Southampton Oval (Southampton Rangers won toss) Southampton beat Willow Cuts by 123 runs

Southampton Rangers ended the 2022 Western Counties series as champions after a high-scoring final against Willow Cuts highlighted by two big centuries on Saturday.

Rangers posted 361 in 49.5 overs with guest player Tre Manders scoring 147, which included 13 fours and six sixes.

It was his second straight century in the competition following a knock of 132 against Warwick in the third round two weeks ago, Rangers compiling a massive 359 for eight after being sent in and then dismissing Warwick for just 43.

Manders led them on another run feast as the home team threatened to get close to the record 416 for four they scored against Willow Cuts last August in the counties when Malachi Jones led the way with a career-best 202 not out.

This time Manders was their batting hero as the Cuts bowlers toiled in the heat.

“It felt good, I had a good one,” said the 27-year-old Western Stars player.

“Their captain also had a good hundred, I praise that hundred.

“Conditions weren’t the best today, it’s hard to play in that type of heat, especially batting. You had to stay focused.”

Manders is one of the few players to be playing in all three counties.

This weekend he hopes to feature for Bailey’s Bay in the Eastern Counties final against St David’s.

“Obviously getting the call from Rangers, it was a no-brainer, playing with guys like Dion [Stovell] and Janeiro [Tucker].

“I played with Rangers a couple of seasons ago, it feels like a second home, I would say.

“This is my second century for them this season, I got one in the last game, so obviously I like it up here.”

Cuts, who were aiming for a third victory over Rangers this season, never seriously looked like reaching the steep target, despite captain Kwasi James’s top knock of 159 that included 12 sixes and eight fours.

Cuts had a promising start, with James and Ras Solomon Burrows putting on 49 for the first wicket before Nirobi Smith-Mills had Burrows caught in the seventh over. Two further wickets went down on 75 and 76 as Antonio Darrell and Chakote Basden became the first two of nine Cuts batters to be bowled.

James, who hit some powerful sixes, lacked real support at the other end as Rangers kept taking wickets at crucial periods despite Cuts maintaining a run-rate of about six an over for the first 20 overs when they had 116 runs on the board but with four wickets already down.

Eventually it was more about James reaching a deserved century than a successful run chase, the burly opening bat bringing up the milestone on the first ball after a water break when he straight drove Smith-Mills for a single in the 26th over.

Cuts were 137 for five at that stage, but two balls later James lost another partner when wicketkeeper Shaquille Bean was bowled by Smith-Mills for the sixth wicket.

In fading light, some 20 overs still needed to be bowled, but the heavy downpour that came down in parishes to the east, never reached Southampton and Rangers were able to complete victory with 10.1 overs remaining.

Last-wicket pair Kahreem Williams and Shamar Gomes delayed the inevitable with a stand of 33 before Williams was bowled by Stovell for 12.

Gomes finished not out on 13 while Darrell, batting at No 3, was the other batsman to reach double figures with 12.

Stovell led the Rangers bowling with three for 31 and Smith-Mills took three for 34.

Earlier, Joseph Basden and Sergio Raynor claimed three wickets apiece for Cuts who had four bowlers giving up more than 50 runs as Rangers put the visiting bowlers to the sword.

Spinner Basden, who shared the new ball, went for 79 in his ten overs while Raynor gave up 60 runs in 9.5 overs, claiming the last two Rangers wickets on the fourth and fifth balls of the final over.

Charles Trott was next high man for Rangers with 35 while Jaloni Albuoy scored 30 and Gerald Simons and captain Dalin Richardson 27 and 26 respectively.

Openers Stovell and Najiyah Raynor scored 20 and 23 respectively after putting on a quick 34 for the first wicket in just four overs before Basden trapped Raynor leg-before to get the breakthrough.