Western Stars 168

Southampton Rangers 171-3

Southampton Rangers condemned defending Premier Division Limited Overs champions Western Stars to a second successive humiliating seven-wicket defeat at St.John's Field yesterday.

The manner in which Rangers romped to a third straight win of the season was nothing short of convincing as they took hold of an Albert Steede-less Stars by the scruff of the neck from the outset and never once let go.

The visitors were simply a cut above in every facet of the game, restricting their hosts - via some economical bowling backed up by some equally tight fielding - for under 200 runs before returning to the crease and sensibly batting their way to victory, skipper Janeiro Tucker punching a loose Justin Robinson delivery through the covers for the winning boundary at 5.45 p.m..

Up against a disciplined Rangers bowling attack on a wicket that offered sideways movement, Stars used up 37 overs before finally posting three figures on a scoreboard that for the most part was reduced to a trickle.

Leading from the very front, Rangers skipper Tucker shone brightly with both bat and ball, claiming three wickets for 28 off 7.5 overs of seam before stroking an unbeaten half century.

Tucker made the first of three breakthroughs with the ball in his fifth over, enticing Stars skipper Hasan Durham (19) into offering a simple return catch. He then had Nakia Smith (two) caught at short mid wicket and teenager Dennico Hollis (nought) bowled with successive deliveries to bring Stars innings to a close after 48.5 overs.

Then, coming to the crease after the hard-hitting Stevie Lightbourne departed two runs shy of a deserved half-century, Tucker dominated an unbroken 45-run partnership for the fourth wicket with young Sri Lankan all-rounder Ramen Wijewardena (five) that took Rangers from 126 for three safely to victory with 93 balls to spare.

After patiently digging in at the crease, Tucker gave an awesome reminder of his aggressive nature, smashing 52 runs (four fours and three sixes) off exactly 52 balls in 68 minutes. Prior to the skipper's individual fireworks, veteran Lightbourne - in his first match of the season - set the foundation for Rangers' seven wicket demolition by smashing 48 runs (five fours and two sixes) off 40 balls while opener Keith Wainwright stroked 34 (five fours and a six) off 86 balls in just over two hours at the crease.

Stars skipper Durham took two for 32 and Jacobi Robinson went one for 46 both off nine overs of hussle.

“This was a big win for us today,” Tucker commented afterwards. “Going into this game 2-0 we really had to come out and stamp some authority early.”

Rangers' veteran fast bowler Gary (G Money) Williams saw to that, sending down a beauty which moved off the seam and ripped through Jermaine Postlethwaite's (three) defences.

And apart from a 35-run second wicket partnership between Jekon Edness (16) and Gershon Gibbons (16) and a 42-run fourth wicket stand between Dennis Archer (16) and Stars' top scorer Saleem Mukuddem (42, five fours), the visitors lost wickets at regular intervals as the Rangers' attack continued to turn the screws.

“Our plan was to put Stars in first if we won the toss because nobody has played on this wicket yet,” Tucker added. “I thought winning the toss would play a major factor which it did. It was a nice wicket all the way through.

“But I thought our bowlers bowled quite well although we still gave up 24 extras. We bowled a good line and length and I thought Stevie and Keith batted well by applying themselves early.”

Lightbourne and Wainwright threw their wickets away when seemingly destined for big scores, both holing out to Smith fielding at long on off the spin of Stars skipper Durham bowling a second spell from the St.John's Road end of the urban ground.

“It was too bad they could not go and get the big one but I still think they will improve as time goes on,” Tucker added.

Supporting the gifted all-rounder in the bowling was veteran Olin Jones who took three for 38 off ten overs, opener Williams one for 20 off seven overs and Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock who spun his way to remarkable figures of one for nine off ten overs, including four maidens.