Willow Cuts 235 Southampton 192

Dexter Basden produced one of his most valuable innings of the season and Wendell White grabbed four wickets for 28 runs to inspire champions Willow Cuts to a hard fought 43 run win over challengers Southampton in the second round of the Western Counties at White Hill Field on Saturday.

Able to withstand the Rangers' attack batting at the top of the order, a determined Basden scored 88 runs - his highest Counties score to date - and featured in three fruitful partnerships which helped propel Cuts to a formidable total of 235, a total made all the more difficult to reach on the spacious confines of White Hill Field.

Basden belted 11 fours and one six off 113 balls during a marathon knock that lasted some three hours and ten minutes.

The Cuts stalwart added 43 runs for the first wicket with guest player Jermaine (Sox) Warner (28), 54 runs for the third wicket along with the in-form Reggie Tucker Jr (25) and another crucial 62 runs with younger sibling and skipper Richard Basden (26) for the fifth-wicket.

"Actually, I didn't really feel like opening the innings," revealed` Basden afterwards. "Being that we had Warner there I wanted to come at number three or four. But the coach insisted that I am a leader and so I had to lead from the front."

Basden had a bit of luck on his side as he survived two chances before going on to complete his knock. The opening batsman was dropped by Stevie Lightbourne when he was in the early 30s and Rangers' promising young left-arm seamer Dwia Blyden spilled a simple offering later on.

"You could say the angels were with me today," he added with a smile. "For once I had a bit of luck because usually guys hold onto my wicket - they like to catch the ball when I'm batting."

Given a reprieve, Basden carried on the onslaught.

"I figured I might as well keep going and this was my highest counties' score. So I'll take it," added the veteran player.

The player received solid support from the bats of Warner, Tucker and Basden. Warner, in typical fashion, smashed five fours off only 35 balls, Tucker three fours and Basden two fours and a six. Bergon Spencer weighed in with a useful knock of 19 (two sixes) while batting lower down the order.

Gary Williams took three wickets for 37 runs to lead the Rangers attack, while veteran seamer Gary Crofton and Blyden grabbed two for 42 and two for 27 respectively.

Southampton skipper Janeiro Tucker took one for 27 from ten overs including one maiden as Cuts were dismissed in 49.2 overs.

In reply to the champion's challenging total, Rangers' openers Keith Wainwright (26) and Kwame Tucker (17) managed to get their team off on a promising start before White intervened.

The pair put on 52 runs for the first wicket before the player/president finally made the initial breakthrough in the tenth over.

With the second ball of his sixth over, White had Tucker caught behind the stumps by deputising wicketkeeper Dwight Basden, while, three balls later, the wiry player struck again by shattering Lightbourne's stumps for nought after the towering batsman played over a straight delivery.

Wainwright would then depart six overs later to a controversial umpiring decision. The veteran right-handed batsman looked to have been wrapped high up on the knee roll, standing miles outside his crease, but was still given out leg before wicket by umpire Roger Dill. Wainwright stroked three fours off 44 balls.

Southampton skipper Janeiro Tucker (33, two fours and two sixes) and Ricky Brangman (20, one four) then set about repairing the early damage and together they put on a much needed 46 runs for the fourth-wicket, before the latter was smartly caught on the long on boundary going for the big hit by White.

Tucker then survived a scare in the 27th over when Richard Basden dropped him at point off the tight bowling of Charles (Bucky) Swan.

However, Tucker's luck finally ran out three overs later when namesake and Dandy Town team-mate Reggie had him snapped up by Spencer fielding at square leg off the final ball of his first over.

That dismissal signalled another collapse as Rangers lost two quick wickets in succession, including among them, the sensational run out of Kenny Phillips (five) who had his stumps knocked down by a direct throw from short long-off by Richard Basden.

Of the remaining Rangers' bats, only Olin Jones (29, one four) and Crofton (11) were able to hang around the crease. The pair put on 30 runs for the eight-wicket before White and veteran spinner Kevin Fubler moved in for the kill.

Tucker finished with two for 34, Fubler two wickets for 36 runs including two maidens off nine overs, while Swan bowled an economical ten over spell which yielded one wicket for 33 runs with one maiden.

"I always love playing against Rangers," commented White afterwards. "They always bring the best out of us.

"Today, in order for us to win this game we had to get the early breakthrough. I told the skipper I'm bowling alright and it's just going to be a matter of time. It happened, and I was able to carry on from there."

Cuts will now take on PHC on August 9.