Youngsters Cory Lowe and Jason Simons batted for two hours in a ninth-wicket partnership that, coupled with a one-hour rain delay, made for a frustrating afternoon for Open League leaders Western Stars at Sea Breeze Oval on Sunday.

Lowe and Simons were joined when Stars had Cleveland struggling at 100 for eight, but they went on to bat together for 27 overs in adding 63 runs to the total.

Simons was first out for 30 and Lowe finished on 32 not out, but when Stars finally went to bat they only had 20 minutes and 20 overs under overcast skies.

With the news that Bailey's Bay had closed the gap with a win over Social Club, Stars entertained bold notions of going for the victory. But their ambitions were soon arrested after Dexter Smith (12) and Jeff Richardson (two) were out trying to push the score in the fourth over to make the score 23 for three.

Earlier, Stars fought through periods of stubborn Cleveland batting to have the home team reeling.

Del Hollis was the pick of the early bats with a fluent 33, which included three sixes and two fours, and skipper Peter Philpott made 18 in just under two hours.

Manders took five for 53 from 20 overs for Stars while Dwayne Steede (two for 13) accounted for the last two to end a long outing in the field.

Willow Cuts 159 Police 160-4 Willow Cuts' title hopes received another setback when they were decisively beaten by six wickets by Police at Police field.

Dwayne Leverock took three wickets, Michael Jackman claimed three for 52 and Jermaine Tucker had two for 32 as the Police attack did well to dismiss their opponents for a modest 159 in 44.4 overs. Vivian Simons led Willow Cuts in batting with 48 while Joseph Matthews followed with 24. Richard Basden added 21.

Police raced to victory off 29.5 overs with opener Tyrone Smith scoring 43, skipper Ferdinand Thorne 41 not out and Andre Hendrickson 33 not out.

Richard Basden led Willow Cuts attack with two for 24.

Flatts 77 Devonshire Rec. 81-3 Skipper Anthony Amory kept Devonshire Rec.'s slim title hopes alive when he bagged four wickets for 30 to lead his team to a seven-wicket triumph over a nine-man Flatts team at home.

Mark Trott gave his skipper valuable support at the other end taking two for 12 as Flatts struggled throughout against the pace attack.

There was only one period of stability during their innings, when skipper Rodney Woolridge (26) and Andrew Richardson (19) put on 32 for the sixth wicket, taking the score from 41 for five. But once that ended with the latter falling to Trott, it was all downhill for the bowling attack who needed only 22.1 overs to finish off their opponents.

Devonshire reached victory off only 13.4 overs with Albert Steede striking 30 not out and opener Roger Trott 26. Wayne Burrows took two for 22 for Flatts.

Although they lost three wickets there was never any grave concern by Devonshire as their openers put on 41 before being separated.

St. David's 96 Nationals 97-2 Chris Wright and Jason Lewis each snatched four wickets and moved Nationals into third place in the tables with this eight-wicket victory over St. David's at Lord's.

Wright took four for 11 while Lewis had four for 38. John Ray, who opened the bowling with Wright, also had a good day taking two for 19.

The home team ran into trouble from the start when they lost opener Mike Kelly (nought) with their total on five and it was all uphill from there.

Dean Pitcher and Allen Richardson were top scorers with 19 apiece while opener John Pitcher and Rudell Pitcher followed with 13 each. Sam Robinson was the other in double figures with 11.

Nationals polished off the runs in just 17.3 overs with opener Gary Knight high man with 34. Lewis scored 24 not out and Wright 12 not out.

Warwick 83 St. George's 85-1 Kenny Phillips returned to the St. George's team to take five for 19 from 13 overs and then captain Wendell Smith continued his good form with the bat with an unbeaten 48 in this comfortable nine-wicket win at Southampton Oval.

Nine-man Warwick lasted just 25.3 overs as Phillips ripped through their line-up as John Nusum and captain Hoyt Zuill were joint high men with 17 apiece.

Graham Fox assisted skipper Smith with 24 not out.

Somerset 154 Somerset Bridge 121-3 Somerset Bridge were denied victory when bad light stopped play at Somerset Cricket Club.

Brian Gibbons was at the wicket on 45 to lead the Bridge batsmen after Gladwin Ingham had earlier contributed 36. The match was called at 7.30 p.m.

Somerset's innings was undermined by spinner Tony Cheeseman and Corvet Lambert who took four wickets apiece as the hosts crashed from 140 for three.

For Somerset, Donovan Livingston 49, Shannon Warner 36 and skipper Andre Manders 28.