Police 274

Social Club 216

James Celestine's swashbuckling century and an incisive spell by off spinner Andy Cumberbatch proved too much for Social Club who were dethroned as Central Counties champions at the first hurdle at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Early order bat Celestine lived up to his reputation as a heavy hitter with a robust 108 off 68 deliveries to lay the foundation for his team's formidable total.

First change Cumberbatch then sliced through Social Club's top and middle order to bag superb match figures of six for 33 off eight overs and complete Police's hard-fought 58-run victory in a match reduced to 38 overs per side due to a delayed start and rain stoppages.

Jamaican all-rounder Delroy Taylor also had a major say in the final outcome as he stroked a fluent 34 and then claimed Social Club's last three scalps on the way to impressive figures of three for 14 off three overs.

Vincent Bradshaw, the Police captain, said he never doubted his team's ability to upstage the champions.

"Knockout cricket is played on the day and if you get off to a good start and are confident enough, you will do well all of the time. It was just a matter of us getting off to a good start and believing in ourselves," the Barbados-born cricketer said.

He also said he was surprised his team's opponents passed up a good opportunity to bat first in ideal batting conditions after winning the toss.

"If we had won the toss we still would have batted first because it was a pretty good strip and I am actually surprised that they sent us in to bat," said Bradshaw

The versatile cricketer, who kept behind the stumps and also tossed down two overs, praised Celestine for his explosive knock that virtually put the match beyond Social Club's reach.

All but 24 of Celestine's runs arrived off boundaries (eight sixes and nine fours) and he was fortunate to live a charmed life after Social Club botched an attempted stumping and dropped him twice at cover point and long on, on Saturday.

The cup holders ultimately paid a heavy price for their sloppiness in the field as the Grenadan batsman featured in two fruitful stands that kept Police firmly in control after pinch-hitter Cumberbatch fell for a golden duck in the second over of the innings. Celestine added exactly 50 runs for the second wicket with Taylor and produced another 82 for the third wicket with Trinidadian Garvin Aparicio (21).

"Celestine batted very well. He was patient and played each ball on its merit and put away the bad balls and that's what cricket is all about," Bradshaw added.