Somerset 239

Southampton Rangers 240-2

League leaders Southampton Rangers handed Somerset a crushing eight-wicket defeat at Somerset yesterday to remain on course for their second league championship in four years.

The visitors took full advantage of idle second placed team St.George's to give themselves more breathing space at the top.

Chasing 239 and asked to score 4.7 runs per over, Southampton openers Keith Wainwright and Kwame Tucker wasted little time taking up the challenge.

Tucker served notice of what was to come when he hooked an intimidating Wendell White bouncer over the square leg boundary for six in only the second over.

The opening pair encountered little difficulty batting on a well-baked surface and it wasn't surprising to see them put on 50 runs in only seven overs against a toothless Somerset attack missing Jacobi Robinson, David Gibbs and Randy Simmons.

Scoring freely at 8.3 runs per over with Tucker in aggressive mood, Southampton posted 100 runs in the 12th over as the heads of the Somerset fielders began to drop. Tucker reached his deserved half-century in 63 balls minutes after surviving a brief mental lapse which saw Anthony Bailey spill a skied offering at long-on off Tony Cheeseman when he was on 45.

Wainwright soon followed his colleague at the other end by also recording a second successive half-century in one hour and 20 minutes off 34 balls.

The pair put on 154 runs for the first wicket before Bailey finally made the breakthrough when he had Wainwright trapped leg before. Wainwright, who split a finger on his right hand while fielding earlier, stroked ten fours and one six.

However, that dismissal only proved to be a minor irritant for Southampton as Tucker continued his assault on the Somerset attack. The Southampton wicketkeeper added a further 50 runs for the second wicket with incoming batsman Stevie Lightbourne before he was finally dismissed to a brilliant catch at long-off by Shane Hollis off Dwayne Basden..

But at 204, with eight wickets still in hand, the writing had already appeared on the wall, as Lightbourne took matters into his own hands and cracked a quickfire 58 runs off 43 balls to polish off the job.

Earlier, White top scored for Somerset with 78 (four fours and six sixes) and was backed up by the bats of Shawn Roberts (38), Ming and Cheeseman who both managed 32 runs and soon-to-be-wed Reid Jones with 23. White brought up his half-century in 90 balls and in 95 minutes.

Rangers skipper Janeiro Tucker took two for 27 off ten overs while veteran Clevie Wade had two for 53.

PHC 109

Cleveland 113-7

In a game at White Hill delayed until 4 p.m. and reduced to 25 overs because of a wet pitch, Cleveland defeated PHC by three wickets.

The reason for the unprepared wicket was said to have come from a misunderstanding as host club Somerset Bridge were unaware that the match would be played and consequently had the pitch watered on Saturday night.

When play finally began, PHC put up a modest 109 with opener and skipper Cal Waldron top scoring with 26. Charles Richardson took three for 14 while Peter Philpott had two for 13.

Thanks to Aaron Adams' fine knock of 43 Cleveland reached their winning target after a struggle, losing seven wickets in the process. The only other batsman in double figures was Philpott with 13.

Kevin Tucker led PHC bowlers with two wickets for 21 runs off five overs.