St.David's 82

Southampton Rangers 83-9

An unbroken tenth-wicket partnership between Ryan Belboda (one) and Akale Bean (five) nudged Rangers to a one-wicket win over St. David's in an exciting low scoring affair that saw the ball dominate the bat in this Premier Division match at Southampton Oval yesterday.

The last pair came together with their team requiring another eight runs for victory and the Islanders sensing an improbable win after plucking out four wickets in the space of two runs to keep the match in the balance.

Yet despite some pressure bowling from a fired-up Justin Pitcher (four for 36) and off-spinner Delyone Borden (three for 23), Rangers' tailenders held their nerve when it mattered most to give the Western Counties and Belco Cup champs a first Open League win of the season at the third attempt before the tea interval.

Rangers' reply got off to an inauspicious start as the Islanders made early inroads with the new ball to force their hosts on the back foot at 29 for three.

It took a 20-run fourth-wicket stand between player/coach Janeiro Tucker (36) and Gerald Simons (18) to steady the ship.

But in Pitcher and Borden, Rangers encountered an uncompromising attack that made life extremely difficult for the batsmen on a green top.

However, the breakthrough was handed to St. David's on a platter as Simons virtually gifted his wicket away while Tucker fell prey to a stunning one-handed grab by Angelo Cannonier at mid off, leaving the tail to sweat it out.

Cannonier claimed two for 19 with his gentle seam to lend Pitcher and Borden solid support.

Earlier, player/coach Tucker (four for 30) and elder statesman Belboda (three for 12) shared seven wickets between them to keep the Islanders in free fall after they were sent in to bat.

Veteran left arm spinner Dwayne Leverock also held his end of the bargain, claiming two for 14 off 3.1 overs.

St. David's found themselves reeling at 11 for three and they never really got out of jail as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.

Promising teenager Shea Pitcher topped the Islanders' batting with 25 while Pitcher added 19 and Borden 10, batting at number five on a day which saw 19 wickets fall for a combined 165 runs.

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