Cup on the weekend, captain Janeiro Tucker thinks they could soon be the team to beat.

Rangers went down to Western Stars by 47 runs in Sunday's final at St. David's after a winning target of 267 proved too steep. But there was some encouragement in defeat as Rangers continued to show that last season's first league title in 20 years was deserving.

They are continuing to show they have what it takes to be one of the forces in local cricket again.

Rangers reached the final after disposing of defending Camel Cup champions St.

George's on Saturday when the Duckworth/Lewis system was used because of rain.

"I'm satisfied with that (reaching the final) although I thought we could have put a little more effort into the fielding today like we did yesterday (Saturday),'' said Tucker at the conclusion of the final.

"Every day is not going to work out the same but I'm happy with the guys' performance and in the future we are going to be the team to watch. Nobody is going to take us lightly any more.

"For years everybody has been saying `Rangers are an easy team to beat' but now it's not like that. Now it's `we're playing Rangers, we have to do this or do that'.

"We're respected more as a team now, just like the Stars', Bailey's Bays and St. George's'. We have a good enough side to be up there with those sides.'' Tucker admits he would have been happy to take first strike on the St. David's pitch but that was denied him when rival captain Albert Steede won the toss and chose to bat.

Stars were off to a good start, scoring at six an over for the first 10 and then consistently around the five-an-over mark before settling for 267 off 48 overs. By contrast, Rangers had only 96 on the board after 25 overs and had already lost four wickets. With 10 to go they were still 100 shy of their target.

"We didn't have a good start today, not a real explosive start like Stars,'' said Tucker, in his first season as captain of the club.

"It's a nice wicket to bat on and I think we would have batted first. But then we were also looking at the weather, with the Duckworth/Lewis system.'' The Camel Cup has proven difficult for a new team to win, with Rangers becoming only the fifth side to reach the final in 14 years. Of the four teams to win it, St. George's lead with five triumphs while Stars now join Devonshire Rec. and Bailey's Bay with three each.

It was Stars' first victory since 1996, but they were deserving winners after two outstanding batting performances on the weekend when they first beat Bailey's Bay in the semi-final.

The final was also decided in Stars' favour by some outstanding fielding as they held important catches while Clevie Wade tried desperately to pull the match out of the fire for Rangers with a dogged 57 in the middle order.

"Clevie is the type of person who never says die and I always admired that type of spirit in him,'' said Stars skipper Albert Steede.

"Today was just our day, we bowled with discipline and we held important catches, namely Janeiro Tucker, Olin Jones and Keith Wainwright, so we did well to get their big bats early.

"From then on they were behind the gun and we still bowled at a very tidy line and length. It makes a big difference when we play on a bigger field because we have quality spinners and they bowled very well today.'' Added Steede: "We figured 220 would be a good score but obviously not because they did get 221. Knowing the type of wicket, which had a lot of turn, it was going to be difficult to hit the slower bowlers so we figured 220 or 230 would be a very good score. But we ended up with 267 and we were very happy about that.'' Steede, who scored the competition's first century (117) for Devonshire Rec.

in the 1991 final against Stars, slammed another in the semi-final on Saturday as Stars reached their eighth final.

And even after the explosive skipper went `cheaply' for 44, there were others in the team able to take the responsibility.

"I can't win by myself, some days I'm going to get zero and I'm looking for the team to make it up,'' said the captain.

"We have a very solid batting line-up and on any given day our first five are capable of making at least 100, or if not 150, which is very important.

"I'm very pleased and proud of the boys, we worked very hard leading up to this tournament and I think we got what we deserved. A lot of planning went into this, we came with a plan and stretegy and it worked out well.''