Willow Cuts 273 for seven, defeated Southampton Rangers 272 all out, by three wicketsMalachi Jones claimed three wickets and struck an unbeaten century to inspire Willow Cuts to a three-wicket win against his former Southampton Rangers team-mates in this first round Knockout Cup affair at Southampton Oval yesterday.The top all-rounder bagged figures of three for 42 during his ten-over spell of seam bowling and then thumped an unbeaten 102 to carry Cuts safely across the line.Jones was backed up in the bowling by fellow seamer George O’Brien Jr who returned equally as impressive figures of three for 56 off ten overs.There were two run-outs.Alex Dore led the Rangers batting with 54 in a knock that contained three fours and a six.Player/coach Janeiro Tucker smashed six boundaries and a six in an innings of 50 while skipper Dion Stovell chipped in with 45 that included three fours and two sixes.Cuts got their reply off to a flyer with openers Chris Douglas (53) and Joshua Commissiong (26) adding 73 for the first wicket before the visitors lost four wickets in the space of 40 runs.Douglas hit eight fours and two sixes before Jones dished out some heavy punishment of his own.Jones added 85 runs with Sheroy Fubler (45) before the latter retired hurt with a leg injury.Fubler eventually returned to the crease but only managed to add a further eight runs to his personal tally before he was caught in the deep off the bowling of Tucker.This left Cuts in a spot of bother at 198 for six.However, any thoughts Rangers had of making further inroads were cruelly dashed as Jones opened up his shoulders and sent the ball flying to all parts of the ground on the way to his match-winning innings that included eight sixes and seven boundaries.Jones dominated an unbroken 60 run eighth-wicket stand with newcomer Mackie Darrell (six not out) that hammered the final nail in Rangers’ coffin.Seamer Tucker was the pick of the Rangers’ bowling with four for 34 off ten overs that included a maiden while teenager Dore capped a fine all-round display by claiming two for 34.Western Stars 310 for four, defeated Somerset Bridge 138 all out, by 172 runsWestern Stars father and son duo Andre and Tre Manders sent Somerset Bridge tumbling out of the Knockout Cup at the first hurdle at St John’s Field yesterday.Opening bat Tre smashed 135 runs off 137 balls as Stars piled up 310 for four in 50 overs.Player/coach Andre then claimed four for 18 off five overs of off break spin to dismiss Somerset Bridge for 138 in 33.4 overs in their reply to punctuate Stars’ emphatic 172-run win.Bridge’s decision to send Stars in to bat backfired as the home team found runs easy to come by with the ruthless Tre Manders leading the charge from the front.Manders hammered nine sixes and five fours and dominated a 74-run second wicket stand with Audley Campbell (19) and a 138-run third wicket stand with Nyon Steede (72 not out) that put the match beyond the visitors’ reach.After Manders departed in the 42nd over, caught off the bowling of Donnie Charles, Steede kept the scoreboard ticking over to reach his half-century off 63 deliveries.The Bermuda Cricket Board (BCB) second vice-president thumped five boundaries and a six and along with Brian Hall (45) added 77 runs in a unbroken fourth-wicket partnership.Charles was the pick of the Bridge bowling with two for 50 off ten overs.In reply, Bridge’s batsmen could find no answer to the spin of seasoned campaigner Andre Manders who sliced through the order with consumate ease.Tristan Smith topped the Bridge batting with a well-played 59 from 84 balls while Janhoi Bean added 29.Steede capped a fine all-round display by returning figures of three for 17 while Jahnazea Swan claimed two for two off just four deliveries.Swan claimed the wicket of Shawn Riley (five) with the first delivery he sent down.