Allan Douglas, the Cleveland County captain, smashed 131 not out to help his side open their Logic Premier Division campaign with a resounding 145-run win over Somerset Cricket Club at Wellington Oval.

Somerset asked Cleveland to bat first on what proved to be a batting strip. The home team never looked back after Treadwell Gibbons and Jason Anderson put on 76 for the first wicket in 17 overs as the Somerset bowlers toiled.

Justin Corday broke the partnership when he bowled Gibbons for 38, and when Anderson and Damali Bell departed in successive overs to make it 118 for three after 27 overs, Somerset were still optimistic of chasing a reasonable target.

Anderson struck 56 off 73 balls with five fours and two sixes before his dismissal brought Douglas, who hit 11 fours and ten sixes, to the crease to join coach Clay Smith.

In 19 overs the pair added 168 runs with Smith playing a supporting role as the destructive Douglas tore into the Somerset bowlers, bringing up his century with a drive for four through the covers off Kwasi James, who was Somerset’s most expensive bowler, going for 77 runs from eight overs.

Smith contributed 46 with three fours and three sixes before falling to a catch at gully from a reverse sweep off the spin bowling of Joshua Gilbert, who conceded 35 runs from ten overs.

Asked to score at more than six runs an over, Somerset were quickly two down with only 19 on the board as Jahnai Bean was caught in the slips by Clay Smith off Damali Bell, before Pierre Smith was removed by Bell in his next over as he popped up a catch to Detroy Smith at short leg.

A third-wicket stand of 69 between Gilbert and captain Jekon Edness started to put some respectability in Somerset’s response, with Gilbert out for 30 before Raoul Khan departed soon after to leave the visiting side on 91 for four.

James got his own back for the punishment he received with the ball, smashing teenage spinner Isaiah Creighton for 18 runs in his first over.

However, Creighton was not deterred and continued to flight up his wrist spinners and was rewarded with a wicket in his second over when he bowled Edness for 56.

James also fell to Creighton off a short ball, with Douglas taking a good catch at short mid-wicket after the batsman mishit his pull shot.

James hit two sixes and two fours during his knock of 26 as Somerset slumped from 142 for five to 176 all out.

Creighton, who took two wickets in his third over and another in his fourth, finished with four for 30 as he ended the match with the final wicket of Corday.

Gibbons claimed two for 22 and Bell two for 29 in support.

n Flatts had a major upset within their grasp after dismissing Southampton Rangers, the Twenty20 and Belco Cup champions, for just 101 before falling just short.

Rangers prevailed with a five-run victory in a tense finale at Southampton Oval yesterday.

Flatts, promoted from the First Division, had Rangers on the ropes as Paul Carr and Nelson Bascome Jr shared seven wickets to dismiss the home side in just 29.1 overs.

Kwame Tucker top-scored for Rangers with 21, while Dion Stovell scored 19 and Ian Armstrong hit 18 after Flatts had them in deep trouble at 66 for seven.

Bascome Jr claimed four for 30 and Carr three for 30, while Darnell Farrell took two for 13, starting the slump by removing openers Tucker and Curtis Jackson.

Captain Janeiro Tucker, who was bowled for nought by Carr, led his team to an unlikely win as Flatts’ batsmen also struggled for runs, losing their first two wickets for ten runs.

They then sunk even deeper into trouble, losing three quick wickets as Tucker, taking the new ball with Derrick Brangman, claiming two for 12 from 6.5 overs, including the final wicket of Farrell to win the match. Stovell was the pick of the Rangers bowlers with four for 30.

Wendell White top-scored for Flatts with 27, but he lacked adequate support after he and Bascome put on 29 for the seventh wicket before the bottom fell out.