Wellington Oval: (St George’s won toss): St George’s beat Willow Cuts by 264 runs.

St George’s Cricket Club are all but confirmed as the Premier Division 50 overs champions after inflicting a bruising defeat on Willow Cuts

After posting a mammoth total of 374 for five in their allotted 50 overs, the East Enders would use a four-pronged bowling attack to dismantle Cuts batters for a below-par 110, much to the delight of coach Clay Smith.

“Hats off to the entire team from the president, who came on the field as a substitute fielder, down,” Smith said.

“‘It’s been a long season and I wish to thank my players as they have worked extremely hard. We tried to maintain a level of professionalism throughout the whole season and on our approach to every game.

“We aren’t taking anything for granted as we have one game left against Bailey’s Bay and our approach will be the same. We will play to win.”

After winning the toss and batting, the opening pair of Nzari Paynter and Oronde Bascome did not disappoint with a 70-run stand to lay the foundation for a substantial total.

The Cuts bowlers never threatened as each of the seven St George’s batsmen to grace the crease scored double figures, led by captain Onias Bascome with a team-high of 90 before he was needlessly run out from a direct hit by Micah Simons fielding at point.

Bascome’s older brother, Oronde, followed his good form from last week with a well-played 86 and featured in a team-high, second-wicket partnership worth 115 runs with Jonté Smith who fell two runs short of his half-century.

Q’Shai Darrell would make a quickfire 18 from only six balls as the home side closed their innings.

Four Cuts bowlers claimed a wicket with Jalen Wales leading the way with one for 36. Herbie Bascome, father of Oronde and Onais, bowled against both his sons but finished wicketless for 28 runs.

In reply, Willow Cuts were in trouble from the outset as Zeko Burgess bowled Dwight Basden on the second ball of the first over for nought.

Kwasi James joined opener Ras Solomon Burrows and the two put on a 33-run, second-wicket partnership before James was bowled when overplaying a Shakai Darrell slider for 13.

Burrows batted freely but just as he looked settled, he was caught by Oronde Bascome at backward square for 35, which included six fours.

Antonio Darrell and Allan Ball offered resistance with the former producing the shot off the innings when he straight drove Burgess over long-off for six and the pair would foster a team-high 42-run partnership before Darrell was caught by stand-in wicketkeeper Q’Shai Darrell for 28 off the bowling of Abdul Salam.

Shortly after, Ball was by bowled by Salam for 17.

Brandon Swainson made a spectacular, one-handed catch when he stretched full length in the air to clutch Wales’s boundary-destined shot off Kevon Fubler.

Burgess and Darrell bowled unchanged for the opening 14 overs, claiming two wickets each for 36 and 43 runs respectively. First and second-change bowlers, Salam and Fubler wiped up the remaining batters between them, claiming three wickets for 11 and 15 runs respectively as Cuts were skittled all out in 26.2 overs.