Somerset Cricket Club (Somerset won toss): Somerset beat Cleveland by 46 runs

Somerset advanced their position in the Premier Division 50 overs with a crucial win over Cleveland County at Somerset Cricket Club on Sunday

In a seesaw affair, veterans Janeiro Tucker and Kamau Leverock led the way for the home team, Tucker with the ball and Leverock with the bat.

Thrust into a must-win situation based on their lowly placing in the league, Somerset won the toss and chose to bat against the Harris Bay club, one of two sides within their reach.

Initially, that decision appeared to backfire as openers Jermal Proctor and Jade Morrisey fell cheaply, scoring nought and four respectively. However, captain Alje Richardson (24) and Dominic Sabir (30) batted the team out of trouble with a 48-run third-wicket partnership before the former fell, leaving the score at 60 for three.

“Today our top three didn’t come through as we should have,” said Richardson after the match. “We left quite a few runs off the board.”

Richardson’s departure brought forth Leverock at No 5 and he proceeded to bludgeon a hapless attack, hammering his way to 109 off 71 balls, including 17 fours and five sixes.

Leverock and Sabir put on 118 for the fourth wicket before Sabir was caught by Treadwell Gibbons off his own bowling.

Even as Leverock was dismissed for 109, with Tucker (15) soon following, Jahnoi Bean-Wilson (23) and Isaiah Richardson (31) demonstrated the depth of Somerest’s middle order.

Treadwell Gibbons Jr was the most economical bowler for Cleveland with two for 33,  while Mackih McGowan and Allan Douglas Jr also chimed in with two wickets.

Cleveland’s chase got off to an inauspicious start with Gibbons (10), McGowan (eight) and Steven Bremar (13) departing in quick succession, all victims of Sabir.

Nevertheless, just as it seemed Somerset might stroll easily to victory, Dion Stovell and Allan Douglas Jr commenced a fightback.

Douglas threw caution to the wind, blasting five fours and ten sixes on his way to 92, from 61 balls, before being trapped lbw by Tucker, who would also account for Dion Stovell (62), who surrendered his wicket while attempting an uncharacteristic, ill-advised scoop shot of his former team-mate.

From 210 for six, Tucker ensured a further collapse by the away side, seizing four of the final five wickets to fall with his bowling, while holding on to a catch to dismiss No 11 Tybrae Robinson.

“We didn’t think that 280 was a comfortable enough score to believe that we had batted them out of the game,” said Richardson.

“In the field we did believe that once we got past certain guys then the game would be ours.

“It got a little close but I wasn’t worried at any point as I have faith in my team and they performed and did what they needed to do.

“Credit to my bowlers Janeiro, Dominic, Isaiah, Jermal and Kamau. They did exactly what needed to be done and showed real grit in achieving the win.”

Meanwhile, McGowan and his team-mates were left to rue an opportunity lost, with the result leaving them at increased risk of falling into the relegation zone.

“We really wanted this game,” said McGowan.

“This would have taken us out of that relegation talk. Now we have two games left and we have to go out there and make sure that we win.

“I’ve been saying it all season that when you’re serious you can see the treasures and the accomplishments come together. What we need is more commitment, more positivity.

“It’s been an up-and-down season for us. Hopefully we can get over this hump with the 50 overs, have ourselves ready for [Eastern Counties] next week and then move on to greater success in the T20.”

The result allowed Somerset to move past Western Stars, losers against St David’s, into fifth place and with a game in hand compared with fourth-placed Cleveland.