Bailey’s Bay failed in the lowest run chase of the season as unbeaten Southampton Rangers won a thriller to extend their lead at the top of the Logic Premier Division yesterday.

Chasing only 89 for victory in a match reduced to 41 overs-a-side because of rain, Bay came up short in their run chase with Hasan Durham, the spin bowler, taking the wicket of last man Nyhrobi Carmichael to seal Rangers’ fourth win over Bay this season.

Durham bowled a full toss with the last ball of his seventh over, just after non-striker Malachi Jones reminded Carmichael it was the final ball of the over.

Nothing rash was needed to return the strike to Jones, but Carmichael’s eyes lit up at the low full toss and drove it straight down the wicket where Durham moved to his right to hold a knee-high catch.

Jones was left on 27 not out against his former team, after coming to the crease with the score 34 for five in the eleventh over.

An important sixth-wicket stand of 23 between Jones and captain Rodney Trott looked to have taken Bay over the hump, but when Trott was trapped leg-before by Derrick Brangman to make it 57 for six, the nerves began to show as Jermaine Usher was bowled by Brangman seven runs later.

Vernon Eve turned the match further in the home team’s favour when he claimed the wickets of Kyle Hodsoll and Zeko Burgess in his only over to make it 74 for nine.

Hodsoll was caught low at slip by Dion Stovell and then Burgess went for a big hit and skied to mid-off. Derrick Brangman led the Rangers bowling with four for 16.

“When we went to field I said if we could get some early wickets it would put the pressure on them,” Ricky Brangman, the Rangers coach, said.

“I always tell guys a low total is hard to get.

“I’m very proud of the team, we’re really blending in as a team, playing hard.”

Belboda and Eve shared in a vital last-wicket stand of 31 to frustrate Bay who had them 57 for nine when Janeiro Tucker was run out for 22 trying to sneak a single off Hodsoll’s last ball to keep the strike.

Azende Furbert, the Bay wicketkeeper, hit the stumps with his throw to run out Tucker who was top scorer in a dismal Rangers batting performance after Bay won the toss and sent them in.

Last man Eve helped give the bowlers something to work with, scoring 16 not out while Alex Dore hit 17. Hodsoll claimed four for 15, while Trott took three for 17.

The victory makes Rangers firm favourites for the league title, but Brangman insists he is not looking any further than next weekend’s match with Somerset.

“I never like to look ahead because we still have other teams to play and I don’t want to disrespect any team,” Brangman said. “Any day a team could beat us, and it almost happened here today.

“The wicket played a part, we had a lot of balls bouncing and staying low and I honestly think there were a couple of bad decisions, but I know umpiring is a hard job.”

Brangman also praised captain Janeiro Tucker who played yesterday despite the death of his aunt.

“He’s got a lot of respect from the players and they all work hard,” Brangman said.

“He’s skippering the team very well and condolences on behalf of the team and the club to his family for his aunt who passed away.

“I give him a lot of credit for coming out and playing today.”