Young Men's Social Club 94

Southampton Rangers 97-0

Man-of-the-match Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock produced another miserly spell of orthodox left arm spin to inspire Southampton Rangers to an unprecedented fifth straight Belco Cup at Lords yesterday.

The larger than life spinner contributed heavily to Social Club's swift demise, snatching four wickets for 15 runs off six overs to lay the platform for Rangers' bruising ten-wicket demolition.

The third change bowler picked up the prized scalp of Detroy Smith (26) in his first over with a delivery that barely grazed the top of a bail. He then had Jahmiko Marshall (13) grabbed by a diving Gerald Simons at backward point, Jeffrey Tyrell (eight) held in slips and last man Kani Darrell bowled around his legs for a golden duck.

It was another vintage performance by the 2007 World Cup veteran who a day earlier had stroked an unbeaten 48 in a record seventh-wicket partnership worth 163 runs with Shannon (Mad Dog) Raynor (88) that effectively catapulted Rangers through to a record fifth straight Belco Cup final.

Of his latest exploits with the ball, Leverock commented: "The pitch was dry and conducive to spin. Earlier on the ball was turning pretty sharply off the seam and I knew that if I could put the ball in the right areas I could get wickets."

Leverock, however, wasn't Rangers' sole bowling hero as seamers Ryan Belboda and Jason Wade bowled a nagging line and length to keep the batsmen honest.

Wade (two for 25) accounted for the first two Social Club wickets to fall after going for nine runs in his first over. Belboda also tormented the batsmen with an unerring line and length during a remarkable opening spell that saw the veteran swing bowler take one for nine off seven overs, including four maidens.

Once Belboda and Wade were removed from the attack, off spinner Dion Stovell (two for 21) kept the pressure on, bowling 10 overs unchanged from the southern end of the ground before Leverock mopped up the tail.

"Ryan and Jason bowled extremely tight in the beginning to set the stage for us. They got some early key wickets and bowled really well," Leverock added.

Social Club elected to bat after winning the toss but probably regretted their decision as they slipped to 14 for three inside seven overs. And despite a battling 27-run fourth-wicket stand between top scorer Detroy Smith and player/coach Charlie Marshall (eight), they never regained their footing as a disciplined Rangers attack tightened the noose.

Swing bowler Janeiro Tucker snapped the burgeoning stand in the 21st over when he trapped opposite number Marshall leg before. And when Leverock plucked out Smith eight overs later the writing began to appear on the wall for Social Club who eventually folded in 39 overs after losing their last five wickets for 30 runs.

Rangers wasted no time pulling down the paltry target in reply, with aggressive openers Curtis Jackson and Gerald Simons anchoring the defending champions to victory with 36.5 overs to spare.

Jackson dominated the unbroken 97-run stand, thumping four sixes and three fours in a 39-ball 44 and reserving the harshest punishment for seamer Jahmiko Marshall who was lofted outside for two sixes in his first over, one of which landed in the tent belonging to Leverock's mother Alison.

Simons (36) faced 27 balls and helped himself to six fours, including the winning boundary off Marshall who went for a costly 22 runs in his second over as Rangers cut loose.

After winning a record sixth overall Belco Cup it was suggested the tournament be renamed the Southampton Rangers Cup.

On yesterday's dominant display, it may not be a bad idea.

"The best team won on the day," commented Social Club skipper Dwayne (Streaker) Adams. "Cricket is a team effort and today as a team we didn't respond the way we should have. We didn't show up to play."