Western Stars 228-9

Somerset 132

In keeping with the competition in which they were playing, Western Stars delivered a stunning knockout to Somerset on Saturday.

What made the 96-run loss more painful for De-von Wade's side is that they, at one point, had Stars reeling at 55 for six and looked to be ready to deliver the knockout punch. However, a gritty revival by captain Albert Steede and young turks Justin Robinson and Kevin Hurdle, saw the home team to 228 for nine at St. John's Field.

Somerset were then dispatched for 132 in 43.2 overs to be bundled out of the Premier League Knockout Cup in the first round. Only Wade, with a patient 40, and Shane Hollis (22), showed any resistance as seven of their team-mates fell for single-digit contributions. There were 24 extras.

Hurdle made the breakthrough for Stars, snapping up three quick wickets to leave the visitors tottering on 30 for four.

The mantle was then taken up by Hasan Durham, Gershon Gibbons and Robinson, who collected two wickets each and maintained a tight rein on Somerset's batsmen. Gibbons and Durham both failed to score in Stars' innings and would have been pleased to rise to the occasion in the field, also taking a few catches.

The day did not begin rosy at all for Stars as the Premier top dogs lost wickets rapidly within the first hour.

Jermaine Postlethwaite was looking sharp until he was run out for 16 to be followed quickly by his opening partner Treadwell Gibbons Jr who scored one. The latter was the first of Jacobi Robinson's three victims. Before too long, Gershon Gibbons, Cory Berkeley, Durham and Arnold Manders were all back in the pavilion warming seats as Somerset's bowlers came good.

Still, Stars' perennial saviour and skipper, Steede - coming to the crease at number five - remained calm and unmoved by his colleagues' demise. Instead, he set about repairing the damage with Justin Robinson.

Slowly, the balance began to shift as their partnership blossomed into 120 runs. By the time Steede fell for 70 (six fours and one six) - to Tony Cheeseman via a brilliant diving catch by Sheridan Ming at point - the rescue mission was almost complete.

Hurdle, proving to be an all-round revelation, then made a quickfire 27 with one boundary and three sixes in a stand of 25 with Justin Robinson who raised a well-deserved 58 (five fours) before he was bowled by his namesake, Jacobi Robinson, who took three for 39 from ten overs. Four other Somerset bowlers took a wicket apiece. Stars' score was given a fillip by 32 extras.

“We had a difficult start but Justin and I managed to solidify the innings. We were just trying to play simple cricket and hang in there until we had about ten overs left. We were taking the ones and twos and we had excellent communication. It worked to our advantage,” said Steede.

Congratulating Robinson on his maturity amid the batting crisis, he noted this level-headed approach culminated in the young player's first 50 at Premier Division level, an achievement that could not have been more timely.

The success, Steede noted, was capped off by an outstanding performance in the field.

“Our bowling was on the spot and we held our catches which kept constant pressure on them. I am very pleased with my team.”