St. George's 216-8,

Southampton 211

Some crucial run outs in the closing stages of their innings thwarted Southampton Rangers as they attempted to record what would have been a thrilling come-from-behind win over St. George's at Wellington Oval yesterday.

Having done all the hard work in the middle of their innings to get back into contention after losing three early wickets, Southampton committed cricketing suicide with run outs accounting for three of their last four batsmen as they fell agonisingly short of St. George's score of 216 for eight.

Instead of the victory that appeared to be coming their way when Clevie Wade and Ryan Belboda were coasting along in their seventh-wicket partnership of 68 with the total on 190 in the 43rd over, the visitors clinched defeat - all out for 211 in 48.4 overs.

Delighted St. George's players and fans rejoiced as Southampton's last man David Saltus became the fourth run out victim of his team's innings to give the home side a five-run triumph.

It marked a stunning reversal of fortune in a match that swung one way and then the next - and back!

St. George's seemed to have the upper hand early, posting a challenging total thanks to good contributions from their batting line-up. Middle-order batsman Travis Smith scored an unbeaten 43 to lead the home side's effort, with opener Delroy Smith making 36, Gary Brangman 28, and Herbie Bascome 26.

Saltus was the pick of Southampton's bowlers, bagging three for 26 from his ten overs.

Bascome then starred with the ball as Southampton began their reply, trapping both opener Olin Jones and number three batsman, Ian Armstrong, leg before wicket to leave the guests reeling on 26 for three. Before his double strike, Gregg Foggo had Keith Wainwright caught by Gary Brangman for five.

Some may have thought the writing was on the wall - or more aptly on the pitch - for Southampton at this point. However, captain Janeiro Tucker and Ricky Brangman began a valiant fightback with a 77-run partnership in which Tucker smashed four fours and two sixes in a brisk 37 off 40 balls.

He was Bascome's third scalp, skying an easy catch for wicketkeeper Sinclair Gibbons with the score on 103 in the 25th over.

Brangman went soon after for 46 as Travis Smith accepted a smart return catch. Kerry Tucker did not hang around, being the first of Southampton's four run outs for six.

It was then that Wade and Belboda came together and started turning the game in Southampton's favour, bringing their team to within 27 runs of victory with seven overs remaining.

But Belboda's run out for 12 with the score on 190 bore a bad omen for Southampton as Wade and later Saltus also perished via this route for 57 and nought respectively. In between, Gary Williams was the ninth wicket to go, caught behind off Foggo for 13.