Mighty Ducks are sunk by West's XI in Knockout final
Man of the match David DeSilva produced a scintillating all-round performance to guide organiser Stephen West's XI to a seven-wicket victory over the Department of Health in the Evening Cricket League's Premier Division Knockout Cup final.
DeSilva, who helped Forties win the Commercial Cricket League's Knockout Cup the previous week, snapped up four for 19 from five overs as the Health Department, nicknamed the Mighty Ducks, were dismissed for 97 in 19 overs of the Twenty20 match under lights at the National Sports Centre and then, opening the innings, struck five boundaries in a solid, unbeaten 50 as West' s XI eased to 98 for three with six balls to spare.
West's brother Blake (one for 22 from five) rocked the Ducks with the first ball of their innings when swashbuckling Barry Richards, the bane of bowlers in both the Commercial and Evening leagues, top-edged a catch to skipper Granville Bennett in the slips. It was the second time this season that West had struck with the first ball of an innings ¿ he had Reginald (Lucky) Pitcher caught in the slips during Forties' KO Cup semi-final victory over West Indian Association.
Lloyd Morrison (30) and Richard Foulds (29) who, like Richards, also play for WIA, got the Ducks back on track but were kept to below 100 by DeSilva and Henry O'Connor, who almost matched his team-mate's figures with four for 24 from five.
West's XI reached the final after narrowly beating the Associates, league champions for the second season running, in the play-offs, thwarting the Associates' bid for a fourth successive KO Cup triumph.
The Second Division KO title went to league champions Belmont, who beat Top Shottas by six wickets in a match interrrupted by rain which forced the delay of the Premier final.
Bermuda Hogges' player-coach Kyle Lightbourne ¿ once a useful left-arm pace bowler who famously claimed the wicket of future England captain Mike Atherton in an international match before turning his attention to football ¿ was named man of the match for his role in Belmont's emphatic victory.
Lightbourne took one for 16 from five and then made an unbeaten 18 in Belmont's 96 for four in 16 overs, boosted by 17 extras, after restricting Top Shottas to 93 for six in their 20 overs.
Anthony (Porky) Manders made an unbeaten 27 for Top Shottas while key bowlers for Belmont, who also won the KO cup last season, were Alan Wilkinson (two for 23 from five) and Brian Madeiros (two for 26 from five).
Trophies were presented by radio commentator and former Tourism Minister Jim Woolridge and national cricket coach Gus Logie.
Organiser West, a top-flight umpire who has run the league for the past 23 years after it was started in 1981 and still plays at the age of 64, was over the moon about his team's victory.
"It's fantastic to win the cup again. We haven't won it for some time."