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Bay retain their title after rain-hit affair Bailey’s Bay retained the Eastern Counties trophy after a rain-affected encounter against Flatts Victoria ended in a draw at Lord’s on Saturday. The challengers were 74 for two in reply to Bay’s 227 for nine when heavy downpours sent the teams scurrying off the field for the fourth and final time of the match at 6.33pm. Of the scheduled 118 overs of play, 39 were lost to the inclement weather which ultimately took its toll on a match that was interestingly poised when Flatts began their innings at 4pm. “Hard luck to Flatts with the weather, but I thought we played well,” Bay captain Terryn Fray told The Royal Gazette. “I thought everyone got kind of stuck in. No milestones, but everyone pulled their weight and I thought it was set up for good game.” The holders had their sights on set on victory before the adverse weather intervened. “I thought the win was on the cards,” Fray said. “We was able to get Kamau Leverock and JJ Nel out, who are probably two of their more experienced players. But at the end of the day weather happens and this is where we’re at.” Bay found themselves in a spot of bother at 68 for three after electing to take first strike. Leverock made the breakthrough for Flatts with a delivery that caught the edge of opener Coolidge Durham’s (10) bat and was gloved behind by wicketkeeper Amari Ebbin. Incoming batter Delray Rawlins (28) was dropped at mid-wicket by Keegan Jones and again at mid-on by Nel before his luck finally ran out after slicing a Kevin Hurdle delivery into the hands of Leverock at slip. Fray (28), who was also put down by Leverock off his own bowling, departed the very next over when he cut the same bowler off the back foot into the hands of Keegan Jones at point. Flatts had the momentum at this stage before Bay’s middle order came to the rescue and stabilised the innings to lay the foundation for their respectable total. Derrick Brangman (47) and Tre Manders (19) started the revival with a timely 65 run for the fourth wicket. However, the match took another turn just minutes before lunch when both batsmen were removed in the space of four overs. Brangman was the first to go when he was run out at the striker’s end just three runs shy of a deserved fifty. Manders was then trapped by Leverock leg before with the last delivery of the morning session to leave Bay 139 for five at lunch. Flatts struck another blow shortly after play resumed when Dennico Hollis (1) flicked a Hurdle delivery into the hands of Logan Jones at forward short leg. But once again Bay weathered the storm with Michael Agard (47) leading another fightback with some aggressive strokeplay and along with wicketkeeper Sinclair Smith (36) added a vital 52 runs for the seventh wicket that powered the holders to the double century mark. Smith survived a scare after being dropped at mid off by Keegan Jones off the bowling of Nel just before rain halted play again for 30 minutes. Agard was also dismissed just shy of a maiden fifty in the competition shortly after play resumed when Keegan Jones took a sharp catch at mid off from the bowling of Nel before rain once again interrupted proceedings resulting in the tea break being taken early. Flatts made further inroads after claiming the scalps of colt La Zai Outerbridge (1) and Smith in quick succession when play resumed again. Outerbridge was bowled by Nel, while Smith was dismissed by Leverock in the same fashion in the next over before the overs ran out. Leverock, who bowled both seam and spin, led the Flatts attack with four for 81 while Hurdle (two for 85) and Nel (two for 16) claimed two wickets each. Flatts lost the wickets of Leverock (12) and Nel (18) during the chase before rain halted proceedings for good. Leverock was the first to go after edging a Kyle Hodsoll delivery into the hands of wicketkeeper Smith. Brangman then trapped Nel in front when play resumed after a nearly hour-long rain delay. Brothers Logan Jones (34 not out) and Keegan Jones (8 not out) remained unbeaten at the crease when another heavy downpour brought an end to the match. “It was unfortunate the weather turned out to be this way. Who knows what might have happened if it didn’t rain today,” Flatts coach Ryan Belboda said. “I think that it was a good effort and it was just unfortunate that the weather took over.” Bay left-arm spinner Brangman finished with one for 17 and seamer Hodsoll one for 22 respectively. The holders will now face St David’s in the final round on August 29. Bailey’s Bay *T Fray c K Jones b K Leverock 28 C Durham c †A Ebbin b Leverock 10 D Rawlins c Leverock b K Hurdle 28 T Manders lbw Leverock 19 D Brangman run out (S Robinson) 47 M Agard c K Jones b JJ Nel 47 D Hollis c L Jones b Hurdle 1 S Smith† b Leverock 36 L Outerbridge b Nel 1 K Hodsoll not out 5 M Walker not out 0 Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5 Total (for 9 wickets, 54 overs) 227 Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-64, 3-68, 4-133, 5-139, 6-148, 7-200, 8-212, 9-226 Bowling: Leverock 20-1-81-4; Hurdle 20-2-85-2; Swadesh 4-0-17-0; K Jones 6-0-26-0; Nel 4-0-16-2 Flatts Victoria K Leverock c † Smith b K Hodsoll 12 L Jones not out 34 JJ Nel lbw b D Brangman 18 K Jones not out 8 *D Carey, K Franks, S Robinson, †A Ebbin, K Hurdle, R Baker, G Swadesh did not bat Extras (b 2) 2 Total (for 2 wickets, 23 overs) 74 Bowling: Hodsoll 6-1-22-1; Walker 4-1-21-0; Brangman 7-1-17-1; Agard 6-1-12-0. Umpires: A Cumberbatch, J Pitcher Toss: Bailey’s Bay