Cann heroics not enough as St.David's lose nail-biter
Big-hitting Lionel Cann, who retired from international cricket after Bermuda failed to reach the World Cup during last month's qualifiers in South Africa, shone with bat and ball but still ended up on the losing side when he made a rare appearance for the St. David's Commercial League team.
Cann, who holds the Commercial League's record individual score of 165, made against North Village at Lord's seven years ago, hammered five sixes in his 41 and claimed three for 21 from 15 overs but could not prevent St. David's losing a nail-biter to Ernst & Young by one wicket at Warren Simmons Community Field in Somerset.
"I was sore on Monday after bowling 15 overs," admitted Cann yesterday.
Although he said Commercial League cricket "is not serious enough for me", he hinted he would continue to play in the league but his goal is to be in shape for Cup Match and County Cup games.
New vice-captain Dhammika Jayalath was Ernst & Young's hero, hitting a half-century and claiming four wickets for the accountants.
Sunday's other two matches also produced thrilling finishes as Village beat defending champions Jamaican Association by nine runs at Shelly Bay – despite a five-wicket haul by Michael Campbell and a half-century from newcomer Omar Hart – while Forties recovered to edge BC Allrounders by two wickets at Garrison Field, highlighted by Worrell Bean's blistering 81and three-wicket haul for BC Allrounders and Forties' skipper Gordon Campbell's 72.
Jayalath took four for 41, Palithapushp Kumara three for 40 and Chatura Abesooriya three for 32 as St. David's, who had been sent in, were dismissed for 163 in 29.2 overs.
Jayalath and Ibrar Mudassir both scored half centuries as Ernst & Young squeezed home to 164 for nine in 40 overs.
Jayalath's 55 included four fours and a six while Mudassir's 50 contained three fours, skipper Karunakar Kaushik helping his side's cause with 20.
"Dhammika played a remarkable innings for us. He was outstanding in bowling and batting. Dhammika did a good job in his new role as vice-captain," Kaushik said.
"We were able to win as there was a passion, determination and commitment amongst all the team members to make that difference which was much needed in this game. All the players played their part and it was a fusion of the efforts of all the team members that helped us win the game."
Ernest McCallan struck six fours in a top score of 49 and skipper Reggie Benjamin made an unbeaten 29 as Village closed their 42 overs on 175 for seven before dismissing the Jamaicans for 166 with almost seven overs to spare.
Campbell was in devastating form with the ball, snapping up five for 26 in ten overs, as the Jamaicans kept a tight rein on the Village scoring after they had been sent in.
Left-hander Hart, whose dashing 37 impressed in the season-opening Memorial Trophy at the same venue despite a heavy defeat to Forties, hammered two sixes and four fours in his 58, skipper Chris Daley made 33 and Daniel Edwards chipped in with 24 before the tail collapsed.
Rudy Smith bagged three for 58 from 12 overs, Benjamin followed up his handy knock with three for 36 from 11.1 overs and Kevin Mallory took two for 42 from seven.
"The game was very close and could have gone either way," Benjamin said.
"We kept them in the game by not doing the little things we had to do but we kept our heads up and got on with our game plan because they were losing wickets at regular intervals.
"Once they lost Hart we knew that we had the game in our hands."
The Forties-BC Allrounders match had everything: a see-saw battle, a tight ending and some big hitting.
BC Allrounders, who won the toss and batted, recovered from 21 for four to reach 180 all out in the 41st over thanks to Worrell Bean's belligerent 81 at number six, which included eight sixes and three fours, an unbeaten 47 by number eight Nakia Smith (two sixes and three fours) and Vernon Eve's 25 at first wicket down, Eve and Bean adding 84 for the fifth wicket.
Forties' most successful bowlers were Hoyt Zuill with three for 17 from 8.1 overs, Granville Bennett (two for 20 from six) and Randy Simmons (two for 53 from ten).
Forties' reply began strongly with Campbell, whose 72 included three sixes and eight fours, and Granville Bennett (22) adding 76 for the first wicket before former Flatts' all-rounder Eve (four for 65 from 14) and Bean (three for 44 from 15) triggered a collapse to 123 for six.
Although Blake West made 21 at number eight, Forties were still in trouble at 159 for eight before Zuill (14 not out) and Braxton Stowe (11 not out) saw them home with six balls of their 43-over allocation to spare, having taken 11 runs off the 42nd to clinch victory.
"We had our collapse in the middle order due to some accurate bowling by Bean and Eve," Campbell said.
"BC Allrounders are going to give a lot of teams a run for their money this year if they continue to play like this."