Southampton Rangers stormed into the semi-finals of the Combined KO Cup competition after handing Social Club a seven-wicket thrashing in a rain affected affair at Devonshire Recreation Club.

Social Club must have felt hard done after amassing 278 runs on the smaller confines of the Den, only to have afternoon showers between innings bring the Duckworth/Lewis scoring system into effect and reduce the total considerably.

The reduction left Rangers to chase 215 runs for victory in 30 overs after an hour-and-a-half was lost to rain.

And the Belco Cup champions wasted little time in pursuit of their winning objective, knocking off the required runs in exactly 26 overs with Curtis Jackson leading the way with a whirlwind 72 during a century opening stand with Keith Wainwright who contributed an equally vital 45 runs to his team?s cause.

Earlier Ryan Belboda rebounded from an expensive first spell that yielded 35 runs in four overs by claiming four wickets in his second stint with the ball for a stingy eight runs to finish with overall figures of four for 47. The veteran bowler was backed up by Jason Wade who grabbed two for 46 off seven overs.

Rangers stand in skipper Kwame Tucker (34) and veteran player/coach Clevie Wade (9) took the visiting team to victory with 24 balls to spare during an unbroken 38 run fourth-wicket partnership.

Occupying the crease first, Social Club lost Clevaughn Darrell (4) and Ryan Tyrell (4) with only 18 runs on the board before a 105 run third -wicket stand between opener Terry Thomas and Jahmiko Marshall more than compensated for the earlier setback.

Marshall, in particular, was harsh upon the Rangers attack, thumping seven fours and three sixes during a robust 32-ball innings that produced 53 runs in 46 minutes while Thomas blasted ten fours and a six off 94 balls and also added 65 runs with player/coach Charlie Marshall whose free-scoring bat prolonged Rangers misery in the field.

The veteran left-handed batsman scored 91 runs off 57 balls in one hour and 45 minutes work out in the middle. Marshall and Kevin Hurdle (14) kept the scorekeepers busy during a 75-run stand for the sixth-wicket that propelled Social Club to what appeared to be a safe total just before rains began to fall.

After the sky had cleared, additional time was lost to allow for the area surrounding the batting strip to dry from water spilled during removal of the covers.

Now asked to score at seven runs per over, Rangers courageously took up the challenge with Jackson in confident mood with the bat. Jackson raced to his second half century of the season in only 25 balls, belting ten fours and four sixes before finally departing with the score at 126.

But by then the dye had long been cast.

Wainwright soldiered on by adding 22 runs for the second -wicket with Stevie Lightbourne who smashed a typically robust 32 off 22 balls before the former?s mis-timed pull was snapped up by the safe hands of Marshall fielding at mid on.

Wainwright hit three fours and four sixes off 64 balls for his well played 45 before leaving skipper Tucker and coach Wade to serve the last rites and help ease the pain of a 28-run Western Counties loss to nearby rivals PHC 24 hours earlier.

Thomas led the Social Club bowling with two for 44 off five overs while Kani Darrell claimed the only other Rangers wicket to fall for a costly 51 runs.