St.David's 173 for 9 Western Stars (chasing adjusted target of 113 off 32 overs) 114 for 5

Western Stars overcame arguably their biggest hurdle in the search for the limited overs league title yesterday at St.John's Road, comfortably triumphing over St.David's by five wickets in a match continually affected by rain.

Set a revised total of 113 to win off 32 overs after the heavens opened in between innings, Stars got off to a rollicking start thanks mainly to Albert's Steede's belligerence at the top of the order.

St.David's opened the bowling with off-spinning all-rounder Delyone Borden, hoping to make it difficult to get the ball away on a wet, sluggish surface.

But with Steede ably supported by the left-handed Treadwell Gibbons, Stars found themselves comfortably ahead of the run rate after the first ten overs.

The city team then contrived to lose four of their top order - Steede, Gibbons, Mukaddem and Stevens - in quick succession, but the experienced heads of skipper Hasan Durham (13 not out) and Dennis Archer (12 not out) saw them home with 12 balls to spare.

Earlier Stars had won the toss and elected to field in heavily overcast conditions.

And they were quickly on top as both Archer and Mukaddem produced metronomic spells to restrict the Islander's to 13 for 2 off the first 12 overs of the match.

St.David's' two young talents, Borden and OJ Pitcher tried desperately to dig their team out of a difficult hole, putting together a useful partnership of 71, before Pitcher was cleaned up attempting to sweep the legspin of Justin Robinson.

Wicketkeeper batsman Dean Minors (22) applied the long-handle effectively late on down the order, but despite the patience of Borden (58 not out), in reality a score of 175 off 50 overs was 30 or 40 runs short of a competitive total.

Stars captain Durham finished with the best figures, four for 20 off his alloted ten overs, but it was Archer (2 for 27) and Mukaddem (2 for 31) in particular who applied the greatest pressure on the Islander's batsman.

The defeat was a big blow to St.David's' hopes of scooping the title this year, while Stars, undefeated and with only St.George's, Bailey's Bay and Devonshire Rec. to come, are in the driving seat.

Bailey's Bay 148 Southampton 151- 8 (Match reduced to 45 overs)

Southampton picked up their first triumph of the season in limited overs play, limping home to a narrow two-wicket win over Bailey's Bay at Sea Breeze Oval yesterday.

In a match reduced to 45 overs due to an unprepared pitch, Southampton managed to restrict the home team to a modest 148 for eight wickets in their allotted overs at the crease.

Opening bat Jermaine Warner topped the Bay batting with a boundary laden 37 (six fours), while brothers Jermaine and Stephen Outerbridge contributed useful knocks of 28 and 30 not out. Skipper Outerbridge smashed two sixes and a four while younger sibling Stephen had three fours and a six.

Wicketkeeper Rodney Masters stroked 16 at the top of the order before Rangers' veteran player/coach Clevie Wade had him gloved behind by his opposite number Kwame Tucker.

Wade, brother-in-law Olin Jones, skipper Janeiro Tucker and Keith Wainwright all snared two wickets each.

At their turn at bat, Southampton nearly made a hash of their run chase, losing wickets at regular intervals before finally surpassing their hosts' total.

Wade (34), Wainwright (21), Stevie Lightbourne (20), Kwame Tucker (15) and skipper Janeiro Tucker (27 not out) all provided the back bone to Southampton's innings as the remaining batsmen all fell cheaply, three without scoring.

Southampton reached their target in exactly 30 overs, with 90 balls to spare.

Veteran seamer Clarkie Trott led the Bay bowling, seizing outstanding figures of four wickets for 36 runs while Kearon Trott had two for 35. Spinner Rodney Trott and Irving Romaine manged one for 29 and one for eight respectively.

Cleveland 166 Willow Cuts 87 (Match reduced to 30 overs)

Cleveland handed Willow Cuts a 79 run loss at Wellington Oval yesterday in a match reduced to 30 overs after scheduled umpires Lester Harnett and Steven West failed to turn up for the 10 a.m. start.

After both teams waited around for two hours, opposing skippers decided to take matters into their own hands and play finally began at noon minus 20 overs which were lost waiting for the officials to show.

Cleveland batted first with skipper Carlton Smith feasting heavily on the Cuts attack. Smith cracked a boundary-filled 74, finding the outfield ropes for six fours and three sixes. Also coming good with the blade were Curtis Jackson (30, four fours) while Kevin Shield weighed in a useful unbeaten 13 and Jason Simons 19 not out.

Cleveland posted 166 for four from their 30 overs.

Bergon Spencer led the Cuts bowling with two for 22 while Sidney Simmons had one for 32.

In reply to their hosts' modest target, Cuts simply imploded with only Dexter Basden (32), Dwight Basden (15) and skipper Richard Basden 11 managing double figures. The next high man for Cuts was 14 runs in extras.

Veteran spinner Johnny Richardson proved to be unplayable, mesmerising the Cuts batsmen en route to seizing astonishing figures of five for 13 off only 25 balls.

In equally devastating form with the cork was Charles Richardson who took two wickets for four runs from only 2.4 overs including one maiden while Shakai Darrell also grabbed a pair for 19 runs.

Cuts were skittled out for a paltry 87 - one of their lowest totals in recent memory - in only 22.4 overs.

Flatts 207 Social Club 211-8

Resurgent Social Club catapulted themselves into the driver's seat in the race for the First Division Limited Overs league championship.

Social Club handed nearest rivals Flatts a two-wicket loss - their first of the season - at Lord's to take sole possession atop the standings.

Veterans Charlie Marshall (89 not out, six sixes and eight fours) and Kenny Philip (19 not out) featured in an unbroken ninth-wicket partnership worth 49 runs to see the visitors to victory with two wickets in hand and 32 balls to spare.

Others contributing to Flatts demise were power-hitter Glen Blakeney (33, four fours and two sixes) and Terry Thomas who added 29.

The age-defying Gary Brangman was the pick of the Flatts bowling with three for 31 while Vernon Eve and Troy Dean grabbed two wickets apiece.

Dean also topped the home side's batting with 27 runs, while Phillip Burgess stroked 21 and Brangman 26.

Dean Bean led the visitor's attack with three for 28 while Kevin Hurdle, Kani Darrell and Blakeney took two wickets each.

PHC 128 Legtrappers 122 - 9 (Match abandoned)

Legtrappers defeated PHC by “average” run rate at White Hill Field yesterday after late afternoon rains brought the proceedings to a premature end.

Chasing 128 for victory, Legtrappers were wobbling at 122 for nine with James Swan (20) and James Kent undefeated at the crease when the heavens opened up.

The pair featured in a match-clinching unbroken tenth-wicket stand worth 26 runs. Others making valuable contributions with the bat were Luke O'Connor (21), Matthew Savage (15) and Justin Freiften who chipped in with 12.

Legtrappers emerged victorious with a run rate of 2.62 while PHC finished with 2.56 runs per over having been skittled all out in 43.3 overs.

PHC stalwart Cal Waldron and Gerald Simons grabbed two wickets apiece while Neil Anglin managed one.

Earlier, Ty Williams led the home side's batting with a polished 41 (four fours) while player/coach Andre (Doc) Manders stroked an unbeaten 29 (four fours).

Neil Carrol marked his debut in local cricket in emphatic fashion, grabbing three wickets for six runs off only 12 balls.

Carrol was backed up in the bowling by David Outrim who seized two for 36.