Tailenders Damon Smith and Kijaun Franks emerged as unlikely heroes at Devonshire Recreation Club yesterday.

With Flatts clinging desperately to the ropes poised at 287 for eight in reply to Social Club?s mammoth total, the pair bravely weathered the storm and carried their team safely through to a third win of the season with 18 balls to spare during a nerve-wrecking unbroken 33 run ninth wicket stand.

Displaying a batting maturity beyond his tender 16 years, Smith (28 not out) outwitted a Charlie Marshall-led Social Club bowling attack with some clever, albeit at times risky, running between the stumps along with Franks (five not out).

The Cedarbridge Academy student then demonstrated he can also swing the willow, punishing anything pitched short with conviction. Smith hit five fours off 33 balls including the match -winning boundary off the final delivery of Marshall?s ninth over that which raced unchallenged to the square leg region.

Smith also featured in a vital 62 run eight-wicket stand with team skipper Phillip Burgess (98) who fell two runs shy of a what would have been a well deserved ton to a controversial Kenny Phillip leg before decision.

Up until Burgess? dismissal in the 44th over, Flatts appeared to be cruising to victory with the team stalwart helping himself to ten fours and three sixes off 92 balls. Burgess and Vernon Eve (16) also added a vital 52 run partnership for the fourth wicket to keep the score board ticking over.

Though faced with a mammoth total to pursue, Flatts could not have asked for a better start from openers Derek Wright (49) and Troy Dean (71) who together put on 110 runs for the first-wicket.

Unlucky not to have scored a half-century, Wright struck nine fours off 47 balls while Dean hit ten fours and a six off 66 balls before he was snapped up in the covers by Kevin Hurdle off Marshall.

Marshall was the pick of the Social Club bowlers in a losing cause, claiming four for 65 off nine overs of work while Dean Bean, Philip and Kani Darrell took one apiece.

Marshall also led the Social Club batting, scoring his first century of the season off a mere 66 balls.

The veteran player struck eight sixes and six fours, reaching his half century off 54 balls before pressing his foot on the gas and reaching the milestone off only 12 deliveries.

Marshall was particularly harsh on Wright, smashing 35 runs (five sixes and a four) off the veteran all-rounder?s fourth over.

Also getting in on the runs were Jahmiko Marshall and Kenny Philip who each scored 40 while Hurdle added 36.

Franks led the Flatts bowling with figures of three for 69 off ten overs, while veteran Gary Brangman and Barry DeCouto Jr took one apiece.