League leaders Southampton Rangers continued their relentless charge towards a second consecutive title yesterday at Lords, beating a spirited Flatts side by four wickets in a low-scoring encounter.

Bolstered by the return of national team players Janeiro Tucker, Lionel Cann and Dwayne Leverock ? who had only arrived back on the Island early that morning following their humiliation in Antigua ? Rangers knocked over their bottom-of-the-table opponents for a paltry 121, Tucker starring with the ball with figures of five for 35 off his ten overs.

Opener Lloyd Fray top-scored for Flatts with 31, while his partner Vernon Eve contributed 20 to an opening partnership of 38.

Apart from that, however, the Flatts batsmen struggled to impose themselves and the next highest score belonged to the extras column on 26 ? including 19 wides.

However, what should have been a straightforward victory for Rangers turned into a struggle after some good, accurate bowling and some questionable shot-selection combined to undermine the run chase.

At 74 for one, Rangers were cruising, when suddenly they lost four quick wickets for the addition of only seven runs and in the space of four overs.

Dion Stovell (40) was palpably lbw to Derek Wright trying to whip a straight one through the leg side ? a wicket which brought Lionel Cann to the crease.

Having been bowled first ball against Jamaica in the first round of the Stanford 20-20 tournament on Friday night, Cann strode out to bat with the jeers of both spectators and the Flatts fielders ringing in his ears.

Clearly agitated and attempting to shut them up, the new St. George?s Cup Match captain mowed his first ball off Wright over midwicket ? only to watch in horror as is it sailed straight down Nelson Bascome?s throat on the boundary, handing him his second golden duck in three days.

Medium pacer Gary Brangman then had left-hander Andrew Raynor lbw for four, while a few balls later he also picked up Rohan Simons, who was brilliantly caught at slip by a diving Fray.

Having pushed himself down the batting order after his exploits with the ball, it was then up to the incoming Tucker to save the day for Rangers.

Attempting to knock off the 40 runs required for victory, the Bermuda all-rounder was in no mood to hang around, playing with typical authority and smashing two straight sixes on to the bank at the northern end.

Tucker (17 not out), together with Olin Jones (nine not out) guided Rangers to victory with more than ten overs to spare.