There were two standout players with the bat and ball in Isle of Man Cricket Association action over the weekend.

Young Nathan Williams made his senior debut for the island side on Friday and he was awarded the MCC cap by the touring team for his excellent performances against them.

He then took some decisive wickets in the matches he played on Saturday and Sunday.

George Burrows scored his first century of the season and managed three other innings of 40,40 and 52 during the week. One must not also forget the 88 runs that he scored in the Forrester last Monday.

Burrows scored 105 in the Valkyres versus Finch Hill match on Saturday, having been able to bludgeon his way to 47 in only seven overs because of some initial poor bowling by Valkyres.

Burrows then settled in at a steady pace accompanied by some patient batting from Sam Barnett (43). Finch Hill’s KL Rahul to the Rohit Sharma by Burrows perhaps.

There was some nervousness in the 90s by Burrows, but he made a very good century of 105 before he was caught in the deep by Arun Mahalingam.

Valkyres had rued the missed chances when he was around 50, but they were able to rein in the Finch Hill score by taking some quick wickets. Peter Foxton used his experience to bring the score to 229 by the end of 40 overs.

Valkyres set off in pursuit of the stiff target but wickets soon fell and continued to fall, although Shahid Rafique managed to put together 44 before he was bowled by Foxton.

Finch Hill’s bowlers performed well as a unit and prevented the Valkyres’ batsmen from making big scores. Pick of the bowlers were Foxton (2 for 44) and Charlie Beard (2 for 15) - Valkyres were all out for 199 and Finch Hill had won by 30 runs.

Ramsey faced a difficult match against Peel and St John’s (PSJ) and so it proved. The northerners worked hard to restrict PSJ to 205 from their 40 overs, but they were unable to get the wicket of Ollie Webster early.

The latter proceeded to score 91 off 89 balls, a score which included five sixes and seven fours. He was ably supported by Pete Lewis, Josh Mills and Russell Miller who made scores in the 20s. Jenson Eve took three wickets and James Harrison two.

Ramsey were always on the back foot after losing early wickets. Rob Webber put up some resistance with a score of 19, but three wickets from Brendan Bennett, Miller and Webster ensured that Ramsey could not recover and they were all out for 95 in the 31st over.

The Development XI played Castletown on Sunday and the latter won the toss before electing to field.

Burrows added another knock of 40 to his Saturday score - his average is now more than 68. His wicket fell to the bowling of Garreth Roome, but Carl Hartmann took up the challenge and batted with Matthew Ansell for a partnership of 93. Ansell scored 56 and Hartmann 54 before he was out to the bowling of Roome.

Soon after, the Development XI were all out for 207 and Roome finished with figures of 4 for 44 off seven overs.

Castletown were two down for 29 runs after Ansell had taken two quick wickets, but they too were able to build a good partnership of 71 between Duane Allen and Tom Kennaugh.

The latter continued his good form with the bat to score 47 and Allen feel just short of his 50 when he was out for 49 to the bowling of Jacob Butler.

Castletown kept losing wickets on a regular basis, therefore preventing a build-up of momentum.Roome managed to score 30 not out, but Castletown were all out for 178 and the Development XI won by 29 runs.

Cronkbourne faced Crosby at their Tromode home on Saturday when the visitors won the toss and elected to have a bat.

Kevin Kniveton opened the batting and made his highest total of the season as his score of 50 held together the Crosby innings.

Batting with Chris Langford, who later ended on 42, the two batsmen took the total to 106 before young Theo Helfrich from Cronkbourne nabbed the wicket of Kniveton with a stumping.

Nobody else from Crosby troubled the scorers and they finished on 142 from 36 overs.

Three of the four early batsmen for Cronkbourne failed to get runs on the board, but once again Corbin Liebenberg was there to save the day. He scored 33 from 51 balls before he was caught by Ed Walker off the bowling of Hemanath Vyas.

The power of Nathan Knights’ batting was in evidence once more, scoring 51 off 35 balls as he smote six fours and two sixes in his innings.

Langford for Crosby bowled well taking four for 18 from his eight overs but it was not enough to stop Cronkbourne who surpassed the target in the 32nd over, winning by four wickets.

A round-up from the MCC’s visit to the island in this week’s Manx Independent,

on sale Thursday morning.