Lords (Willow Cuts won toss): St David’s beat Willow Cuts by seven wickets

St David’s clinched the Athene T20 League First Division title with a game to spare courtesy of a convincing victory over nine-men Willow Cuts at Lords today.

Off spinners Derrick Brangman and Justin Pitcher, the St David’s captain, claimed seven wickets between them as the visitors were dismissed for 112 in 18.4 overs.

Openers Ajuan Lamb and George O’Brien Jr then led the chase as St David’s reached their target with 39 balls to spare.

Pitcher and 14-year-old Sa Qui Robinson featured in a match-winning 21-run stand, with the latter dispatching Cuts off-spinner Jayden Spencer to the cow corner boundary for four to seal the deal in style.

“It was well deserved,” Pitcher said of his team’s title success. “We just do the simple things right, keep focused on what we want to do and enjoy our cricket.”

Cuts were 82 for two before losing their remaining wickets for 29 runs in five overs as Brangman and Pitcher ran through the order.

Brangman enticed the batters giving the ball plenty of flight and reaped reward as they took the bait and paid the price.

He made the breakthrough after bowling opener Ras Solomon Burrows with a turning delivery pitched outside off stump.

The 35-year old then tightened the screws when he had Cuts captain Kwasi James stumped by his sibling Ricardo Brangman and incoming batter Antonio Darrell caught by O’Brien in the covers for a golden duck.

Brangman also had Joseph Basden caught by O’Brien in the covers to complete an impressive haul.

“I actually gave it more flight just trying to give the batsmen something to hit, and they hit straight in the air so it worked out for me,” Derrick Brangman said.

Pitcher provided solid support in the attack as he bowled Sergio Raynor and Micah Simons playing around deliveries pitched outside off stump and had Kahreem Williams grabbed at long on.

“It’s been strenuous on my back and knees bowling seam all these years,” said Pitcher, who also claimed three wickets the previous day against Somerset Bridge. “So I have converted myself into a spin bowler.”

St David’s got their chase off to a solid start with openers Lamb and O’Brien adding 65 for the first wicket.

Lambe led the way with 35 from 31 balls while O’Brien added an equally brisk 31 from 24.

Both batters were dismissed in the space of an over, leaving Robinson and Pitcher to see the hosts safely over the line without further damage.

“It always feels good when you are winning and players to stay together,” Ricky Brangman, the St David’s coach, said. “And the best highlight of this season was the youngsters, bringing the youngsters through.

“These young guys are learning and are getting better and better every week. And that is very important because they are the future for St David’s and I am very pleased with that.”

James led the Cuts batting with 42, with Burrows adding 32 and Raynor 15.

Off spinner Joseph Basden was the pick of the visitors bowling with two for 25.

Cuts clinched the remaining promotion spot the previous day after being awarded the points from their match with Flatts who were unable to field a team.

“They gave us the points because Flatts could not get a team,” Dexter Basden, the Cuts coach, said.

“It’s good to be back up because I think we deserve to be.”

Scorecard

Willow Cuts

*K James st R Brangman b D Brangman 42

Ras Solomon Burrows b Brangman 32

S Raynor b Pitcher 15

A Darrell c O’Brien b Brangman 0

J Basden c O’Brien b Brangman 6

M Simons b Pitcher 2

†S Bean run out 2

K Williams c I O’Brien b Pitcher 2

J Spencer not out 0

Extras (b 4, w 7) 11

Total (8 wkts; 18.4 overs) 112

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-83, 3-83, 4-93, 5-97, 6-105, 7-112, 8-112

Bowling: Outerbridge 4-0-14-0; G O'Brien Jr 4-0-28-0; I O’Brien 4-0-32-0; D Brangman 4-0-22-4; Pitcher 1.4-0-4-3; Ball 1-0-8-0

St David’s

A Lamb b James 35

G O’Brien Jr c Raynor b Basden 31

*J Pitcher not out 17

D Brangman c James b Basden 9

S Qui Robinson not out 12

Extras (nb 3, w 8) 11

Total (3 wkts; 13.3 overs) 115

†R Brangman Jr, C Outerbridge, D Simons, I O'Brien, A Paynter and E Ball did not bat

Fall of wickets: 1-65, 2-77, 3-94

Bowling: Raynor 2-0-24-0; Simons 2-0-16-0; Darrell 2-0-21-0; James 4-0-18-1; Basden 3-0-25-2; Spencer 0.3-0-11-0

Umpires: M McCormack, E Carrington

Match referee: S Douglas

ATHENE T20 FIRST DIVISION

P W L T NR Pts NRR

St David’s 9 9 0 0 0 90 2.943

Willow Cuts 9 6 3 0 0 60 0.560

Flatts 9 4 5 0 0 40 0.233

Devonshire 9 4 5 0 0 40 -1.002

S Bridge 9 2 7 0 0 20 -0.849

PHC 9 2 7 0 0 20 -1.890