Somerset Cricket Club (St George’s won toss): Somerset beat St George’s by 95 runs

Jaiden Manders produced a sensational man of the match display to guide challengers Somerset to a convincing win over holders St George’s in an exciting Colts Cup Match at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

The all-rounder stroked a disciplined and polished hundred and shared in a 138-run second-wicket stand with Jerez Eve, that laid the foundation for the hosts 255 for five declared after being inserted on a good batting track.

He then made his presence felt with the ball, claiming three wickets with his off-spin, and also grabbed two catches at mid-wicket and in the slips to help dismiss St George’s for 160 inside of the final mandatory 20 overs to cap a memorable debut in the junior classic.

“It is my first Colts Cup Match and the second century of my career,” said Manders, who stroked 107 from 122 balls that included sixteen boundaries.

“I just stuck to the wicket and as the ball started to stop swinging it made it a lot easier for me.”

Manders reached his fifty off 62 balls after cutting off spinner Keegan Jones to the backward square point boundary for four.

He survived a confident appeal for caught behind on 76 and was dropped on 91 before driving all-rounder Dean Simons straight down the ground for four to bring up his hundred off 101 balls in style.

“I did give two chances but was able to cash in and make my hundred,” Manders added.

Eve, who stroked a more sedate 55 from 93 balls, joined opener Manders at the crease after Rohan Richard’s made the breakthrough to dislodge Ras Solomon Burrows (6) cheaply.

Together the pair produced an exhibition of exquisite stroke play all around the ground and excellent running between the stumps to keep the scorers busy.

“I have enjoyed batting with Jaiden ever since we were children,” Eve said. “We played school cricket together so we have always had a really good relationship playing together.”

Somerset league player Eve reached his fifty, which included five fours and two sixes, off 80 balls after scampering through for a single.

“I felt I was a little bit slow at the beginning,” he added. “But once I got my eye it was just clockwork after that.”

Somerset stepped on the gas as they pressed towards the declaration after Eve and Manders were removed in the space of eleven runs.

Dominic Sabir, the Somerset captain, struck a whirlwind 45 from 31 balls and added 37 runs with Dalin Richardson, who stroked an equally brisk 23 from 17 balls, to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Somerset finally declared their innings at 3:12pm after Sabir was caught at mid-off attempting to beat the infield.

Simons was the pick of the St George’s bowling with two for 60.

The champions did well to reach tea 47 without loss before Somerset’s spin attack, led by the pair of Manders and Joe Basden, turned the tide in the hosts favour.

Basden made the initial breakthrough when he had opener Oyinde Bascome (36) caught at deep mid-wicket off the first delivery of the final session and Zeri Tomlinson (1) trapped in front in the space of ten runs.

Manders then tightened the screws as he claimed the prized wicket of opener Simons (35) before bowling Jarryd Richardson (10) and having St George’s captain Jabari Darrell (1) caught by Azar Morrisey at short long on to trigger a massive slide which saw five wickets tumble for 16 runs.

Basden picked up another wicket in his second spell at crucial stage with St George’s trying desperately to save the match when he bowled Richards (25).

A defiant Jones (27 not out) put up the shutters and did his best to try and shield the tail end batsmen.

But it ultimately proved a task beyond reach as Somerset worked around him to snare St George’s’ last two wickets with no addition to the total.

Somerset’s hard fought victory was sealed when Morrisey fielded to his own bowling and shied the ball to wicketkeeper Ajani Lee, who broke the stumps to run out last man Jordan Burgess (0).

Manders led the Somerset attack with three for 23 to cap a fine all-round display.

“The plan was to bowl stump to stump and wait for them to make the mistake, and in the end it worked in my favour,” he said.

Basden took three for 31 to hold his end of the bargain while Terron Webb and Dalin Richardson claimed one each.

Somerset

S Burrows b Richards 6

J Manders c Jones b Simons 107

J Eve c & b Simons 55

D Richardson c Darrell b Jones 23

*D Sabir c Cannonier b Burgess 45

J Basden not out 4

Extras (lb8, w3, nb4) 15

Total (5 wkts dec; 48.1 overs) 255

†A Lee, A Morrisey, J Proctor, K Richardson, T Smith, T Webb did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-178, 3-189, 4-226

Bowling: Darrell 7-0-33-0; Burgess 11.1-1-44-1; Richards 7-2-29-1; Jones 11-1-55-1; Bascome 2-0-19-0; Simons 9-0-60-2; Pitcher 1-0-7-0

St George’s

D Simons c Sabir b Manders 35

O Bascome c Manders b Basden 36

Z Tomlinson lbw b Basden 1

†J Richardson b Manders 10

G Santucci c Burrows b Richardson 0

K Jones not out 27

*J Darrell c Morrisey b Manders 1

S Pitcher run out Sabir 0

R Richards b Basden 25

A Cannonier c Manders b Webb 8

J Burgess run out Morrisey 0

Extras (lb4, w5, nb8) 17

Total (47.5 overs) 160

Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-57, 3-83, 4-91, 5-91, 6-98, 7-99, 8-147, 9-160

Bowling: Proctor 9-1-33-0; Smith 3-0-13-0; Webb 11-1-37-1; Sabir 4-1-10-0; Basden 10-0-31-3; Manders 6-1-23-3; Richardson 2-1-5-1; Morrisey 2.5-0-4-0

Umpires: A Cumberbatch and H Watson.