Somerset Cricket Club: (Somerset won toss): Bailey’s Bay beat Somerset by three wickets.

Newly crowned Eastern Counties Champions Bailey’s Bay completed a challenging weekend with a nail-biting three-wicket victory over Somerset at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Kyle Hodsoll pulled an Azar Morrissey full toss to the deep square leg boundary for a six to bring up the winning runs with three balls remaining to settle the nerves.

Somerset won the toss and elected to bat but lost Jayden Albertze when his straight drive went directly in the hands of Michael Agard at mid-off in the first over for naught.

Dominic Sabir joined Jade Morrissey and the two took charge of the Bay bowlers with some clean hitting to put up an entertaining 43-run partnership which was dominated by the latter with a quick fire 25 runs from 17 balls including three fours and a straight drive for six to long on.

Morrissey went for one too many and was caught on the boundary by Agard. Sabir took over where Morrissey left off as he batted aggressively, attacking the bowling and occasionally using his feet to go down the crease to greet the ball with the meat of the bat.

Sabir found a steady partner in Greg Maybury and the two created a 41-run partnership before the latter found the waiting hands of captain Terryn Fray on the long-off boundary for 22.

Sabir continued his solid batting performance and flicked Jordan Burgess to the third man boundary for four but drove the next ball straight at Stephen Outerbridge at mid-off for a well-played, game high 69 from 50 balls including nine fours and one six.

He featured in five healthy partnerships totally 137 runs before the team reached 149 for eight in their allotted overs.

Sancho Jackson and Burgess claimed two wickets apiece for 32 and 30 runs, respectively.

Bay were set 150 runs in 20 overs to win. Captain Fray made amends for a previous day duck when he opened the innings with Coolidge Durham and they led a team-high 63-run opening partnership in only 6.5 overs highlighted by three fours and a six from Isaiah Richardson’s opening over.

Somerset captain Jordan DeSilva introduced two spinners in Morrissey and Chris Douglas which produced immediate dividends.

Morrissey enticed Fray with a floater and he skied one to Maybury on the deep square leg boundary for a team-high 42 having just been given a life on the previous ball when Douglas stepped back into the fence on a catch.

Durham batted patiently but also fell victim to spin as he was caught at deep long off by Dominic Sabir for 26.

Bay were cruising at 79 for two at the halfway mark with both openers now in the pavilion.

Wickets came and went until Shaquille Outerbridge was joined by Hodsoll and the two put on a 47-run partnership to carry the score to 135 before the former was bowled by Richardson for 29 leaving Hodsoll to finish the game off with his late heroics unbeaten on 30.

Captain DeSilva was the pick of the Somerset bowlers with three wickets for 28 runs.

“This was a good response from our guys after a long day of cricket yesterday,” said captain Fray.

“We left it a bit late on. I am just disappointed in the way how some of our guys got out but overall it was a good performance.”

Somerset

J Albertze c Agar b Hodsoll 0

J Morrissey c Agar b Jackson 25

D Sabir c Outerbridge b Burgess 69

A Richardson b Tavares 7

C Douglas run out 8

G Maybury c Fray b Thomas 22

I Richardson not out 2

R Jones c Fray n Burgess 6

S Caesar b Jackson 1

*J DeSilva not out 2

Extras (lb 2, w 4, nb 1) 7

Total (8 wkts; 20 overs) 149

A Morrissey did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-43, 3-81, 4-92, 5-133, 6-137, 7-143, 8-145,

Bowling: Hodsoll 2-0-13-1, Jackson 4-0-42-2, Burgess 4-0-30-2, Agar 4-0-18-0, Tavares 4-0-30-1, Hart 1-0-13-0, Thomas 1-0-12-1.

Bailey’s Bay

T Fray c Maybury b A Morrissey 42

C Durham c Sabir b Douglas 26

S Tavares c A Richardson b DrSilva 6

Stephen Outerbridge c n b DeSilva 3

Shaquille Outerbridge b I Richardson 29

M Agard c A Morrissey b DeSilva 0

K Hodsoll not out 30

J Burgess b Maybury 5

Z Hart not out 6

Extras (w 6, nb 1, b 1) 8

Total (7 wkts; 19.3) 155

Jackson and Thomas did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-63, 2-75, 3-81, 4-86, 5-88, 6-135, 7-146,

Bowling: Maybury 4-0-21-1, Caesar 3-0-25-0, I Richardson 4-0-38-1, A Morrissey 2.3-0-31-1, Douglas 3-0-11-1, DeSilva 4-0-28-3

Umpires: R Dill and D Smith

Match Official: O Andrade