Somerset Cricket Club (St David’s won toss): St David’s beat Somerset by 99 runs on average run-rate

OJ Pitcher struck a personal-best knock of 163 to guide St David’s to an emphatic victory over Somerset yesterday.

Having elected to bat, the visiting side showed no mercy to the Somerset bowlers, bludgeoning their way to a mammoth total of 433 for five from the full allocation of 50 overs.

As well as Pitcher’s impressive innings, which came from 120 balls, Ricardo Brangman (85), Derrick Brangman (47 not out), captain Justin Pitcher (40) and Dean Simons (30) all inflicted further damage to leave Somerset facing the daunting task of chasing down a seemingly insurmountable target.

Having reached 124 for three after 22 overs in reply, a prolonged rain delay meant Somerset were now chasing a revised total of 312 in 36 overs to surpass St David’s average run-rate.

However, there was to be no late drama as the hosts could only reach a total of 213 for nine.

“I’m definitely delighted with my knock,” OJ Pitcher said. “My previous best was 146 and so it was excellent innings. However, the most important thing is that the team won and we’ve got more points on the board.

“I love playing up here in Somerset because it’s a good wicket and as long as you do the right things, then you’re able to get a big score.

“Even when the target was revised, we felt confident. Because of the big total we set, we always knew we had given ourselves a great chance.

“We always feel like we have good depth through our batting line-up and it was great to see everyone chip in today. Things are coming together nicely for the team and we’re happy with how the season has gone so far.”

St David’s did not get off to a great start after losing opener Ajuan Lamb (13) caught off the bowling of Jordan DeSilva in the ninth over with the score at 26. That brought OJ Pitcher to the wicket and from there the visitors did not look back, surpassing 100 before Simons was run out with the total at 109 in the 22nd over.

Ricardo Brangman joined OJ Pitcher, with the pair adding a further 137 runs in 15 overs before the former was bowled by Isaiah Richardson, with the latter finally departing two overs later, caught off the bowling of Seth Gibbons with the score at 259.

Justin Pitcher was the final wicket taken, falling in the 46th over with the total at 365, with Derrick Brangman and Loren Marshall (17 not out) seeing out the remaining overs. With 38 extras added to the already daunting 395 runs scored, Somerset faced a target of 434.

The home side suffered an early setback in their reply losing both openers, South African Jayde Albertze (nine) and Jerez Eve, off the bowling of Cejay Outerbridge and George O’Brien respectively, with the score at 38 after 11 overs.

Chris Douglas (37) and Alje Richardson (54) steadied the innings, taking the total to five runs short of 100 before the former was caught off the bowling of Derrick Brangman in the eighteenth over.

After four more overs, the match was delayed for a prolonged period owing to a heavy downpour. By the time the covers came off the wicket, a revised total of 312 to win from an additional 14 overs had been set.

However, just two overs later Alje Richardson was trapped leg-before by Derrick Brangman with Somerset on 139.

Wickets started to fall at regular intervals as Brangman captured his third wicket, dismissing captain DeSilva for 12 in the 28th over before Mike Hudson (5) was stumped off the bowling off Ajuan Foggo in the next over with the total at 168.

The final wickets all fell in the space of four overs.

SCORECARD

St David’s

A Lamb c Gibbons b DeSilva 13

D Simons run out 30

OJ Pitcher b Gibbons 163

†R Brangman b I Richardson 85

*J Pitcher c Gibbons b A Richardson 40

D Brangman not out 47

L Marshall not out 17

Extras (lb 3, nb 4, w 31) 38

Total (5 wkts; 50 overs) 433

G O’Brien, C Outerbridge, R Foggo and A Paynter did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-109, 3-246, 4-259, 5-367.

Bowling: DeSilva 7-0-28-1; I Richardson 10-0-70-1; Darrell 8-0-54-0; Morrissey 3-0-37-0; A Richardson 7-0-97-1; Gibbons 7-0-95-1; Douglas 8-0-66-0.

Somerset

J Albertze c Marshall b Outerbridge 9

†J Eve c D Brangman b O’Brien 18

C Douglas c Outerbridge b D Brangman 37

A Richardson lbw b D Brangman 54

*J DeSilva c Fox b D Brangman 12

M Hudson st R Brangman b Foggo 5

M Darrell run out 18

I Richardson run out 3

M Fullerton not out 19

A Morrissey b Marshall 6

S Gibbons not out 1

Extras (lb 4, nb 7, w 13) 24

Total (9 wkts, 36 overs) 213

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-38, 3-95, 4-139, 5-150, 6-168, 7-178, 8-183, 9-201.

Bowling: O’Brien 10-1-41-1; Outerbridge 6-1-24-1; J Pitcher 6-0-37-0; D Brangman 7-1-51-3.

• Rest of bowling analysis was incomplete in Somerset scorebook (St David’s did not have a scorer)

Umpires: R Dill and H Watson.