Southampton 274 St. David's 167

Southampton Rangers put in a solid all-round performance to accomplish what just a season ago would have seemed the impossible - humbling reigning league champions St. David's at Southampton Oval yesterday.

And although renowned St. David's cook Dolly Pitcher may have come to this match without her famed Conch Stew, Rangers' leg spinner David Saltus (5-33) seemed to find the St.David's batting line-up just as appetising.

But the veteran spinner was not the sole catalyst in Rangers' fine win, as initial knocks from top bats Stevie Lightbourne (60), Ricky Brangman (55), skipper Janeiro Tucker (31), Kwame Tucker (31) and Ian Armstrong (38) all laid the foundation for the South Shore club's comfortable 108 run victory.

In the process, Rangers also erased their Camel Cup woes of the previous week to go undefeated over the weekend after getting by Bailey's Bay on Saturday in the Combined Knockout Cup at Sea Breeze Oval.

Having been sent in to bat on a good batting strip, Rangers got off to a quick start with opener Kwame Tucker ferociously carving everything to the boundary. However, after stroking two successive sixes and a four in the third over, Tucker pulled up with a back strain and had to retire hurt, albeit temporarily, as he did return to the crease further down the order.

After Keith Wainwright (two) departed with the score on 29, Lightbourne and Armstrong meticulously set about repairing the early damage.

Lightbourne was the dominant partner in this vital 106 run stand while Armstrong provided the perfect foil. When the former was finally caught out by Del Hollis off the bowling of Shannon Raynor, incoming batsman Ricky Brangman picked up the pieces and kept things intact.

Skipper Tucker, Kwame Tucker and Armstrong also kept the runs flowing like the River Nile as Rangers amassed 274 all out.

George O'Brien Jr (3-20) Del Hollis (3-97) and Mackie Crane (2-52) were St.David's' chief bowlers, while the departing OJ Pitcher pulled off two spectacular catches to dismiss Brangman and Armstrong.

The Islanders were also costly in the extras column, graciously giving up 44 runs in the field.

Up to the challenge, St.David's fiery opening batsman Glenn Blakeney (46) immediately responded to the call and brutally set upon Rangers' opening attack. Pacer Gary Williams felt the full brunt of his blade, as he smashed the former for 14 runs in the opening over of the innings with Opener Philip Pitcher (18) was then controversially caught by Rangers' Janeiro Tucker off the bowling of veteran player/coach Clevie Wade and then Blakeney headed back to the pavilion after being trapped lbw with the score on 66 for two.

However, OJ Pitcher (13) and veteran batsman Wendell Smith (15) steadied the ship before Tucker and Wade struck again to leave the Islanders reeling at 98 for four.

St.David's skipper Sammy Robinson hung around the crease for a patient (17), while Delyone Borden (23 not out) also put up some resistance.

However, once a hungry Saltus was handed the ball, the veteran wasted little time in dismantling the Islander's lower order with his leg breaks and eventually wickets began to fall like the proverbial deck of cards.

Tucker finished with figures of two for 26, Wade two for 25 and Wainwright one for 20.