January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Pitcher a hero among the East End stars
Pitcher a hero among the East End stars
He got exactly what he asked for, with his major players stepping up to pull off one of the most emphatic victories in recent Cup Match history.
It was a team-effort with several players in the running for the prestigious MVP award.
Here's a look at how each player contributed to the St George's win.
* Designates that a batsman was not out.
n Photos by Ras Mykkal
Lionel Cann, 33
Batting: 42 and DNB
Bowling: DNB and 0 for 12
Catches: 0
Propelled St George's towards their huge first-innings total with a typically whirlwind innings of 42, allowing him to declare on Thursday afternoon.
That exciting cameo aside Cann's role was largely as a tactician. And he proved that he has got what it takes in the captaincy department.
Persisting with George O'Brien on day one paid dividends as the pacer snared valuable wickets late in the day. Cann's declaration, his decision to enforce the follow-on and his consistently attacking field-placings showed that his promise to go on the offensive was more than just words. He led his team admirably.
OJ Pitcher, 23
Batting: 98* and DNB
Bowling: DNB and 0 for 5
Catches: 0
St George's had more than one match-winner in what was an outstanding team effort from the east enders.
But few can have made a more valuable contribution than the vice-captain.
With his team reeling on 59 for 4, he played beautifully to dig them out of trouble only to fall two runs short of his maiden Cup Match century.
A hundred would have been just reward for a crucial innings at a crucial time but on this evidence Pitcher will have many more opportunities to notch up three figures in the classic.
Delyone Borden, 21
Batting: 22 and DNB
Bowling: 3 for 57 and 4 for 64
Catches: None
Borden bemused and frustrated Somerset's batsmen with a tireless display of off-spin bowling.
He bowled a marathon 45 overs in the match never wavering from a perfect line and length.
As the game wore on and the pitch became more placid he became St George's most important bowler.
His seven-wicket haul eclipsed the performance of Somerset's more experiences slow bowlers and played a big part in the victory.
He didn't have as much success with the bat, becoming the first Cup Match scalp for Somerset colt Malachi Jones.
George O'Brien, 21
Bowling: 5 for 64 and 2 for 48
Catches: 2
After destroying Somerset last year George O'Brien came back to haunt them again with another display of fiery seam bowling. It may not have been as fast or as furious as in '05 when he took 11 wickets, but there is no doubt that, even the island's best batsmen, don't like standing up to O'Brien on any surface. His five-wicket haul in the first-innings allowed Lionel Cann to enforce the follow-on and was crucial to the crushing victory. O'Brien wasn't as effective in the second-innings but still returned decent figures, proving once again that he is currently the most effective and consistent seamer operating in Bermuda.
Troy Hall, 38
Batting: 2 and 4*
Catches: 1
Well, it was better than last year.
That's about all that can be said of Troy Hall's Cup Match. He now averages 3 in the classic, having scored a total of nine runs in his four visits to the crease.
He was still there at the end, to celebrate the victory and gave a fleeting glimpse of what a class act he can be with a perfectly timed sweep for four in that brief innings.
But when the pressure was on, on day one he didn't do the business.
As one of the senior players on the side more was probably expected of Hall, but sadly it was not to be.
Charlie Marshall, 45
Batting: 88 and DNB
Catches: 1
Not content with becoming Cup Match's all-time leading run scorer Marshall seems intent on putting his record beyond reach.
The Social Club veteran crashed the ball to all corners of the ground as he amassed 88, partnering OJ Pitcher, to manouvere his side into a winning position.
Marshall has probably been the most consistent batsman on the domestic scene this season and he stepped up again when his team needed him most.
After the match his captain Lionel Cann joined the chorus of voices asking for Marshall to be recalled to the national team.
Arthur Pitcher jnr, 25
Bowling: 1 for 3 and 3 for 30
Batting: 35* and 8*
Catches: 1
Couldn't have done much more on his debut. With O'Brien and Borden bowling so effectively his opportunities with the ball were limited to just 14 overs in the match.
But what he had to do, he did well, taking four wickets and going at a miserly rate of less than three an over.
It was a similar story with the bat where he was left not out in both innings. His accomplished 35 in the first was followed by an even briefer appearance in the second, where he finished the match in style, scoring the winning runs with a huge six.
A promising debut.
Rodney Trott, 18
Bowling: 0 for 51 and 1 for 61
Batting: 17* and 9
Catches: 4
Not the debut he would have dreamt of but Trott acquitted himself well for a teenager in his first Cup Match. He bowled better in the second innings than he did in the first but still bore the brunt of the Somerset counter-attack, going at a rate of more than four an over. His fielding was superb and he won't have endeared himself to Stephen Outerbridge after holding two catches to dismiss the Somerset opener in both innings - a feat which helped him win the Safe Hands Award. He was selected primarily as a spin bowler, and in that area he disappointed. He still has plenty of time and potential to improve, though.
Oronde Bascome, 18
Batting: 5 and 18
Catches: 0
Like his under-19 team-mate and fellow colt Rodeny Trott, Bascome had a tough Cup Match initiation.
After falling for five in the first-innings he came out swinging in the day two run chase.
But a promising innings, including one mighty hook for six, was cut short by a superb catch from Stephen Outerbridge.
He showed glimpses of the club form that has seen him emerge as one of the best openers in the domestic game - playing with no fear (and no helmet) against the quicks.
But we'll have to wait till next year to see if he can truly translate that form on to the big stage.
Clay Smith, 35
Batting: 8 and 35
Catches: 2
Didn't contribute on day one but showed his class and experience to settle a potentially nervy start to the run chase.
Smith put his injury worries behind him and worked the ball well during a quickfire knock of 35 that edged St. George's towards their victory target and left him just 14 shy of 1,000 runs in the classic.
He took a couple of sharp catches and looked back to his best - great news for Bermuda with some important tours coming up.
Dean Minors, 36
Batting: 1 and DNB
Catches: 2
Stumpings: 2
Returned to Cup Match with an exemplary display of wicket-keeping, including a smart stumping to get rid of the dangerous Saleem Mukuddem in the second innings.
He kept tidily throughout, standing up to the medium pacers and reading the spinners well.
He didn't produce with the bat, as he has done so often for the national team, but by the time he got to the wicket St. George's were on bonus time anyway.
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