Southampton Rangers 311-6

St. David's 178-8

St. David's couldn't hold a Cann-dle to Southampton Rangers yesterday - and it was primarily thanks to a former St. David's player.

Turning out for his new club, Lionel (Tit) Cann returned ‘home' in a whirlwind of glory as his unbeaten century - followed by a three-wicket haul - engineered an impressive 133-run win for Rangers in the Belco Cup finale at Lord's.

Shocked by the 311 for six which the visitors piled up in 50 overs - Cann's 128 not out from only 73 deliveries grabbing the spotlight - St. David's failed to match the heavy-scoring fireworks which they had produced the day before in the semi-final against St. George's, mustering a mere 178 for eight in reply.

The home side were hardly recognisable as the outfit which had bludgeoned 352 for four off St. George's before bundling out the latter for 180 in 43.4 overs.

What worsened St. David's massive defeat was the fact that Rangers - led by Cann and captain Janeiro Tucker - blitzed 144 runs off their last ten overs - the final over of their innings bowled by Loren Marshall yielding 32 runs including three sixes, a four, five wides and two no-balls.

Cann's heroics were absolutely stunning.

His 50 came from 44 balls with three boundaries and an equal number of sixes. He motored to a hundred - scampering a single in Marshall's ninth over - off 63 balls with six fours and seven sixes. By the time the middle-order batsman exited the field he had lashed seven boundaries and ten sixes in 101 minutes of belligerent batting.

“It's very special to come back here in front of my home crowd and give them an exhibition of strokeplay like that,” said the 31-year-old who impressed all with a supremely polished display.

“It's unbelievable. It's a dream come true to come home in this manner. The reception I got going to the wicket, it was amazing.”

In slightly less-savage touch, Tucker hit 72 before falling to a good running catch by Clay Smith back over bowler George O'Brien jr's head. At the crease six minutes short of two hours, Southampton's skipper smashed six boundaries and three sixes off 84 balls.

He and Cann put on 142 for the fourth wicket, shepherding the score from 96 for three and potential danger to 238 for four. Earlier opener Curtis Jackson - like Cann a new acquisition by Rangers - had posted 47 with six fours and a six to give his side a decent foundation.

Despite picking up three scalps, O'Brien was the most expensive of St. David's attack, giving up 75 runs from his ten overs. Marshall - who began promisingly - ultimately surrendered 69 runs from his ten-over spell and Del Hollis, 51 from seven overs.

When St. David's opener Chris Foggo slapped Gary Williams for four boundaries in the third over of the hosts' innings, fans thought they were in for an exciting climax but Clay Smith's men flattered to deceive.

On the first ball of the next over, bowled by veteran spinner Olin Jones, Foggo got carried away and attempted to sweep a straight ball which scythed through his defence to rattle the stumps.

He was gone for a brisk 18 - a far cry from his 165 against St. George's - and fellow opener Delyone Borden - Foggo's partner in a record competition partnership for the first-wicket of 276 versus St. George's - was soon to follow as Williams knocked back his off stump. Two for 31 was four for 79 in quick time and, though St. David's eclipsed Rangers' scoring rate up to 25 overs, the continuous fall of wickets proved to their demise.

Again Cann came to the fore, snapping up Arthur Pitcher Jr. and Angelo Cannonier for ducks - caught behind and at first slip respectively - with the first and fourth balls of his third over, the right-arm medium pacer reducing his ex-team-mates to 108 for seven. Tucker also starred with the ball, trapping Del Hollis leg before for 20 and bowling the explosive O.J. Pitcher for one.

At that point, national captain Smith - donning the pads for the first time in three outings this season - determined victory was beyond his side and opted to play out the overs quietly, much to many fans' disgust.

The spin of Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock would no doubt have solidified Smith's view. The former's ten overs for a miserly 17 runs further stifled St. David's and intensified Rangers' stranglehold on the game.

It was small consolation that St. David's were not dismissed, though Smith batted patiently for 70 from 141 deliveries with nine fours. Extras were the next-highest contributor - 23 being added to the East Enders' losing cause.

“This is really big for the club. This is the first trophy for the year so we're going to try to use this momentum for the league and whatever else is out there for us to take,” said Tucker who led Rangers to victory in the inaugural Belco Cup two years ago.

Finishing with two for 40 from his ten overs, the smiling skipper sent shivers through opposing teams, declaring that Rangers have not played to their full potential yet but should do so before the season concludes.

On Saturday, Rangers advanced to the final by dethroning titleholders Western Stars at Lord's. Asked to bat, Stars were skittled out for 161 in 47.2 overs to which Southampton replied with 162 for four in 36.3 overs, Kwame Tucker hitting 58 not out.