Somerset Cricket Club (Somerset won toss): Somerset beat St George’s by 36 runs

Aggressive batting displays from Kamau Leverock and Dominic Sabir led Somerset to another impressive win, this time over cross-island rivals St George’s.

St George's medium pacer Abdul Salaam struggled to keep his line in target early on, and Leverock punished him with two boundaries in his first over to get the West End club off to a solid start.

Regular St George's wicketkeeper Sinclair Smith stepped up to the plate to bowl his first over in a curious change from skipper Onias Bascome. Smith got his line horribly wrong, and Leverock, in true lefty fashion, smashed three straight sixes, two to the Lopes Garden end and the other over the mid-wicket boundary to complete a 24-run over.

Despite the difficult start, Bascome persisted with Smith, and his accuracy was slightly better, his second over going for just eight with one solitary four off the fourth ball.

Somerset had full control of their innings at the conclusion of the mandatory powerplay, with the opening partnership standing at 73. Nzari Paynter was next to feel the wrath of Leverock's power as the lefty cracked three further sixes to conclude his second over.

Smith finally claimed the scalp of Leverock as he tried to place another boundary over the off-side, but instead played straight to Bascome, who made a comfortable catch. Paynter bowled the only maiden of the innings in the next over, before getting rising star Jermal Proctor to edge into the arms of wicketkeeper Winston Simmons.

Sabir remained unbeaten on 75 to see Somerset home to the excellent total.

St George's would have still backed themselves with the well-rounded and powerful line-up they possess with the bat to chase down the challenging total. They were quickly put under the knife by solid bowling from Jermal Proctor and Nirobi Smith-Mills, who took the scalps of opening pair Paynter and Brandon Swainson in the first two overs.

Smith and Bascome settled the innings somewhat, but a smart bowling tweak by captain Alje Richardson yielded fruit. Sabir twisted Smith into a spin, enticing him to edge into the grateful gloves of Cofield Robinson before he could set himself. The visitors were at 31 for three at the end of the opening powerplay.

Abdul Salaam stepped to the crease with his team in need of a partner for Bascome, and he started with a powerful strike for four. Bascome smashed two heavy sixes over the northern boundary on the off-side in Sabir's second over to spark the St George's run chase into life. Salaam had his confidence blunted as he played straight back to bowler Greg Maybury straight after Bascome's second blast.

Jalen Smith, cousin of Jonte, stepped in and played an adequate support act for the brutal Bascome. The Cup Match captain crashed a six directly where our reporter was situated near the clubhouse, and he had to take evasive action to ensure he wasn't hit.

Bascome was nearly caught leg before off the third ball of Kamau Leverock's second over, but umpire Roger Dill waved away the loud appeal as he and Smith crossed for a leg bye. The next ball he faced, Bascome failed to read the line of Leverock and was given out LBW.

Smith stayed composed with the bat while punishing poor deliveries, but he and Zakari Seymour fell victim to "Mr Cup Match" Janeiro Tucker. Veteran heads Mishael Paynter, current club president, and Jelani Carlington, made solid aggressive knocks to lead the East Enders to a respectable final total, which was ultimately 36 runs short.

Somerset head coach Jeff Richardson is confident in his opening pair. "Batting first made the game easier," he said. "Kamau and Dominic are proving a productive opening duo for us this format."