PHC secured their place in the Twenty20 Championship flight quarter-finals despite not winning a match in their group.

The club lost their group A1 matches against Willow Cuts and Cleveland County.

However, PHC advanced to the last eight in the Championship flight after Cuts forfeited their 41-run triumph over their Western Counties rivals at Somerset Cricket Club on May 7 for fielding an ineligible player.

Holders Bailey’s Bay, last season’s runners-up Southampton Rangers, St David’s, Cleveland, St George’s, Western Stars and Somerset Cricket Club are the remaining quarter-finalists in the Championship flight.

Bay, Rangers, St David’s and Cleveland clinched group honours during last weekend’s final round of group matches, while Stars, St George’s, Somerset Cricket Club and PHC finished runners-up.

Unbeaten Bay clinched group A2 after beating St George’s by 31 runs and Devonshire Recreation Club by 62 at Sea Breeze Oval at the weekend.

Irving Romaine, the Bay coach, is encouraged by his team’s positive start to their title defence.

“We have been playing pretty decent cricket and have been giving everybody a chance to bat and bowl,” he said.

“We’re just getting our feet wet playing cricket again.

“It’s almost like preseason right now and that’s for all teams and not just us; getting used to the wickets which are slow because they have not been rolled and it’s not enough sun.”

St George’s clinched the remaining quarter-final spot in the Championship flight from group A2 after handing Tuff Dogs a 35-run loss at Lord’s yesterday.

St David’s, also undefeated, finished top of group B2 after recording convincing victories over Somerset Cricket Club and Somerset Bridge at Lord’s at the weekend.

St David’s handed Somerset Cricket Club an 85-run defeat on Saturday and then clinched group honours courtesy of a 98-run triumph over Somerset Bridge at the same venue yesterday.

Somerset Cricket Club secured the remaining Championship flight quarter-final spot in group B2 after handing North Village a 41-run defeat yesterday.

Unbeaten Southampton finished top of group B1 with victories over previously unbeaten Western Stars and Flatts at Southampton Oval.

Stars are also through to the last eight in the Championship flight despite losing their final group match against Rangers.

Cleveland topped group A1 after edging Cuts by 16 runs in their final group match at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Cleveland secured their spot in the Championship flight quarter-finals the previous day after edging PHC by six runs in a nail-biter at Sea Breeze Oval.

The Championship flight quarter-finals, to be held on May 20, will see holders Bay take on Stars, Cleveland will meet Somerset Cricket Club, Rangers will face St George’s while St David’s have been pitted against PHC.

With the exception of Somerset Bridge, the third-placed teams in each of the four groups will play in the Plate quarter-finals also taking place on May 20.

Somerset Bridge, who finished third in group B2, are through to the last four after receiving a bye in the Plate quarter-finals.