[naviga:font color="BLUE"]Police 170

Devonshire 172-6

The father and son combination of Ricky and Derrick Brangman proved that the family that plays together ultimately wins together as the Central Counties Cup changed hands for the second and final time this season at Devonshire Recreation Club on Saturday.

Together the pair masterminded Police's demise, sharing six wickets between them and then stroking 40 runs apiece to steer Devonshire to a comfortable four-wicket victory with 71 balls to spare.

For added measure, Somerset Cup Match hopeful Derrick Brangman executed a run out and grabbed a catch off his father's bowling. Devonshire's triumph over nearby rivals Police also earned them their second title of the season having already clinched the Open League crown earlier in the campaign.

Having not been dismissed in this year's competition below 250 runs, Police must have fancied their chances of continuing in the same vein on another placid Devonshire batting track as they opted to take first strike.

They were, however, in for a rude awakening as off spinner Derrick Brangman (three for 37) sliced through Police's top order with consummate ease to have the then cup holders reeling at 57 for four after 20 overs.

Brangman's father, a former Southampton Rangers captain, then tightened the noose by sawing through Police's middle and lower order on the way to gathering equally superb figures of three for 35 to leave the cup holders wobbling at 136 for nine.

However, any thoughts Devonshire might've had of chasing a target below 150 were cruelly dashed as Police's tail wagged with last pair Traddie Simpson (19 not out) and John Pierre (11) delaying the inevitable by adding 34 runs.

Devonshire's reply got off to an inauspicious start as opener Allan Butterfield departed in the fourth over without scoring after he top edged a Dennis Archer (two for 12) delivery safely into the hands of James Celestine, fielding backward of point.

With the very next delivery, Archer forced Devonshire skipper Derrick Brangman to retire hurt after the batsman was struck in the face off the glove by a ball that flighted late from a good length.

Archer struck again two overs later when he had in-form batsman Chris Foggo (three) spectacularly caught by Andy Cumberbatch who dived low to his right to make a one-handed grab and leave Devonshire in a spot of bother at nine for two.

But the challengers consolidated with player/coach Ricky Brangman lashing seven boundaries in a whirlwind knock of 40 off 29 balls and dominating a 77-run third wicket stand with opener Oladapa Frederick who nudged 34 following a nervous start.

The senior Brangman belted three successive boundaries off seamer Milton Best who was knocked out of the attack after going for 17 runs in his third and final over.

But with the half century milestone beckoning, Brangman went for one boundary too many and was held in the deep by Celestine, who made up considerable ground before taking a high catch to raise Police's hopes of retaining the cup.

Brangman's dismissal brought son Derrick back out to the crease and after being put down in the deep off the bowling of makeshift spinner Celestine in the 28th over, the Devonshire skipper settled down and anchored his team to victory.

He faced 36 balls in 84 minutes and stroked four boundaries including a beautifully timed six off left-arm seamer Pierre that soared over square leg and disappeared into the crowd.

Brangman added 37 runs for the fifth wicket with Ian Armstrong (17) after two wickets fell in the space of eight runs and along with Kameron Fox (eight not out) added a further 30 runs in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand that ended Police's rein as champions at the final hurdle.

Willow Cuts 156

S'ton Rangers 157-36

Dion Stovell claimed two wickets and then blasted a century as cup holders Southampton Rangers handed Willow Cuts a seven-wicket loss to comfortably retain the Western Counties Cup at Southampton Oval on Saturday.

Stovell managed figures of two for 34 off ten overs that included three maidens with his off spin as Cuts struggled to come to grips with the bowling after being sent in to bat on a green top.

Left-arm spinner Dwayne Leverock (three for 13) paid a fitting tribute to his late grandfather (Kenneth Russell Leverock) while Janeiro Tucker (two for 27) was also a constant threat. Ryan Shepperd led the Cuts' resistance with 37 followed by Jermaine Trott who slammed 30 and Omar Amory who chipped in with 19.

Rangers took only 16.3 overs to put Cuts out of their misery with Stovell leading the way with a boundary-filled 100 off 62 balls.

Stovell dominated stands of 48 for the first wicket with Kwame Tucker (15) and 92 for the second with Curtis Jackson (23) before he became the third and final Rangers wicket to fall just four runs shy of victory.

Guest player Cal (Patches) Dill was Cuts' best bowler with figures of one for 31 off 6.3 overs.

Rangers will now meet challengers Warwick in the third round at Southampton Oval on August 8.