It was just a matter of time before Janeiro Tucker exploded with one of the huge scores for which he is famed and, for Southampton Rangers, his timing was perfect.

Playing away to Cleveland at St. John's Field yesterday, the Rangers captain rescued his team in magnificent fashion, smashing an unbeaten 154 - the biggest Premier score so far this season - to lift the side from a perilous 46 for five to 283 for seven in their 50 overs.

A mammoth partnership of 196 between the dreadlocked dynamo and Olin Jones propelled the west enders to 242 before Jones was caught by Peter Philpott off Charles Richardson for 39. Tucker then put on a further 41 runs with Kenny Phillips and Rohaan Simons respectively.

His 94-ball innings was a breathtaking spectacle with shots all around the city ground, some sending spectators scampering for cover. When the dust had settled, there were 13 fours and 11 sixes to his name.

Tucker, who declined to speak to the Press, was especially severe on Philpott - taking 19 runs from his final over - as well as on Charles Richardson and Del Hollis who surrendered 17 and 13 from their respective first overs to Tucker's rampant blade.

Cleveland would have been disappointed not to have done better in the field given an excellent start. Early inroads by Jeff Tyrell and left-arm fast/medium pacer Hari Rawat - each collecting two wickets - plus the run out of opener Keith Wainwright, ensured a constant procession of Rangers batsmen back to the pavilion.

Then Tucker took over and, ultimately, had the satisfaction of sealing Rangers' 56-run victory by trapping Cleveland's last man, Rawat, leg before to end the home team's innings at 227.

However, this was not before Rawat and Johnny Richardson figured in a whirlwind final-wicket stand of 62 that perhaps gave Cleveland fanciful hopes of a final challenge to Rangers.

They took the score from 165 for nine to 227, with Rawat - in his first knock this season - hurriedly amassing a top score of 51 off 29 balls (three boundaries and four sixes).

The Indian expatriate, better known for his spin bowling, was particularly severe on Keith Wainwright who came on in the dying stages of Cleveland's innings.

Rawat lofted three sixes over the bowler's head and then was gifted another six when he ran two and got four overthrows as a Rangers fielder attempted a run out.

Two overs later, Tucker replaced Wainwright at the clubhouse end, and received similar punishment as Rawat took him for four, six, four from the first three balls. Tucker, though, had the last laugh on the final ball as the number 11 batsman was struck in front.

Olin Jones led Rangers' bowling with four wickets for 38 while Clevie Wade snagged two for 24. Tucker and Gary Williams had one each and there were two run outs.

Apart from Rawat, only Cleveland opener Curtis Jackson (40 with two fours and three sixes) and Aaron Adams (26) really gave any indication of going after Rangers' score. There was also a quickfire 21 by Hollis late in the innings.