Player-coach Shane Deitz top-scored – with an unbeaten 114-ball 71 over Bermuda – for the third time in four matches since his international debut at the start of WCL Division Four. Dietz’s maiden half-century propelled Vanuatu to a four-wicket win – their first win in the tournament – and kept alive their slim hopes of avoiding relegation.
After their disastrous decision to bat second on a wearing track, Bermuda opted to go the other way on Thursday. But the slipped to 24 for 3 inside the Powerplay. The big scalp in that bunch was Kamau Leverock, who decimated Jersey with a belligerent 28-ball half-century.
Dion Stovell, who took four wickets on Wednesday, teamed with captain Terryn Fray to grind out a 110-run stand across 32.1 overs to get Bermuda back into the match. But Nalin Nipiko’s medium pace broke the stand in the 38th over and new-ball bowler Patrick Matautaava returned at the death to claim three more wickets, including Fray for 77 to finish with 4 for 41.
Bermuda began their defence of 181 with spin and Stovell struck on his fifth delivery to claim Jonathon Dunn leg before. Matautaava was dismissed for 10 as his nightmarish tournament with the bat continued. And in walked Deitz. The former South Australian wicketkeeper added 54 for the third wicket with Joshua Rasu (31 off 67 balls) before Leverock and Stovell struck six balls apart to remove Rasu and then captain Andrew Mansale.
Deitz held firm, and with nuggety contributions from Nipiko (26 off 34 balls), Ronald Tari (15 off 39 balls) and Trevor Langa (13 not out off 25 balls) along the way, Vanuatu sealed victory with an over to spare and also put an end to Bermuda’s chances of promotion.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo