Group leaders The Associates and Tuff Dogs will put their unbeaten Evening Cricket League records on the line when they clash at Shelly Bay Field tomorrow.

Alex Brown warmed up for the showdown by striking the second century of the season for The Associates, who defeated Fine Leg Byes by 46 runs, while Azeem Khan and McLaren Lowe showed why they are the league's most feared opening pair, each posting a half-century as Tuff Dogs romped to a ten-wicket win over North Village with more than five overs to spare.

The Associates and Tuff Dogs have maximum points from five matches — and, for good measure, Tuff Dogs also won both of their fixtures in the delayed 2021 knockout, including a ten-wicket demolition of Renegades in the final, after The Associates, the holders, had slumped to a ten-wicket defeat by West XI in the first round.

The Jayde Albertze-driven Renegades, the top league side for the past two seasons, have put behind them a shaky start, in which they lost two games, and are now up to second in group one, while CV Chargers, boosted by a fourth half-century from captain Matty Watson, have moved within three points of Tuff Dogs in group two after claiming two more wins.

Looking ahead to tomorrow's match, which will be the only league meeting between the sides this season, Terence Corday, captain of Tuff Dogs, said: “It’s always a big game when we meet The Associates, and has a bit of a ‘derby’ feel to it.

“The last few meetings have all been close contests and we expect the same this week.

“Both teams are in good form at the moment and the winner will have bragging rights, but ultimately, as we are in separate groups, it’s just one game in a long season.”

Simon Jones, captain of The Associates, added: “We’re looking forward to Friday. Tuff Dogs are always a strong outfit and we’ll try to keep our good run of form going.”

Brown’s unbeaten 106, coupled with 45 from Kian Wookey, propelled The Associates to 180 for three against Fine Leg Byes, whose 134 for four in reply was built around Ricky Waldron’s spirited 48.

“Alex [Brown] batted brilliantly, especially given the fact he’s not 100 per cent fit at the moment," Jones said.

“We’ve started the season pretty well and some of the guys are getting decent runs, which is great.

“Kian Wookey has been excellent at the top of the order and we’ve posted some good totals.

“Richie Biram and Tommy Edwards were excellent with the ball and Bron Turner picked up crucial wickets, especially when Ricky Waldron looked like he could take the game to the last overs.”

Derwin Adams dominated Village’s 119 for four against Tuff Dogs with a knock of 77 not out as Bevin Carr picked up two wickets, but Khan and Lowe made light of their target, finishing unbeaten on 58 and 50 respectively.

CV Chargers relished their trip to Somerset Cricket Club, piling up 171 for six before restricting KPMG to 136 for five in reply.

Piers Carr, the season’s first century-maker, led the way for Chargers with 47, as Watson chipped in with 41 and Somers Carr made 27, Paul Botes taking two for 49.

In their reply, Alastair Lynch and Jean Moolman both made 43 for KPMG.

"Piers [Carr] and Matty [Watson] got us off to a great start with boundaries coming thick and fast ... we knew 171 was a good total,“ Somers Carr, the club spokesman, said.

“KPMG countered well, but we were able to put the squeeze on in the middle overs, which meant they were going to really have to swing for the fences in order to chase down our score.

“It was a good win in the end against a very much improved KPMG outfit.”

Michael Campbell, the KPMG captain, added: “ean [Moolman] was the pick of our bowlers with one for 16 off four overs. His brother, Chris, also bowled well with one for 26 off four.”

Chargers followed up their win with another four days later at Shelly Bay — a 38-run victory over De Wicketest — after Watson smashed an unbeaten 85 and Somers Carr made 30 in their side’s 142 for two. Despite an unbeaten 44 from Justin Brookes, their captain, De Wicketest were restricted to 103 for six in reply, Nik Lawton-Misra and Greg Rose taking two wickets apiece.

Reflecting on the victory, Carr said: “Very happy to get another win under the belt. Matty [Watson] did what he does best and kept the runs ticking along nicely, which allowed our other guys to swing freely.

“Great batting performance got us to 142, which we knew was going to be tough for DW to chase down. An all-round solid performance in the field from Ball 1 allowed us to restrict their run flow and effectively take them out of the game by the middle overs.”

KPMG tasted defeat again, despite Srijan Sehgal’s four for 15, when High Flyaz squeezed home by four wickets with two balls to spare.

Lynch (33) and Marnus De Lange (31) pushed KPMG to 110 for seven, Shawn Riley and Swadish Gond each taking two wickets, and it needed a captain’s innings from Rohaan Simons — an unbeaten 46 — to get his side home.

Albertze, who has been plundering runs in the island’s higher echelons, and Christof van Tonder produced a second-wicket stand of 133 as Renegades crushed West XI by 70 runs.

Albertze helped himself to three sixes and four fours in his 75, while Van Tonder’s unbeaten 61 contained four sixes and three fours as Renegades ran up 156 for two before dismissing West XI for 86 in the fifteenth over, Richard Slater doing the bulk of the damage with four for 18.

Donnie Charles made 45 not out as PHC defeated Bailey’s Bay by eight wickets with three overs to spare after being set a victory target of 109.