Somerset Bridge 143 Southampton Rangers 147-1 An impressive opening stand of 122 between Kwame Tucker and guest player Dexter Smith inspired Southampton Rangers to a nine-wicket victory over Somerset Bridge in Saturday's Western Counties Cup final at Southampton Oval.

The victory put the Rangers into next Sunday's TBI Champion of Champions final at Lord's between the winners of Police and St. David's at Lord's in Saturday's semi-final.

Tucker hammered 67 not out, including 10 fours and two sixes, while the unusually more restrained Smith struck 54 with six fours and two sixes. Tucker reached his half century in an hour while Smith's took 15 minutes longer.

Thanks to the openers, both training with Bermuda's Red Stripe squad, Southampton reached their winning target of 144 off just 26.2 overs. The only other batsmen to go to the wicket, guest player Clarkie Trott, finished with 18 not out.

Veteran spinner Arnold Manders, a guest player, took the lone wicket at a cost of 15 runs from his six overs.

Earlier Somerset Bridge found runs hard to find against a bowling attack led by skipper Olin Jones and Trott. Jones finished with four for 32 off 10 overs, including three maidens, while Trott had three for 20 off nine overs and three maidens.

Bridge lost their first three batsmen for 17, all victims to Trott, but stability came during a fourth-wicket stand of 61 between Jones (39) and Manders (30). Jones hit five fours and a six while Manders struck two fours and two sixes.

However, once Manders was caught behind off spinner Jones it long before the Bridge's innings came to a close