Prolific openers Piers Carr and Matty Watson made hay with sparking half-centuries as CV Chargers outclassed The Associates to maintain their drive for Evening Cricket League honours with an eighth win of the season.

Carr finished on 80 – his second unbeaten half-century of the week – and Watson, the captain, made 88 as Chargers piled up a daunting 174 for no wicket before restricting their group one opponents to a disappointing 93 for eight.

Earlier, Carr made 71 not out and Watson 30 as Chargers were made to fight for their seven-wicket victory over Bailey's Bay, easing home with three balls to spare.

Somers Carr, the team spokesman, said of his side's 81-run success over The Associates: “It was a dominating win for our lads.

“Piers [Carr] and Matty [Watson] set the tone from the first ball and posted a good enough total that by the time it came time for us to bowl, The Associates were never in the fight.”

Only Will Tyrrell, the stand-in captain, offered any meaningful resistance with an unbeaten 44 in The Associates’ reply, Nik Lawton-Misra leading the way with three for 16 and Somers Carr and Greg Rose chipping in with two wickets apiece.

“Their openers never gave us a sniff, [although] we dropped one of them [Carr] a couple of times later on, but they played some proper shots and on a fast outfield they were getting full value,” Tyrrell said.

Lawton-Misra was also Chargers’ leading bowler against Bay, taking three for 21, as the hosts posted 134 for seven, thanks to useful knocks from Alzado Minks-Cole (25), Chris Colby (23) and 21 not out from Lorenzo Simmons, the captain.

Simmons said: “Man of the match for us was Kujuan Simons, who made 19 and then took two for 18 from three overs.

“It was a great game and we gave them a run for their money. We're getting better.”

Somers Carr added: “It was great to get back to winning ways after a tough loss against Renegades.

“Bailey's Bay set us a decent total, but with a smaller field [Sea Breeze Oval] and a dry outfield we kept on the run-rate throughout our innings.”

Simmons and his team did not have to wait long, however, before they were able to celebrate a win later in the week, defeating strugglers North Village by 62 runs in a game in which both teams agreed to extend the usual 16 overs a side.

Colby top scored with 51 and Kai Hollis made 43 before retiring hurt as Bay totalled 164 for seven in 19 overs, despite Dion Ball’s four for 19, before dismissing Village for 102 in the eighteenth, Phillip Burgess doing the most damage with three for 12.

Tuff Dogs, the group two leaders, made it nine wins on the spin with an emphatic six-wicket win over Fine Leg Byes.

Adam Petty snapped up four for 29 and Justin Corday three for 18 as Tuff Dogs held Fine Leg Byes to 100 for eight before cruising home with more than five overs to spare.

McLaren Lowe gave Tuff Dogs a useful start with a knock of 30, but although a fourth wicket fell at 66 in the ninth over, Justin Corday (13 not out) and his first cousin, the captain Terence Corday (19 not out), quickly put the game to bed with two sixes apiece.

West XI squeezed home by one wicket with four balls to spare over De Wicketest.

Paul Fox spearheaded De Wicketest’s 143 for four with a knock of 54, but although his team-mate Terry Sousa chipped in with three wickets his side could not prevent West XI securing their third win of the season.

KPMG won their second game of the campaign, defeating PHC by four wickets with four balls to spare.

Groups one/two

Sea Breeze Oval (Bailey's Bay won toss): Bailey's Bay 134-7 (16 overs; Nik Lawton-Misra 3 for 21); CV Chargers 137-3 (15.3 overs; Piers Carr 71 not out, Matty Watson 30). CV Chargers (3 pts) beat Bailey's Bay (0) by seven wickets.

Shelly Bay (De Wicketest won toss): De Wicketest 143-4 (16 overs; Paul Fox 54); West XI 145-9 (15.2 overs). West XI (3pts) beat De Wicketest (0) by one wicket.

Shelly Bay (Tuff Dogs won toss): Fine Leg Byes (16 overs; Adam Petty 4 for 29, Justin Corday 3 for 18); Tuff Dogs 105-4 (10.5 overs; McLaren Lowe 30). Tuff Dogs (3pts) beat Fine Leg Byes (0) by six wickets.

Shelly Bay (CV Chargers won toss): CV Chargers 174-0 (16 overs; Matty Watson 88 not out, Piers Carr 80 not out); The Associates 93-8 (16 overs; Will Tyrrell 44 not out; Nik Lawton-Misra 3 for 16). CV Chargers (3pts) beat The Associates (0) by 81 runs.

Shelly Bay (KPMG won toss): PHC 130-5 (16 overs); KPMG 131-6 (15.2 overs; Daniel Lourens 44). KPMG (3pts) beat PHC (0) by four wickets.

Sea Breeze Oval (Bailey's Bay won toss): Bailey's Bay 164-7 (19 overs; Chris Colby 51, Kai Hollis 43 retired hurt; Dion Ball 4 for 19); North Village 102 (17.5 overs; Phillip Burgess 3 for 12). Bailey's Bay (3pts) beat North Village (0) by 62 runs.