Sea Breeze Oval (Southampton won toss): Southampton beat Bailey’s Bay by 86 runs.

Janeiro Tucker returned to the playing stage after a self-enforced absence and produced an innings that mimicked the power wrought by recently departed Hurricane Fiona to destroy his opposition in the Athene T20 Premier Division on Sunday.

The rest seemed to have reinvigorated the veteran star player, as he showed no mercy on a Bay side sorely missing front-line pacers Kyle Hodsoll and Jordan Burgess.

Having pushed himself up the order, Tucker took full advantage of the new ball and the initial power play restrictions, bashing the remaining bowlers to all compass points on his way to a rapid 91.

Incorporated in Tucker’s 56-ball, 64-minute stay at the crease were seven sixes and four fours before he fell while attempting another heave off Sharye Tavares, which did not have the requisite distance but still required a good catch from Daion Swan-DeSilva to effect the dismissal.

Tucker was not alone in heaping misery upon the home side, as captain Dalin Richardson (33) played a critical anchor role after the visitors had lost their first wicket with only 16 runs on the board.

Building on a recent rich run of form, the former national Under-19 captain partnered Tucker in a 126-run second-wicket partnership that set the stage for Rangers ultimate success, while piling on the pain for Bay and their resident supporters.

Like Tucker, Richardson became a victim of Tavares’s off-breaks, but there was no respite for Bay, as Charles Trott provided further devastation with a bludgeoning display.

If Tucker was the ‘hurricane’, Trott was the ‘tornado’, his 17-ball cameo accounting for 60 runs, including 29 from the final over to propel Rangers beyond the 200-run mark.

Undaunted, Bay embarked upon the arduous task of chasing such a well-constructed target.

They lost two wickets after reaching 29, with opener Tavares (17) and Coolidge Durham departing.

Captain Terryn Fray and Stephen Outerbridge steadied matters and moved the score along to 99 before the former was bowled by the medium pace of Tayo Smith two short of a half century.

That left Outerbridge to attempt to lead an improbable middle/late order charge, one which rapidly failed to materialise after a collapse, the No 4 doing his best to protect while attacking the target but ultimately falling well short.

Although not particularly gainful while batting, Dion Stovell showed his talents with a return of four for 12, while Tucker capped off his day with three for 20 and Richardson snagging two wickets.

Tucker indicated his move to opener was something he thought necessary to apply pressure on Bay.

“Me opening was with the intent of positioning us to take advantage of the initial power play as well as ensure we batted the full 20 overs,” explained Tucker. “What happened in the last few weeks is water under the bridge, this was a game we needed to win, we wanted to win and were hungry to achieve.

“This was a game we had to win. We understood we had to win to strengthen our position in the division and that’s what we did today.

Similarly, Richardson, who has stepped up both his batting and leadership in the absence of Tucker, was pleased his men had performed a task few would have predicted on recent inspection.

“That was a part of our motivation today,” said Richardson. “We realise what position we have put ourselves in, but now everyone is intent on putting out their best in winning the last three games and staying up.”