For many Bermudians, Cup Match is about emancipation. For Somerset colt Khiry Furbert, being a part of the winning Somerset’s team was a chapter in his redemption.

Removed from the Bermuda Under-19 team just before an overseas tour after his involvement in bringing a league game between Western Stars and Leg Trappers into disrepute several years ago, Furbert was banished to the cricketing wilderness.

However, Furbert said that the years away from the “big time” have given pause to how he lives his life, whereby he now is able to make more mature decisions.

Furbert’s coming of age has reaped rewards, with the wicketkeeper-batsman being rewarded with the captaincy at his club, Western Stars, being selected as part of the touring Bermuda squad that departed yesterday for Jersey to take part in the third and final leg of the ICC Cricket World Cup Challenge League B, and lastly earning a place in Somerset’s Cup match team, displacing Steven Bremar Jr.

Furbert admitted that he had made mistakes during his adolescence and needed to mature, but that he has grown from his mistakes to a greater level of stability in his life.

“If anybody knows me, I talk real and I just leave it up to the Most High,” explained Furbert, always a bundle of energy and encouragement behind the stumps. “I just had to get my life on track, doing the right things. Everyone goes through things in life — trials and tribulations — it’s how you emerge from these moments and what you make of them. Today I’m blessed and give Him the honour and praise.

“This year has just been great for me cricket-wise. I was made captain of Western Stars and my team just got promoted to the Premier Division of the 50-overs league.

“My cricket has made a huge jump forward and I’m getting rewarded for it.”

Furbert admitted to being quite tense on the first day of Cup Match, despite batting well down the order and having time to adjust to the atmosphere.

"At first I was nervous, I’m not going to lie, it was nerve-racking,“ Furbert said during the lunch session of the second day. ”But I was able to settle in and get down to business, batting and knocking the ball about. Once I hit that first four, I really felt like part of the Somerset family. Once I heard the horns and the fans cheering, I felt like I belonged and was able to settle in.

“Fourth-highest scorer bating at No 10 [with 28], I’ll take that. If not for a lapse in concentration, I would have got my fifty, which would have been an accomplishment being a colt and coming in at No 10.”

He added: “I had a blast, this being my first outing. And this looking like it could be me likely not having to bat in the second innings, I may move forward having a 28 average, which isn’t bad for my first time in the Classic.

“I believe I kept pretty tidily, I gave up just four byes on the first day [actually one]. Just trying to get a nibble off someone’s edge or a stumping to get my name on the board; otherwise, it’s been great.”