Dion Stovell, who stepped down as Southampton Rangers captain last week, grabbed six wickets for four runs as the defending champions Southampton Rangers advanced to the second round of the Western Counties Cup on Saturday.

Stovell quit as captain after last weekend’s defeat by Willow Cuts, but led from the front to tear the heart out of Warwick side, with the off spin bowler claiming the last six wickets as Warwick crashed from 59 for four to 77 all out at the Southampton Oval.

Rangers needed only 15.5 overs to get over the line and comfortably advance to the second round where they will meet Willow Cuts next weekend.

Included among Stovell’s scalps was Bermuda batsman Lionel Cann, who hit five fours in his 82-ball 34, as he found himself trying to repair early damage after the loss of openers Dwayne Adams and Shronri Boyles with only two runs on the board.

After Jade Darrell, the Warwick captain, departed with the score at 15 for three, Cann and guest player Jordan DeSilva, the Somerset all-rounder, briefly halted the slide with a fourth-wicket stand of 41.

However, when Vernon Eve removed DeSilva for 17 to make it 56 for four, Stovell cleaned up the middle order and tailend, taking wickets in regular intervals, including that of Cann at 74 for seven, as Warwick failed even to match last year’s total of 91 in the final.

Supporting Stovell was Kevin Tucker with two for 11, while Derrick Brangman, who shared the new ball with Tucker, had impressive figures one for two.

Like Warwick, Rangers were quickly two for two when openers Gerald Simons and Eve went without scoring to DeSilva and Douglas, making it interesting.

But an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand of 51 between Alex Dore and Stovell completed an easy day’s work for Rangers.

Dore scored 32 not out, with five fours, while Stovell was 22 not out. Douglas led the Warwick bowling with two for 32.