PHC 177-5

Southampton Rangers 165

(match reduced to 40 overs per side)

Premier Division newcomers PHC sounded an ominous warning to the rest of the league after claiming the prized scalp of Western Counties rivals Southampton Rangers in a rain affected match at White Hill Field yesterday.

Just hours after marking their return to top flight cricket with an inspiring 45-run win over Police, PHC's season gathered more momentum courtesy of a hard-fought 12-run triumph against a team that has enjoyed the better of them in recent years.

Guiding PHC to victory were in-form batsmen Fiqre Crockwell and Kamau Leverock who each stroked fluent half-centuries and the two-man demolition crew of Cal Waldron and David (Chick) Adams who claimed six-wickets between them.

Crockwell picked up where he left off the day before against Police by smashing a polished 88 while the promising Leverock hit an unbeaten 54.

Together the pair added 128 runs for the fifth-wicket to put their team back on track after they had slipped to 45 for four in the 14th over as Rangers made early inroads with the new ball.

Waldron (three for 20) and Adams (three for 35) then ripped the heart out of Rangers' middle and lower after the latter snapped a bulging 76-run partnership between Southampton player/coach Janeiro Tucker (42) and Dion Stovell (37).

Both batsmen fell in the space of one run and their dismissals signalled the end as Waldron and Adams mopped up the tail with relative ease.

Also in double figures was opener Gerald Simons (20) and lower order bat Shannon Raynor (18) who added 22 runs with Kerry Tucker before Rangers last three wickets fell for 17 runs.

Earlier, Raynor snatched two for 34 to lead his team's attack.

Andre Manders, the PHC coach, praised his players for their positive start to the campaign and reckons the best has yet to come.

"It's still early in the season and I think we still have some work to do.

"But it feels good to have taken one of the big scalps in the league," he said.

"We have a lot of depth and a good blend of youth and experience in our team and basically we are just going to take things one game at a time and then see where the chips fall."

Having beaten a team of Rangers' pedigree, Manders reckons opponents will now take his team more seriously.

"It's going to get tougher and we still have to play teams like St.David's and Bailey's Bay who we haven't beaten in a long time," he added.

"I think teams are going to be coming for us now and so we will have to bring our 'A' game every week."

Manders said his team's primary objective this season is Premier Division survival but judging by recent performances they could find themselves in contention for league honours.

"Our goal is to establish ourselves in the Premier Division and try and finish in the top four. But if we find ourselves in contention to win the league than we will try and win it," he added.

Manders also praised skipper Waldron who continues to lead from the front in his team's bowling attack.

"One thing about Cal is that he bowls at the wicket and once you miss he normally hits," he said.

"Cal came on with the ball and got some crucial wickets and is bowling very well at the moment."

Cleveland 137

Somerset CC 139-5

(match reduced to 25 overs per side)

Skipper Jacobi Robinson produced a fine all-round performance to inspire Somerset to a five-wicket win over Cleveland at Somerset Cricket Club yesterday.

Robinson claimed three for 23 and then scored a useful 27 as Somerset cruised to victory with ten balls to spare.

The national team player produced a fiery second spell of seam bowling in which he claimed all three of his wickets and gave up just four runs after going wicketless for 19 in his opening burst with the new ball.

Robinson then made a valuable contribution with the bat to keep his team on course for victory.

Also making promising starts for Somerset was middle order bat Reid Jones, who top scored with an unbeaten 31, opener Jermaine Warner (16) and Dwight Basden who added 15.

Shakai Darrell was the pick of the Cleveland bowling with figures of two for 23 while Dennis Musson jr and skipper Tamauri Tucker had one each.

Earlier, Jason Simons cracked 43 off 24 balls, Aaron Adams 25 and Carlton Smith 28 before Robinson and spinner Hasan Durham ran through the lower order as Cleveland's last six wickets fell for just seven runs.

Left arm spinner Durham finished with two for 20 while teenaged off spinner Joshua Gilbert claimed three for 28.