Somerset Cricket Club (Willow Cuts won toss): Willow Cuts beat Somerset by three wickets

After conceding scores in excess of 300 during their first two outings of the season, Willow Cuts changed the recipe against neighbours and arch rivals Somerset, reversing their fortunes in the process and collecting their first league win.

Middle-order batsman Deunte Darrell led Cuts’ reply to Somerset’s 231 all out, guiding his side out of danger with a well-timed half-century after it appeared the home team had gained the advantage with the dismissal of Kwasi James for 46 and the score 110 for four.

Fresh off of a half-century against St George’s the previous week at the same ground, James had appeared untroubled and destined for an even bigger score, when he was undone by his own aggression, attempting a lofted drive over cover, but failing to elude Greg Maybury, who did well to make stick the offering.

Yet Darrell came in to ensure Somerset did not further capitalise, quickly establishing his class with numerous drives and pulls on his way to a match-high total of 67, which included four fours and five sixes, coming from 50 balls, before he was seventh out with his team needing only three runs for victory.

“We had a couple of senior guys back, particularly Deunte Darrell and Kevon Fubler, and with their seniority and experience I thought it would be better and things worked out,” said James, grateful to have his side finally win. “I wanted a second consecutive half-century, but Deunte took care of matters and played a big part with his 60-plus.

“We’re satisfied with our performance today and just building one game at a time.”

Somerset’s attack generally lacked penetration, with Azar Morrissey taking three wickets at the high cost of 78 runs.

Earlier in the day, opener Piers Carr topped Somerset’s batting with 63, supported by Alje Richardson’s 45.

Kamal Bashir seized three for 22 to head Cuts’ bowling, while three others — James, Fubler and Joseph Basden — took two wickets each.

There was, however, a dark spot to the match involving Somerset players Jerez Eve and Chris Douglas, which resulted in the home side having to finish the match a man short in the field after Eve had to be forcibly removed from the pitch by his team-mates. The dust-up occurred at a time Somerset were tightening their grip on the match.

Umpire Andy Cumberbatch, while not offering exact details of the incident, confirm that it would be included in his fellow umpire John Pitcher’s match report.

Somerset

C Douglas c Bean b Darrell 28

P Carr st Bean b Fubler 63

J Eve c Darrell b J Basden 18

A Richardson c C Basden b James 45

*G Maybury lbw b Fubler 12

T Corday b J Basden 7

S Caesar b Bashir 12

†M Hudson lbw b James 1

M Fullerton c and b Bashir 3

A Morrissey not out 3

D Richardson lbw b Bashir 0

Extras (b 5, lb 4, nb 1, w 29) 39

Total (47.5 overs) 231

Fall of wickets: 1-67, 2-138, 3-142, 4-160, 5-169, 6-216, 7-222, 8-224, 9-231.

Bowling: Simons 6-1-35-0; James 8-2-35-2; Bashir 6.5-0-22-3; Darrell 7-0-30-1; Kevon 10-0-45-2; J Basden 10-0-55-2.

Willow Cuts

*K James c Maybury b Carr 46

S Burrows lbw b Maybury 0

A Darrell b Morrissey 28

J Basden b Morrissey 15

D Darrell b A Richardson 67

S Raynor lbw b Morrissey 5

M Simons run out 15

K Bashir not out 17

K Fubler not out 0

Extras (b 4, lb 3, nb 3, w 31) 41

Total (7 wkts; 35.1 overs) 234

†S Bean and M Simons did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-66, 3-89, 4-110, 5-120, 6-211, 7-229.

Bowling: Maybury 7-0-29-1; Caesar 7-0-32-0; Corday 5-0-36-0; Morrissey 10-1-78-3; Carr 2-0-14-1; A Richardson 4-0-34-1; Fullerton 0.1-0-4-0.

Umpires: A Cumberbatch and J Pitcher.