Southampton 230

St.David's 166

Southampton handed St.David's a 64-run defeat in the Premier League match-of-the-day at Southampton Oval on Sunday to record their fourth consecutive win of the season.

Rangers posted a challenging total of 230 all out and then dismissed the Islanders for 166 in 41 overs to maintain their unbeaten home record.

Ricky Brangman led Rangers' batting with a breathtaking knock of 72 from 62 balls while Ryan Belboda returned astonishing figures of three for one from six overs - five of which were maidens.

Brangman cracked five fours and five sixes during an aggressive one hour and 15 minute stay at the crease while fellow stalwarts Keith Wainwright scored 37 and Kwame Tucker 33. Wainwright managed six fours during a two-hour knock while Tucker belted six fours from 34 deliveries.

Player/coach Clevie Wade also weighed in with a useful unbeaten knock of 22 lower down the order while the Islanders gave up a costly 40 runs in the field.

George O'Brien Jr. (two for 52) and Arthur Pitcher Jr. (two for 39) were the pick of the St.David's bowling while Loren Marshall, Lionel Cann, OJ Pitcher, Glen Blakeney and player/coach Clay Smith each grabbed a wicket - the latter without conceding a single run.

In reply, St.David's got off to a flying start as Cann (37) and youngster Delyone Borden (49) belted 45 runs off only two overs.

Southampton opening bowler Gary Williams (two for 41) came in for some harsh punishment from Cann, who was promoted up the order.

Cann cracked seven fours and a six before he was caught and bowled on the first delivery he faced from Belboda who replaced Williams at the southern end of the ground. Cann's runs came off only 16 balls.

Southampton continued to peck away at the Islanders' early order batsmen and were celebrating again seven balls later when Williams, returning from the northern end, had OJ Pitcher trapped leg before wicket without scoring while Belboda grabbed the prize wicket of Glen Blakeney for two.

Blakeney was bowled attempting to hook to a straight delivery that pushed his centre stump back. St.David's were now in trouble at 48 for three with Southampton firmly in the driver's seat.

Player/coach Smith then came to crease and attempted to stop the rot but Belboda struck again to have the gifted player trapped leg before for just four, although it appeared that Smith got a piece of bat to the ball.

Young Friqre Crockwell (one) would be the next wicket to fall one run later after Dwyia Blyden took a simple catch at short long off.

St.David's then found themselves in deeper trouble at 66 for six after 17 overs when Wainwright (one for 17) shattered Justin Pitcher's (nine) stumps and were then lucky to escape a further casualty when Stevie Lightbourne spilled a simple edge off Ajuan Lambe (eight) at first slip.

However, Lambe's luck finally ran out and Lightbourne's blushes spared two overs later when spinner Olin Jones (one for 38) had the former smartly caught at long off by Belboda.

With all of their recognised bats now back in the pavilion, the Islanders' tail should have been quickly wrapped up.

However, youngsters Borden and Loren Marshall (15) set about accomplishing what many of their team-mates had failed to do - occupy the crease.

The pair added 56 for the eighth wicket before Borden's outstanding two and a half hour innings came to a grinding halt when he was superbly caught at gully by substitute fielder David Ferriera, just one shy of a deserved half century. Borden cracked five fours and a six and faced 101 balls.

With Borden now out of the way, the end would be swift for St.David's as Southampton skipper Janeiro Tucker had Marshall brilliantly caught at long-on by Rohann Simons who executed an outstanding one-handed diving catch and then Wade applied the finishing touch to have Arthur Pitcher Jr. trapped leg before without scoring shortly after surviving what appeared to be a certain run out.

Tucker finished with two for 20 and Wade one for six off three overs.