Young Men's Social Club 243/10; Southampton Rangers 164/10

A brilliant knock from veteran batsmen Nakia Smith helped move Young Men's Social Club to within touching distance of the Premier League 50-over trophy as they easily dispatched a spirited Southampton Rangers outfit by 79 runs at Southampton Oval yesterday.

Smith (79) led from the front as he was the chief partner in both of Social Club's highest partnerships of the day including a sixth-wicket stand with Kevin Hurdle that added 67 runs to the score before Hurdle departed on 43.

Even after Hurdle was back in the pavilion, Smith continued to pick apart the Rangers bowling attack, pillaging the boundary as he set about putting his side in a commanding position to win the match.

A 48-run ninth wicket stand between Smith and Jeff Tyrrell (21) put the blue birds over the 200-mark and looking to add more woes to the Rangers fielding which was satisfactory at best.

In the end Smith was the last batsman out with the score on 243 and looking good to take all the points available from the match.

Shannon Rayner and Gary Crofton were the pick of the Rangers bowlers, returning figures of three for 43 and four for 45 respectively.

In response, Rangers could only muster 164 with Shannon Rayner (71) doing his best to pull out the match for the home side who in the end fell 79 runs short of their goal.

Rayner's attempted heroics included a 89 ninth-wicket stand with Ryan Balboda (10) in which Rayner carried his side from 77 for eight to 163 for nine before he was eventually bowled for his 71, and the score 163 for nine.

In the end only Kwame Tucker (29) added resistance to the Social Club bowling who had many bowlers doing their jobs in keeping the run rate down.

Ricky Hoyte took four for 18, while Hurdle (two for 37) and Kani Darrell (two for 29) each held their end of the bargain for the victors.

"It was a very good game today, a very competitive match and we are pleased that we won a game that was crucial to both teams," said Smith.

"Many people said we wouldn't win the match without our coach Charlie Marshall, but we dug deep and knew what must be done to get the result we wanted.

"The wicket played nice with the ball not doing too much for the bowlers and once I got stuck in I knew it was about applying myself and eventually the runs will come.

"It has been a good season for us overall, we had a few lapses early in the season, but in the end we buckled down and allowed ourselves to be in the position we are in now.

"We have two matches left, so we will keep the same mentality we have had all season long and look to end the season strong."