Southampton 75 Youngster Ryan Steede picked up the first six wickets with his seam bowling and David Adams put Rangers out of their misery with the last four wickets off eight deliveries, including a hat-trick, as St. George's won this Knockout Cup semi-final at Devonshire Rec. yesterday by a comfortable 153 runs.

Wendell Smith, who shared in an opening stand of 149 with Dexter Smith against Rangers at the same stage of this competition and at the same venue two years ago, got amongst the runs again when he stroked 92 in three hours and five minutes from 12 fours and a six to lay the foundation for the big total.

He lost partner Dexter Smith with just 24 on the board, and when brother Clay departed 14 runs later to make it 38-2, Rangers might have thought things would be going their way. Captain Olin Jones' decision to put in St. George's looked like a good one.

However, a third wicket stand of 62 between Smith and captain Graham Fox (20) put up the 100 and further contributions from Ricky Hodsoll (14) and Clevie Wade (31) meant that Smith had enough support to assure that a decent total was posted.

Smith was finally sixth out, bowled by Garry Williams, the most successful Rangers bowler, who finished with four for 32 from nine overs. Janeiro Tucker claimed two for 36 from 10 overs while Dwayne Steede and Keith Wainwright were the most expensive, giving up 28 and 27 from four overs. Jones gave up just 26 in his 10 overs.

The match started 40 minutes late and was reduced to 47 overs per side. St.

George's batted for 47 overs before their innings ended at 4.00.

Rangers batted less than half of their overs as Steede and Adams met with little resistence. Steede removed openers Jones and David Stoneham with just 24 on the board and after that Rangers were always going to face an uphill battle.

However dismissing them in just 21.2 overs was a better accomplishment than St. George's expected as the lanky Steede had all his six victims caught, including three behind by Clay Smith, on his way to six for 39 off 10 unchanged overs. He then left it to Adams at the other end to do the rest of the damage with his lofty leg spinners.

Adams claimed his hat-trick on the second, third and fourth deliveries of his first over when he bowled Kwame Tucker, had Dwayne Steede caught at long-on by Eugene Foggo and then capped it off when Clevie Wade took the catch in slips which dismissed Darren (Butch) Burchall.

Rangers slumped from 51-3 -- when the stand of 27 between Keith Wainwright and Janeiro Tucker ended -- to 69-9 after Adams' heroics ripped them to threads.

Adams then ended the match with a fourth wicket on the second ball of his second over, clinching the victory and a place in the final next weekend against champions Bailey's Bay, a repeat of the 1982 final which St. George's won.