St George’s captain Macai Simmons returned from Malaysia with Bermuda to lead his team to their first wins in the Open League this weekend, including dismissing Western Stars for 18 at Wellington Oval yesterday in a match that was completed in only two hours and one minute and was over by 12.15pm.

Stars, with ten men, won the toss and decided to bat. The decision quickly backfired as Simmons and new-ball partner Onias Bascome, also playing his first game of the season, had them reeling at seven for three, before Bascome ripped the heart out of the Stars middle order with a hat-trick in his fifth over.

Bascome claimed wickets on his second, third and fourth balls when he had veteran Andre Manders caught, bowled Wendell White and then had Seion Darrell caught as Stars went from 13 for three to 13 for six.

Stars were dismissed in only 14.4 overs, with Bascome finishing with five for 13 from seven overs, while Simmons had equally impressive figures of three for six from seven overs with five maidens.

First change Treadwell Gibbons, playing against his former team, took a wicket on his fourth ball to end the innings.

No Stars batsmen reached double figures, with captain Seth Campbell their high man with five not out in the tail end.

St George’s took 4.1 overs to wrap up the victory, replying with 20 for one after Gibbons was dismissed off the fourth ball of the first over before Detroy Smith, who scored nine, and Temiko Wilson, with seven, completed the easy win.

“If feels good, just bringing up ourselves for the 50 overs,” Simmons said. “We bowled well, just held our line and kept it there.

“The main competition is the 50 overs. It feels good to be back, there is a nice vibe going in the team and we just want to carry it on.”

On Saturday, Simmons picked up four wickets while Gibbons scored 69 on his debut as St George’s beat Bailey’s Bay by 69 runs at Sea Breeze Oval. Sent in, St George’s scored 159 in 35 overs with Gibbons facing 85 balls and hitting five fours and three sixes.

Gibbons shared in an opening stand of 55 in 9.5 overs with Detroy Smith, who was first out for 26 off 35 balls. Bay battled back after turning to veteran spinners Derrick Brangman and Rodney Trott, their fourth and fifth bowlers used. Brangman, the left-armer, claimed five for 52 from 12 overs and Trott three for 28 off nine overs of off-break as the last nine St George’s wickets went down for 104 runs.

Bay — who, like St George’s were also fielding a number of youngsters — fell well short in their reply, all out for just 90 in 28.5 overs. Simmons took four for 23 from 11.5 overs with three maidens for St George’s.

Father and son Herbie and Oronde Bascome provided ample support at the other end, with Oronde claiming three for 19 from four overs and Herbie two for 21 off ten.

Opener Pierre Smith was Bay’s high man with 52 from 82 balls, including six fours and a six. No other batsmen reached double figures for the home team.