Southampton Rangers beat Flatts Victoria by 78 runs in a lopsided Premier Division Twenty20 contest at Lord’s yesterday to keep their title bid on track.

A half-century partnership between Tre Manders and wicketkeeper Ricardo Brangman powered the visiting side to 146 for six after electing to bat on an uneven pitch.

Seam bowlers Malachi Jones and Nirobi Mills bagged nine wickets between them to finish the job off as Flatts were dismissed on the penultimate ball of the match for 68.

Janeiro Tucker, the Rangers player-coach, was happy to get the win but took issue with his team’s display.

“We won the game, but we had a half-decent performance,” he said.

“We scored 146 on a wicket that was like 120 par, so I thought we did really good to score 146.

“We played halfway decent, but we can do better than that and I let these guys know my expectations are really high.

“We got the win, but we have to pick our game up for the next few weeks.

“We have do better and make sure we destroy teams of that calibre.”

Leaders Rangers hold a five-point advantage over nearest rivals Bailey’s Bay with two rounds remaining in the round-robin competition.

A new champion will be crowned as holders St David’s have been eliminated.

Brangman and Manders came together at the crease at the start of the seventh over with Rangers poised at 44 for two and added 60 in 41 balls to provide impetus to the innings.

Manders gathered 34 from 31 balls and Brangman 29 from 26 before both batsmen were removed during a mini-collapse in which three wickets tumbled in the space of four runs.

Dion Stovell (18), Jones (11), Jelani Albouy (14) all made starts while Tucker (11) and Shannon Raynor (10) remained unbeaten at the end of the innings. There were also 19 extras, including eight wides and three no balls.

Seamer Dajon Carey, two for 18, and leg spinner Logan Jones, two for 24, were the pick of the Flatts bowling.

In reply, the home side got their run chase off to a poor start after losing opening pair Carey for nought and player-coach Clay Smith for six and never really recovered as the Rangers’ bowling attack kept the pressure on.

Reggie Baker (20) and Paul Carr (28) shared in a 41-run partnership, but they wasted far too many precious balls to put pressure on the batsmen coming behind who were unequal to the task as Jones and Mills blew away the middle and lower order, Flatts’ last eight wickets falling for the addition of 13 runs.

Jones, five for 16, led the charge and received solid support from Mills, four for ten, who nearly achieved a hat-trick after the Troy Dean and Adio Robinson were dismissed for golden ducks in successive balls.

“I thought they bowl real good,” Tucker said.

“They are two quality bowlers.”