St.George's 160

Cleveland 162-6

A resurgent Cleveland completed a highly satisfactory weekend yesterday by beating St. George's for the first time in eons at St. John's Field.

A day after knocking off Premier League champions Western Stars, they routed St. George's for an inadequate 160 in 48.5 overs and then romped home in 44.5 overs with four wickets to spare.

The victory was spearheaded, in the first instance, by left-arm fast/medium pacer Hari Rawat who dispatched seven St. George's batsmen for 29 runs and then by dogged batting from Cleveland's middle order.

A 61-run, third-wicket partnership between the explosive Aaron Adams and Jeff Tyrell guided the winners to 94 for two after Herbie Bascome had yorked opener Curtis Jackson for 17 and Wilbur Burt had Merkell Smith trapped in front for nine. However, when both Adams (32) and Tyrell (26) returned to the pavilion within a run of each other, St. George's felt they were back in the game.

Unfortunately for their skipper Charlie Marshall, there would be no miracles in his first game back at the helm after a three-match suspension. His opposite number, Carlton Smith and Charles Richardson, saw to that, compiling a vital 37-run stand that took Cleveland to the threshold of history.

When Richardson was caught by Sinclair Gibbons off young Jad? Foggo, the score was 132 for five in the 38th over. The burly Peter Philpott then smashed two fours off Marshall's sole over to hasten the run chase. Philpott was the last Cleveland batsman out with just five runs needed.

Fittingly, it was Cleveland's skipper Smith, unbeaten on 33 (four boundaries and a six), who finished the proceedings as he cut Jad? Foggo to third man and scampered two runs to carry his team to 162 for six on the penultimate ball of the 45th over.

Earlier, only Herbie Bascome and Troy Hall - better known for his goalkeeping exploits - showed any resistance when St. George's were at the crease. They scored 35 and 33 respectively to lift their side from 63 for five to 117 with a partnership of 54. The last four wickets carried the total to 160 before Gregg Foggo was last out, stumped off Philpott.

Though there was much debate about exactly when last Cleveland got the better of St. George's, fans agreed it was at least 15 years. Jubilant skipper Smith noted he had represented Cleveland for 13 years and never beaten their eastern rivals until yesterday.

“This means a lot - to take St. George's unbeaten record against us. It's a great morale boost. Things are looking up and are very promising because we achieved this without some of our top players. The youngsters played well in their absence,” said Smith.

“We just need our batting to come around a bit more and we'll be a force to be reckoned with all season. Watch out for Cleveland!”

Rawat came in for high praise from his leader and the bowler himself was delighted to have excelled in his first outing for 2003.

“It's a good achievement, especially with me not getting too much practice. I was definitely looking for a good performance as the team's strike bowler,” said the 29-year-old Indian expatriate who is limited to playing on Sundays because of his job as a chef.