Somerset Cricket Club (St George’s won toss): St George’s beat Willow Cuts by 100-runs

Temiko Wilson thumped a century and captain Onias Bascome claimed five wickets to power St George’s to a convincing win over Willow Cuts in a high-scoring Premier Division 50-overs contest at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Opener Wilson stroked 11 boundaries and four sixes in a polished knock of 133 from 148 balls that laid the foundation of the visitors total of 327 for seven after electing to take first strike in excellent batting conditions.

He also featured in four half-century partnerships, adding 90 with Detroy Smith (41), 61 with Rodney Trott (17), 51 with Treadwell Gibbons Jr (27) and 77 with Bascome (47) that ultimately put the match beyond the reach of hosts Cuts.

Wilson reached a first century in nearly two seasons in the 38th over off 120 balls after sweeping a Joseph Basden delivery to the vacant backward square leg region and scampering through for two singles.

“It was a really good knock and well diverse as I wasn’t scoring too slow or too fast,” Wilson said.

“At times I held up the ball and also got my team-mates involved as well, so I feel like overall it was a good knock.

“The pitch was a bit sticky early. It was a bit damp and towards the end of the innings the bounce was a bit more true. I actually told the guys they would get the rub of the green today.”

Wicketkeeper Sinclair Smith (27) and Nzari Paynter (16) were the remaining St George’s batsmen getting starts as the Cuts attack was put to the sword.

Kamal Bashir was the home side’s most successful bowler with three for 67. Basden took two for 63 while Sergio Raynor claimed one for 43 and Kavon Fubler one for 58.

Cuts were faced with a daunting task of scoring a run-a-ball and got the chase off to a wobbly start after opener Raynor departed in the first over for a duck.

They managed to stabilise the innings but were well behind the required rate at 36 for one at the end of the first powerplay.

The hosts eventually accelerated the chase with captain Kwasi James (68) and Bashir (56) adding 66 for the fifth wicket in seven overs before the former spooned an easy return catch to St George’s counterpart Bascome.

Cuts’ last hope then rested heavily upon the shoulders of Bashir, who carried on the fight for another ten overs before he drove loosely at a Bascome delivery and was grabbed by Jabari Darrell in the covers.

Bascome clinched the victory the visitors deserved when wicketkeeper Smith completed his third stumping of the innings to dismiss last man Trenton Tankard for a golden duck.

The St George’s captain finished with impressive figures of five for 48, while off spinner Rodney Trott took two for 36 and leg spinner Isaiah Greaves two for 25.

“I think it was an excellent team effort,” Clay Smith, the St George’s coach, said.

“From a batting standpoint everybody chipped. We have been talking a lot about players getting set and going all the away and today Temiko was the one that got set.

“He done the job and everybody pretty much batted around him, which was first class.

“In the field, though, I still think there’s some areas where we can definitely improve on. We lacked a little bit of energy at times when they were building partnerships, but the wickets helped to keep us focused.”

Bashir felt Cuts were still in with a shout despite leaking over 300 runs in the field.

“We always thought we had a chance and almost got there, but came up a little short,” he said.

Antonio Darrell (28) and Ras Solomon Burrows (21) were the remaining Cuts batsmen who managed to reach double figures.

St George’s

T Wilson b K Fubler 133

R Trott lbw b J Basden 17

D Smith c C Basden b J Basden 41

T Gibbons c unknown b S Raynor 27

*Onias Bascome c C Basden b K Bashir 47

†S Smith not out 27

N Paynter c S Bean b Bashir 16

J Darrell c C Basden b Bashir 0

Extras (b 4, w 19, nb 1) 24

Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 327

I Greaves, R Richards and A Cannonier did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-61, 2-151, 3-202, 4-279, 5-284, 6-327, 7-327

Bowling: Bashir 10-0-67-3; James 8-0-48-0; Darrell 10-0-44-0; J Basden 10-0-63-2; Fubler 7-0-58-1; Raynor 5-0-43-1.

Willow Cuts

*K James c & b *O Bascome 68

S Raynor b D Smith 0

A Darrell st †Smith b Bascome 28

R Solomon Burrows lbw b I Greaves 21

†S Bean c T Gibbons b Greaves 3

K Bashir c J Darrell b Bascome 56

J Basden c T Wilson b R Trott 4

C Basden b Bascome 7

K Fubler st †Smith b Trott 4

J Spencer not out 6

T Tankard st †Smith b Bascome 0

Extras (b 8, lb 4, w 14, nb 4) 30

Total (40.2 overs) 227

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-48, 3-97, 4-113, 5-179, 6-185, 7-210, 8-215, 9-227, 10-227.

Bowling: Smith 4-0-21-1; Darrell 5-1-24-0; *Bascome 9.2-1-48-5; Trott 10-0-36-2; Gibbons 6-1-46-0; Greaves 4-0-25-2; Paynter 2-0-15-0.

Umpires: M McCormack, S Caines