Southampton Oval (Southampton won toss): Southampton beat Flatts by five runs.

Flatts had a major upset within their grasp after dismissing Southampton Rangers, the Twenty20 and Belco Cup champions, for just 101 before falling just short.

Rangers prevailed with a five-run victory in a tense finale at Southampton Rangers yesterday.

Flatts, promoted from the First Division, had Rangers on the ropes as Paul Carr and Nelson Bascome Jr shared seven wickets to dismiss the home side in just 29.1 overs.

Kwame Tucker top scored for Rangers with 21, while Dion Stovell scored 19 and Ian Armstrong hit 18 after Flatts had them in deep trouble at 66 for seven.

Bascome Jr claimed four for 30 and Carr three for 30, while Darnell Farrell took two for 13, starting the slump by removing openers Tucker and Curtis Jackson.

Captain Janeiro Tucker, who was bowled for a duck by Carr, led his team to an unlikely win as Flatts’ batsmen also struggled for runs, losing their first two wickets for ten runs.

They then sunk even deeper into trouble, losing three quick wickets as Tucker, taking the new ball with Derrick Brangman, claimed two for 12 from 6.5 overs, including the final wicket of Farrell to win the match. Stovell was the pick of the Rangers bowlers with four for 30.

Wendell White top scored for Flatts with 27, but he lacked adequate support after he and Bascome put on 29 for the seventh before the bottom fell out.