Lord’s (Southampton won toss): Southampton Rangers beat St David’s by five runs

Janeiro Tucker starred with the bat then ball to complete an all-round performance as he led Southampton Rangers to a nail-biting win over St David’s yesterday.

Tucker came to the crease after Rangers had lost opener and high scorer Dion Stovell for a patient 27 runs from 37 balls. Stovell was fourth man out with the score at 63. Tucker and No 6 batter Charles Trott then featured in a 29-run partnership to carry the score to 92 before the latter went for a maximum and was caught at deep long-on by Dean Simons of the bowling of Derrick Brangman for 11.

Fourteen runs later, Tucker joined Trott in the pavilion owing to a self-inflicted run-out. After playing the ball through the covers for a sure run, he took a casual stroll down the crease for the single only for an alert OJ Pitcher to hurry the ball into the wicketkeeper, who ripped off the bails as Tucker scampered in to make his ground. He was too little, too late and run out for 24.

There was a slight rain delay at 108 for six after 28.2 overs. After nearly 40 minutes, play resumed with no deduction of overs. The last recognised batsman, Rohan Simons, was dismissed seven balls later, having his off stump clipped by fast bowler Cejay Outerbridge for 12 from 26 balls. Rangers were now struggling at 114 for seven with inexperienced bats to follow.

Some 7.2 overs later, St. David’s had cleaned up the tail to dismiss Rangers for 134 from 35.4 overs. Outerbridge was the pick of the St David’s bowlers, claiming four for 35 from 8.4 overs. Brangman finished with two for 26.

In defence of their low score, Rangers opened the bowling with spin at one end and pace at the other. This tactic paid immediate dividends, as Stovell had Ajuan Lamb, a century-maker two weeks ago, adjudged leg-before for a duck to the second ball of the innings and pacer Leule Simmons had Lyuan Smith dismissed in the same manner for two. St David’s were now reeling at eight for two after only 3.2 overs.

OJ Pitcher joined opener Simons to help stabilise the innings as the two carried the score to 27 for two at tea break but Tucker had other ideas as he had Pitcher caught at square leg on the second ball after play resumed without adding to the score.

Trott claimed the scalp of Ricardo Brangman for six runs with the fifth ball of his first over through a leg-before appeal, which the batter protested vehemently before being encouraged to leave the field. Captain Justin Pitcher was dismissed in similar fashion three balls later for a duck to have the Warriors in deep trouble at 40 for five with some major bats back in the pavilion.

Derrick Brangman joined Simons and the two started to milk the bowling as they batted cautiously, rotated strike and played some solid shots with the meat of the bat to turn the tide in St David’s favour.

St David’s gave Rangers the opening they were searching for when Simons, who had carried the chase from the beginning, swung wildly to sky a catch to third man, which Trott did well to hold on to after running to his left. Simons scored 31 off 67 balls and was involved in the sixth-wicket partnership of 56 runs with Brangman to push the score to 96.

Veteran George O’Brien joined Brangman to carry the total to 112 before he played a straight drive off Tucker to deep long-on where Dalin Richardson held a brilliant diving catch to dismiss him for 11.

Brangman would carry his team to the brink of victory with a well-played 32 before being bowled by Tucker, leaving St David’s 13 runs from victory with two wickets in hand. Rangers sensed the blood and wiped up the two youth batters to secure victory.

Tucker was the star bowler with impressive figures of three for eight from ten overs. Stovell and Trott chipped in with two wickets apiece for 13 and 24 runs respectively.

“This was a good victory,” Tucker said. “We have a few youth in our team, so I play to try and encourage them. Today, I told them to believe in themselves and that’s what they did.”

Southampton

D Stovell c O’Brien b J Pitcher 27

J Albuoy b O’Brien 15

A Raynor c Smith b Outerbridge 1

*D Richardson c Robinson b D Brangman 3

J Tucker run out 24

C Trott c Simons b D Brangman 11

†R Simons b Outerbridge 12

A N Other b Outerbridge 7

T Smith not out 11

M Jacobs c Smith b Outerbridge 0

L Simmons run out 3

Extras (b 5, lb 7, w 8) 20

Total (35.4 overs) 134

Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-35, 3-61, 4-63, 5-92, 6-104, 7-114, 8-119, 9-119.

Bowling: Outerbridge 8.4-2-35-4; O’Brien 6-0-29-1; D Brangman10-0-26-2; J Pitcher 6-0-22-1; O Pitcher 5-0-10-0.

St David’s

A Lamb lbw b Stovell 0

D Simons c Trott b Jacobs 31

I Smith lbw b Simmons 2

O Pitcher c Raynor b Tucker 10

†R Brangman lbw b Trott 6

*J Pitcher lbw b Stovell 1

D Brangman b Tucker 32

G O’Brien c Richardson b Tucker 11

E Ball not out 3

S Robinson c Simons b Richardson 2

C Outerbridge b Trott 0

Extras (b 7, lb 2, nb 2, w 20) 31

Total (43 overs) 129

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-8, 3-27, 4-38, 5-40, 6-96, 7-112, 8-122, 9-128.

Bowling: Stovell 10-2-13-2; Simmons 2-0-11-1; Tucker 10-5-8-3; Jacobs 10-2-22-1; Trott 3-0-24-2; Richardson 7-1-26-1; A N Other 1-0-16-0.

Umpires: M Best and M McCormack.