O'Brien back with a bang as St. David's shock Village
Fast bowler George O'Brien, Jr., whose knee injury forced him out of action during Bermuda's unsuccessful bid to reach the 2011 World Cup in April's qualifiers in South Africa, bounced back with a three-wicket haul that spurred St. David's to a shock 64-run victory over Commercial Cricket League title challengers North Village.
Village, who went into the match on a high after ending Forties' unbeaten run the previous week, now trail joint leaders Spring Garden Cavaliers and Forties by 11 points after both recorded emphatic victories.
Cavaliers thrashed BC Allrounders by a massive 224 runs at Garrison Field after piling up 265 for five declared in 28 overs - Trevor Haynes starring with bat and ball - and then routing their opponents for a paltry 41 in the 18th over.
Forties earned a 133-run victory over Ernst & Young at Shelly Bay.
Bowling mostly below top pace, O'Brien showed no ill effects from his knee injury in South Africa, snapping up three for 36 from 17 overs at Warren Simmons Community Field as St. David's bundled out Village for127 in 37 overs after totalling 191 in 33 overs.
St David's impressive total was thanks largely to an impressive 87-run fourth-wicket partnership between Crockwell cousins Aaron and Desmond which rescued the East Enders from a precarious 45 for three.
Aaron struck five sixes and three fours in his 65 and Desmond made 29 while Grayson McCallan chipped in with 26 as Village paid a high price for a series of dropped catches.
Village's most successful bowlers were Rudy Smith with three for 48 from seven overs, Dion Ball, Jr. with three for 29 from seven and Randy Smith with three for 17 from two.
Although skipper Allen Walker and extras both contributed 26, Village never recovered from slumping to 17 for three in four overs. O'Brien was assisted by Gregory Outerbridge, who took three for 33 in seven overs, and Diego McCallen with three for 13 in three.
"George bowled consistently but he didn't bowl flat out apart from one or two deliveries - nothing to scare our batsmen," said Village all-rounder Reggie Benjamin.
Haynes topscored for Cavaliers with four sixes and five fours in his
72 and then ripped the heart out of BC Allrounders' batting by bagging four for 21 from 6.4 overs.
Haynes was ably assisted with the bat by Donovan Livingston (47) and David Gibbons (26), who shared an opening stand of 77, and by Anthony Brathwaite, who made 30, and player-manager Barry Richards, who made a typically explosive 51 from just 24 balls.
Ishwar Narayanan marked his final match before leaving the island for London by taking three for 11 from nine overs.
"Tight bowling by Haynes and Narayanan was backed up by good catching and fielding epitomised by Brathwaite who effected two excellent run-outs, all of which ensured that this match was over as a contest very early in the BC innings," said skipper Richard Foulds.
Forties' victory in a shortened match was underpinned by a 96-run third-wicket partnership between Allen Richardson and Yatin Gawas.
Forties piled up 223 in 40 overs before dismissing Ernst & Young for 90 in the 34th over.
Skipper Gordon Campbell struck four fours in his 35 at the top of the Forties innings which was rounded off by Harold Minors' quickfire 34 from 22 balls, including two sixes and three fours, after the dashing stand that saw Richardson hit three fours and a six in his 57-ball 49 and Gawas make 41 from 38 balls with two fours and a six.
Pick of the accountants' attack were Dhammika Jayalath, who claimed four for 54 from 12 overs, Palithapushp Kumara, who took three for 42 from 12 – and also top scored with 21 – and Rajnish Juta (two for 17 from four).
Ernst & Young crumbled to 27 for five in reply as medium pacers Dylan DeSilva and Blake West had them on the back foot before Kumara held Forties up by making 21 from 29 balls at number seven, DeSila finishing with four for 22 from 9.3 overs and West three for 23 from eight.
"The rain of the past two weeks has made the outfield at Shelly Bay slower and runs and boundaries are harder to come by, consequently our 40-over score was a difficult ask for Ernst & Young," Campbell said.
"Blake and Dylan had them in considerable trouble at 27 for five.
Dylan worked up good pace and aggression, especially when he bowled the last two batsmen when they were beginning to look set for a long rearguard action in search of a draw."
Ernst & Young skipper Karunakar Kaushik blamed his side's defeat on a lack of determination and temperament.
"We just gave away our wickets.
"We wanted our experienced players to deliver when it was needed the most and we did not which made all the difference.
"We lost because of a lack of determination and temperament at our end and not because the other team did anything wonderful.
"I am sure we will come back in the next game (against St. David's) and play to our potential which is needed the most at present."