St.David's 250; Young Men's Social Club 204 -6 (Social Club won on run rate).

Young Men's Social Club all but clinched a second straight Premier Division title at Lords on Saturday when they were declared winners over hosts St.David's on run rate after bad light halted proceedings early in a rain affected match.

Chasing a target of 251, the visitors recovered from a shaky start thanks to a 77 run stand between all-rounder Ricky Hoyte and player/coach Charlie Marshall.

Both batsmen ruthlessly put a depleted Islanders attack to the sword, Hoyte belting eight fours in a fine knock of 61 off 92 balls and Marshall thumping five fours and four sixes off 50 balls in an unbeaten 59.

It was Hoyte's second half century in as many outings following his unbeaten 61 against Cleveland the previous weekend.

That Social Club prevailed in a match that seemed destined for an exciting climax before bad light forced the batsmen off the pitch owed much to Hoyte and Marshall's boundary-filled fifth-wicket stand that gave the visitors a superior run rate of 5.59 compared to the Islanders' 5.43.

Jahmiko Marshall chipped in with a useful 22 while Arthur Pitcher Jr, who claimed three for 41, was the only St.David's bowler who posed a serious threat to Social Club's reply.

Earlier, St.David's skipper Lionel Cann, who hit four sixes in fine top knock of 59, played a genuine captain's innings that dragged his team out of trouble after they had slipped to 136 for five.

Chris Foggo, demoted to number three, fell five runs short of another half century in a well-played 45 while Stevie Trott (22), Shea Pitcher Jr (12) and McLaren Lowe (19) also managed promising starts at the crease.

Social Club were awful in the field as they surrendered 62 extras, 38 of which were wides.

Hoyte, grandson of West Indies legend Sir Everton Weeks, also led the Social Club bowling, snatching three for 33 off nine overs of gentle seam.

Saturday's triumph enabled Social Club to finish the 2008 50 overs campaign with 24 points which only second placed Southampton Rangers ¿ who have three games in hand ¿ can match should they win their remaining fixtures ¿ meaning the league title could be decided on run rate unless the latter drop precious points down the stretch.