Jones haunts old club Rangers
Willow Cuts, 112 for two, beat Southampton Rangers, 111 all out, by eight wicketsMalachi Jones ripped the heart out of Southampton Rangers on Saturday to ensure Western Counties champions Willow Cuts retained their cup heading into the final round of action against Warwick, beating ten men Rangers by eight wickets.Jones tormented his former club for the second time this season as he claimed six wickets for a meagre 18 runs from ten overs of impressive bowling to put his side in the driver’s seat for the match.“Coming into the season I hadn’t gotten a five wicket haul and to get one in a Western Counties, and against my old team, is something special,” said Jones. “I didn’t really have a plan of going out and doing this, but to do it is very gratifying.“The wicket was good, and I knew that if we could get on top early then the pressure would be on them to take the game to us.”Rangers had issues heading into the game, with the likes of Dion Stovell, Janeiro and Kwame Tucker not being available, while also handing in the guest players list after the deadline, and were made to pay.Winning the toss and electing to take to the field, Jones went about his destroying the fragile line-up with his father, Olin Jones (40), topping the batting charge on his way to helping his side post the score they did.He too, however, would be one of his son’s victims, being trapped lbw.Fellow veteran Curtis Jackson (12) and Gary Croston (20) were the only two other batsmen to really put up any resistance as the side were swept aside for 111 runs in 37.5 overs.George O’Brien jr and Antonio Darrell chipped in with one wicket apiece.The champions never got out of first gear, although they had no reason to, reaching their required total in just 16.3 overs.Opener Chris Douglas led from the front as he struck a fluent 67, while Dwight (21) and Dexter Basden (17) both chipped in to help get the side over the small hurdle in front of them.Dwayne Leverock and Olin Jones both grabbed a wicket for Rangers.“Once they didn’t have key players in their line-up and didn’t manage to get their guest players in on time, we had a very good chance of getting the job done, and on the day it all came together,” added Jones.“Games like this are never easy as you still have to do the job on the field and we managed to stay focus and stick to our game plan and it work out for us.”Also on Saturday, Bailey’s Bay beat St David’s in Junior Eastern Counties action.Azende Furbert (82), and Shaquille Outerbridge (59) got Bay to 250 for eight, before knocking down the Islanders for 89.Sanjay Dill (34) and Giovanni Warren (21) where the only two St David’s batsmen to get into double figures, with extras (11), being the next high man.