Lord’s, St David’s (Bailey’s Bay won toss): Bailey’s Bay beat Cleveland by 142 runs

Bailey’s Bay defended their Eastern Counties Cup crown with a runaway, 142-run victory over challengers Cleveland at a sun-filled Lord’s on Saturday.

The champions owed much of their success to a century by former professional Delray Rawlins, who along with Tre Manders placed Bay in command with a determined 128-run fourth-wicket stand that enabled Bay to amass a massive total of 304.

“I just think we led with the bat from the outset,” said Bay captain Terryn Fray of the triumph.

“We had some good individual scores with Tre and Delray. I think it was Delray’s maiden local century and when a guy gets a hundred you’re always looking at a good total and we knew that we could defend 300.[

“Looking at the fielding we were a little quiet for a bit, but once we got the wicket of Dion Stovell we knew that we were well in the match. They bat around him and once we dismissed him we knew that the game was on for the win and we’re happy with the result.

“Also if you drop Tre Manders the amount of times they dropped Tre today you’re asking for trouble. People always say that catches win matches and it is what it is. That’s their issue to deal with and we’re glad we fielded as we did, held our catches and got a positive result.

“Zeko [Burgess] bowled well, as did  Derrick [Brangman], who’s the best bowler in Bermuda for a reason.”

After Cleveland had constrained Bay’s early order to 86 for three via tight bowling to a restrictive off-side field, Rawlins and Manders were able to loosen the straps, taking advantage of a pitch catering to batting and sloppy fielding

While Rawlins’a (137) innings was one of near perfection, Manders lived a charmed life batting at No 4, as he was dropped three times during his knock of 87, which included seven fours and three sixes.

Rawlins was named Man of the Match for his performance, which also included an economic spell of slow bowling.

“I just tried to do what I do,” said Rawlins of his showing.

“Once I got in I found it to be a good wicket and I guess it was just my day and I tried to make it count. Tre makes it easy to bat. He scores pretty frequently and rotates strike well. It’s easy to bat with someone like that because the scoreboard’s never still. We also got a little bit of luck, but that’s part of the game.”

Cleveland ultimately paid the price for their ineptitude as Rawlins accelerated late in his innings, allowing Bay to amass an insurmountable total in their allotted 65 overs.

Leading from the front, Cleveland captain Mackih McGowan produced his best bowling figures in the competition, claiming seven for 91 from 17 overs of medium pace.

Assisting McGowan was Treadwell Gibbons Jr with two for 58, while Jabari Darrell took the remaining wicket to fall.

Set a monumental task of scoring at a rate of nearly six runs per over from a maximum 53 overs, Cleveland got off to an inauspicious start.

The challengers first lost Gibbons for ten with the total on 16 and later saw fellow opener Q’Shai Darrell (12) depart after being well caught by Terryn Fray while attempting to cut Derrick Brangman with just 34 runs on the board.

Even as Stovell (44) and Zeri Tomlinson (34) constructed a solid third-wicket partnership, Cleveland’s chances remained slim with the asking rate continuing to climb.

Understanding the need to up the ante, Tomlinson threw caution to the wind and paid the price for his recklessness, being caught by Outerbridge attempting to pull a short-pitched delivery from Zeko Burgess.

As time and overs dwindled Cleveland’s batters became more rash in their approach and wickets tumbled, creating a procession to and from the players’ tent.

Burgess and Brangman keyed Bay’s attack, each taking four wickets, with the former’s costing 50 runs while the latter gave up 63 runs.

A lone bright spot for Cleveland occurred as Stovell, like Bay’s Stephen Outerbridge, reached 1,000 runs in his Eastern Counties career.

“This wicket all season has put up high scores, so it was always going to be an uphill battle, whether we batted first or not,” said McGowan after the match.

“Because even if we did bat first we were going to have to put up a decent score and bowl them out on this wicket. We look forward to going again next year on Bay’s wicket.”

Asked what would have been his intention had Cleveland won the toss McGowan said that he would have chosen to bat.

“Essentially my goal was to bowl first, but when I got here I changed my mind and if we won the toss we probably would have batted first,” he said.

The captain also alluded to the team’s failures in the field, specifically regarding their inability to hold on to the chances offered by Manders.

“Catches win matches,” he said. “Bay held on to their chances, while we didn’t. It’s pretty much been our downfall all season, dropped catches.”

Bay will next face St David’s in the second round on August 17.