Renegades clinched the Evening Cricket League title with a perfect 10-0 record — but bottom club KPMG gave them a big scare before they squeezed home by six runs at Shelly Bay.

The Associates made sure of the runner’s-up spot with an easy win over BCB Academy, but then tumbled to a heavy defeat against PHC at Somerset Cricket Club, where Kevin Hurdle narrowly missed out on the season’s first century.

CV Chargers moved into the top six with a four-run win over Fine Leg Byes.

Renegades posted 120 for eight after winning the toss and then restricted KPMG, who have lost all their games so far, to 114 for eight.

“It was a very close game. KPMG stepped up and almost beat us,” said Durnferd Davis, captain of Renegades.

He added: “I have been in a few [knockout] semis and finals but never won the top league.”

Dylan Marshall, captain of KPMG, said: “It was a bit of a collective effort but it wasn’t easy facing their pace bowlers in the dark.

“A notable performance was Daniel Lourens, who made 41.”

Riaan Engelbrecht was Renegades’ top scorer with 37 while Davis made 29 not out.

Adarsh Vijayakumar led the KPMG bowling with three for 25.

Hurdle’s 96 — coupled with Dean Stevens’s 33 — helped PHC pile up 192 for five, the season’s highest total, against The Associates, who could manage only 112 for eight in reply, James Troughton making 47 and Simon Jones 27.

Opening bowlers Charles Symonds and Ryan Steede did the damage for PHC, claiming three for 16 and two for 12 respectively.

In their earlier game at Shelly Bay, The Associates made 134 for three against BCB Academy, who have been weakened by overseas school commitments, with opener Alex Brown making 62 and Gary Knight an unbeaten 36.

Kian Wookey took two for 14 and Troughton two for 18 as the Academy replied with 62 for six.

Piers Carr hit an unbeaten 82 and Ben Fox 38 in CV Chargers’ 134 for one, Carr then chipping in with two for 20 as Fine Leg Byes were held to 130 for six, with Tom Mills claiming three for 22.