Southampton Rangers had plenty of cause for celebration after clinching the First Division T20 title at the weekend.

Under new coach Herbie Bascome, Rangers completed an unbeaten T20 league season when beating Warwick by 52 runs in their final fixture at Southampton Oval on Saturday to complete a perfect record in front of their own fans.

The revamped side have produced the goods under Dalin Richardson, who has a host of experienced players to lead including Cup Match players past and present in Dion Stovell, Jordan DeSilva and Oronde Bascome.

“Everyone is happy and it feels good to win the league and promotion,” an elated captain Richardson told The Royal Gazette.

“It’s amazing to be back in the top flight and it feels like I have the team I grew up with back, especially with guys like Dion Stovell, Jordan DeSilva and Oronde Bascome helping me.

“It’s a blessing and makes it easier for me as a skipper with the knowledge they share with me. It makes my day go easier and I tip my hat to Dion Stovell the most because he calls me regularly throughout the week talking about rebuilding the community, so it’s more than just cricket to us.”

Opener Dante Wellman was Rangers’ top scorer against Warwick with 52, while Quilanh Richardson, Swayne Campbell and Jahmari Beach took two wickets each for the home side.

While happy to have clinched the title and promotion to the T20 Premier Division, Richardson is keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground as his side switch their focus to achieving a league and Knockout Cup double, regaining the Western Counties trophy and gaining promotion from the First Division 50 overs.

“We are staying humble because we have way more goals than just T20,” he said. "T20 is just our first step but we have plenty more to go.

“First we have to get across the T20 Knockout Cup semi-final and if we win that then we’ll look at the 50 overs and Western Counties.”

The top-order batter, who was recently part of the national team for the North American Cup in Cayman Islands, believes his team’s future is in good hands under new leadership under former coach Darren “Butch” Burchall, who was recently elected as club president, and his executive committee.

“The team is going so well and we have youngsters such as 19-year-old pace bowler Quilanh Richardson,” he said. “He’s looking really good and has a bright future.

“I think the club has a bright future, especially under Butch. He is starting to turn it up already.”

Western Stars clinched the other First Division promotion spot with a game to spare after prevailing over Flatts Victoria by 39 runs at Devonshire Rec on Saturday. Stars captain Ryan Tyrell led the scoring with 48 and player-coach Kevin Hurdle picked up four wickets for a stingy seven runs.

“Promotion was something that we were looking at and just going by the calculations we knew we had enough on the Saturday to come in the top two,” said Hasan Durham, the former Stars spinner, who now serves as the club’s cricket director.

“Promotion was on the agenda and we are very happy to have got promoted, but even more important was to get the youngsters some playing time and start to build the club for the future.

“The goal for us is to get youngsters who are connected with the club and try to bring them along and get them to the potential of where they can be the game-changers, make runs, get wickets, win games and do everything that’s needed to become champions.”

The remaining second-tier T20 fixture on Saturday featured Somerset Bridge squeaking past Western Counties rivals Willow Cuts by one run at Wellington Oval. Callum McIntosh led the Bridge batting with 28 while Donnie Charles, Shawn Riley and Cadence Douglas claimed two wickets apiece.

Cuts, Warwick and PHC were all victorious in their final T20 fixtures on Sunday.

Dexter Basden’s Cuts beat Flatts by 15 runs at Sea Breeze Oval, with Shaquille Bean leading the batting with 46 and Sheldon Caesar and Rico Swan taking two wickets each.

Warwick defeated Somerset Bridge by 41 runs at Wellington Oval. All-rounder Malachi Jones blasted a team-high 65 while Trey Vance was the pick of their bowling with three wickets.

PHC prevailed over Stars by 77 runs at PHC Field with all-rounder Charles Trott thumping 74 and Sage Carter bagging three wickets.