It is almost a year ago that Cleveland County trounced St David’s to end a 33-year wait and become Eastern Counties champions.

Many thought that even though Cleveland had accomplished this feat they would relinquish the trophy before the end of the series. That wasn’t the case.

Tomorrow, Cleveland will be defending their trophy against Bailey’s Bay in what promises to be a match you don’t want to miss.

Bailey’s Bay have been exceptional in the league so far this season, and as a result their players are in a positive frame of mind.

Just last week they bowled St David’s out 101 runs on the way to a comfortable victory at Lord’s. You would imagine this has given them the belief that they can do the same to a strong Cleveland side.

However, one has to also remember that the Bay team that will be playing Cleveland will not be their league team; it will be their Eastern County team.

Delray Rawlins has returned to England, while fast bowlers, Malachi Jones and Zeko Burgess are both ineligible as this is their first season playing for Bailey’s Bay.

So, who will Bay turn to in an effort to bowl Cleveland out?

Kyle Hodsoll is, without a doubt, their main wicket taker and is in a rich vein of form after taking five wickets in the win over St David’s. Backing Hodsoll up will be Burton Outerbridge, Lateef Trott, and Rodney Trott, along with a few part-time bowlers if they run into difficulty claiming wickets.

In terms of batting, the Bay line-up is a potent one, with Tre Manders, Terryn Fray, Steven Outerbridge and Trott their main contributors. In Sinclair Smith, Bay also have an individual who I feel is the best wicketkeeper in Bermuda.

The real strength of Bay’s team, however, does not lie in their batting or their bowling; it lies in their team unity. A close knit bunch, if you are to beat them, you have to be ready and prepared to battle.

Cleveland, the champions, has had an indifferent season so far. While Cleveland’s season has had some highs and some lows, they are coming off of a weekend full of positives.

Just last weekend, Cleveland scored 284 against St George’s in a Cup Match trial, with Jason Anderson making 105.

There were other noticeable contributions from Dennis Musson, Treadwell Gibbons and Damali Bell. On Sunday, Cleveland played Flatts who made 193, and Cleveland passed the score losing only three wickets, as Clay Darrell scored 82 runs, along with 42 from Adrian Burrows and another 30 from Gibbons.

Cleveland, it seems, are starting to gel at just the right time, and when you add Dion Stovell into the equation, it makes for a very strong line-up. Stovell, as you may recall, had an impressive series last year, scoring runs in all three games for Cleveland.

Bay had Cleveland in some serious trouble before Stovell came to the wicket and scored a century, an innings I rate as among the best that I have seen, considering the immense pressure.

In the field, Cleveland’s bowling has always been steady and Bay will have to cope with Musson and Bell, two bowlers who wreaked havoc during the entire Eastern Counties series last year.

This year, Cleveland have added a young spinner, Isaiah Creighton, who could be instrumental on such a big field as Lord’s and fast bowler Macai McGowan, who should provide some extra pace on a bowler friendly wicket.

At the end of the day there is not much separating these two teams. No doubt, both sides have prepared well and hopefully the fans will be treated to yet another epic Eastern Counties match at Lord’s tomorrow.

Quote of the week: To be a champion takes will and skill, but the will must always be stronger than the skill — Muhammad Ali