St. George's slipped out of the west end having retained the Premier Division leadership after a titanic struggle with pesky Willow Cuts at Somerset Cricket Club.

The east-enders looked on course for an early day after big paceman Kenny Phillips had Cuts reeling at 12 for five inside the first half-hour.

But determined innings of 26 from opener Dwayne Basden and 35 from number eight Trevor Dickinson combined with a miserly bowling attack on a tricky wicket made for a nailbiting finish.

Cuts put themselves to the gun after winning the toss and deciding to bat in overcast conditions on a wicket that was subjected to a groundsman of aquarian nature.

But despite the soft conditions, the early dismissals showed a lack of discipline as Dexter Basden (nought) tried to hit over the top on the third ball of the match and brother Richard was out on the next flashing outside off stump.

From two wickets down with no runs, the die was cast and Phillips was in his glory as he had six for seven after his seventh over, with the overall score 24. The Grenadian finished with six for 24.

Dwayne Basden and Dickinson added 34 runs for the seventh wicket before the former lost his patience and was out to a good, diving catch inside the extra cover boundary by Greg Foggo off Ricky Hodsoll's bowling. Basden had hit five fours.

Dickinson, seeing the need to accelerate the scoring with few partners left, hit stride with some good shots off Phillips and Hodsoll. But after losing two more partners, he took a wild swipe at David Adams (two for eight) and was the last man out for 35. Dickinson hit seven fours.

Having dismissed Devonshire Rec. for a small total at Somerset last season, Cuts had every reason to feel they could defend their score. And on the last ball of Rodney Fubler's third over they began their fightback when Dexter Smith (two) received a dubious lbw decision with the score eight.

Clay Smith and Eugene Foggo righted the ship, it appeared, as they went into the tea break at 44 for one.

But immediately after Foggo swung at spinner Vivian Simons and was bowled for six. And the intrigue began to build once Smith was lbw for 32 to Kevin Fubler. He hit three fours and a six.

The spin partnership of Simons and Fubler kept St. George's on the defensive with Simons taking three for 34 from 10 overs and Fubler two for six from 10.

St. George's slipped to 69 for six before anxiously seeing off the spinners who extracted great turn.

Captain Graham Fox and Lewis Foggo added what seemed an invaluable 14 for the seventh wicket to carry the score to 83 where Fox was caught and bowled by Richard Basden for nine to make the nerves tingle again.

But a confident Adams strode to the wicket and he and Foggo defended well against Basden and the recalled Rodney Fubler to see the side to victory with the league programme taking a three-week break because of the West Indies Board Select tour and Benson & Hedges Champion of Champions.

Southampton 263-7 Warwick 140-9 Half-centuries by Michael Brangman, Clevie Wade and Janeiro Tucker helped Southampton Rangers overcome a poor start and defeat Warwick by 123 runs at Southampton Oval.

The home team had lost the wickets of openers Keith Wainwright (eight) and Kwame Tucker (11) before Olin Jones (nine) and Stevie Lightbourne (21) joined in a third-wicket stand that added 29.

Lightbourne, Jones and skipper Ricky Brangman (nought) were dismissed with just 23 runs added before a significant partnership came when Wade and Brangman put on 104 for the sixth wicket.

The once-inspired Warwick bowling attack suffered further punishment after Brangman was out with the score 181 for six. Later, Tucker and Quinton Burch (25 not out) put on 79 for the eighth wicket.

Brangman was the top scorer with 59, hitting seven fours and a six. Wade followed with 51, including a six and four fours while Tucker scored 50 not out with seven fours and two sixes.

Johnny Nusum led Warwick's attack with two for 21 while Daniel Morgan had two for 32.

Warwick made the Southampton bowling attack sweat after losing opener Antoine Burrows for a duck with just eight runs to their total. Wallace Minors (22) and Daniel Morgan (55) added stability with a second-wicket stand that put on 69.

However, once it ended with Janiero Tucker bowling Minors it was all downhill for the home team bowlers. Of the remaining batsmen only Kallan Johnston was in double figures with 10.

Michael Brangman capped a fine all-round performance by taking three for a mere five runs off five overs, including three maidens. Tucker also had impressive figures by finishing with three for 19 off 10 overs with two maidens.

Social Club 84 St. David's 88-6 St. David's followed up last week's stunning four-run victory over powerful Devonshire Rec. by beating winless Social Club by four wickets at Lord's thanks to some good bowling by Lionel Cann and Dale Fox.

It was the third victory of the season for the islanders and was obviously a result that brought joy at last to new skipper James Pace.

Cann turned in impressive figures of six for just nine runs in his 10 overs of which five were maidens while Fox had three for nine off five overs. He also had a maiden.

With the duo in good form, Social Club's batsmen struggled with just three reaching double figures. Earlston Wolffe was top scorer with 15 while openers Dwayne Adams and Caldon Grimes made 10.

Veteran all-rounder Cecil Tucker struck St. David's early when he snatched up two wickets with just two runs scored but the home team managed to recover, thanks to Cann who was undefeated with 32. He and opener Reginald Pitcher (13) put on 26 for the fifth wicket.

When Pitcher was out at 43 for four, Cann and skipper Pace (17) then took the team within reach of victory with a fifth-wicket stand of 39.

Tucker led Social Club's attack with two for 15 off 10 overs while Earlston Wolffe had two for 28 from four overs.

HOW'S THE WEATHER MARK? -- Mr. Mark McEwan shakes hands with Bermudians Mr.

Eddie Daniels while Mr. Arthur Bean looks on in Dockyard on Saturday.