider community towards the club.

“We had a good meeting last week and I told the team that I’m tired of people on the island and other clubs calling us a bad news type of club,” he said.

“I find it really disrespectful because I don’t feel a bad news type of player, nor are any players on my team bad news.

“I expect quality and I know every one of them has it on and off the field.

“The idea is to hopefully change the whole perception surrounding the club. We want to change those perceptions of Somerset Bridge as a club and try and get the community more involved in what we are doing.

“If we can end up challenging for some silverware this season then that can help attract more positive attention to the club and also attract players to play here in the future.”

Sunday’s victory saw the club bounce back to winning ways having suffered a disappointing seven-wicket defeat against table-topping Flatts Victoria a week previously.

Built on a consistent bowling performance, restricting Devonshire Rec to 86 for seven, Gilbert was delighted to see his bowling attack make a big statement, including a morale-boosting wicket for 14-year-old Samir Tavares.

“I’m a little disappointed we haven’t won all three games this season because I felt we should have and would therefore be top of the table,” said Gilbert ahead of facing Warwick Workmen’s Club on Sunday.

“We did ourselves a bit of an injustice against Flatts but thankfully we’re back to winning ways now.

“The focus shifts to Warwick who seem to be doing well with the bat, so hopefully we can restrict them just as we did Devonshire and pick up another victory.

“It was a big performance from us and much better than last time out. We knew it would be a good wicket to bat on but I wanted to really see what we could do with the ball and we were really impressive.

“All the bowlers stuck to their lines and lengths and it made a massive difference for us. It was also great to see Samir Tavares get a wicket.

“He’s only 14 years old, but is 6ft 3ins and we’re trying to give him some experience.

“We want him pushing for the Bermuda Under-19 squad because he feels he can go far and that would have done him the world of good.”