St. George's 153-5 St. George's moved a step closer to the Open League title with their fourth win in five outings, but not without an early scare at Somerset yesterday.

Willow Cuts, who usually give St. George's a close match, had the unbeaten league leaders in early trouble, snatching two wickets in the first 16 minutes with only 15 runs on the board.

Jason Anderson departed in the first over of the innings, trapped lbw by Charles Swan. And when captain Clay Smith became Swan's second victim, Cuts must have thought an upset was on the cards.

Smith's departure brought Mark Ray to the crease and had Richard Basden held onto the first ball chance he gave, the outcome might have been different.

Ray batted defiantly for three hours and 20 minutes for 51 not out, just reaching his third 50 of the season before `master blaster' Kenny Phillip settled the outcome with a dashing 28 of the last 34 runs, including three fierce sixes and a four.

However, it was the fifth wicket stand of 59 between Ray and Dean Minors that settled the match as the pair took the score from 60 to 119. Minors was dropped twice in successive overs by Dwight Basden on the square leg boundary and Charles Swan at cover before scoring a vital 18.

The pair had better luck with the ball, Swan claiming two for 23 from eight overs and Basden two for 53 from 19.

Earlier Clay Smith mopped up Willow Cuts' tail with the last five wickets to finish with impressive figures of five for 14 from 8.3 overs. Cuts lost their last five wickets for 50 runs. Ray supported with two for 19 from 13 overs with five maidens.

Number four batsman Cordell Gilbert was high man with 40 not out while Dexter Basden scored 29 and Jermaine Warner 24.

Devonshire 63 Bailey's Bay 65-2 Devonshire Rec. played like a team who still haven't had a victory this season, as they crashed to an eight wicket loss to the Open champions at Devonshire Rec.

Rec. only batted with 10 men after Darrin Lewis, coming from the Bascome/Goater soccer clinics, arrived just as Bay were starting their innings.

Despite a 40-minute loss to rain, Rec's innings lasted only 33.3 overs as Lloyd Smith was high man with 16 in 43 patient minutes while Alfred Carter scored 14.

After taking a wicket in his first over, Clarkie Trott then claimed one each in five of the last seven overs of his unbroken spell to finish with six for 29 from 16.3 overs. In the process he became the top wicket-taker in the league with 27 dismissals.

Devonshire never recovered from the loss of openers Ricardo Brangman in the second over and Dexter Smith in the third and were soon struggling at 29-4.

Set a modest target, Bay laid the foundation for their comfortable win as Coolridge Durham (21) and Dennis Trott (26 not out) put on 31 for the first wicket. After Cal Dill went cheaply, Irving Burgess completed the romp with a six over square leg off Lloyd Smith.

Leon Place was Devonshire's best bowler with one for 13 from 10 overs with five maidens while Smith had one for 21 off 5.2 overs of spin.

Cleveland 105 Southampton 106-4 Despite losing just over an hour through rain, Southampton still found enough time to defeat Cleveland by six wickets at Wellington Oval.

Garry Williams spearheaded Southampton to victory with a haul of five wickets for 44 runs off 13 overs, including four maidens. Janeiro Tucker returned two for 26 off six overs with one maiden.

Jason Simons was top bat for Cleveland with 24 while opener Courtney Trott followed with 20, Johnny Richardson 18 not out and Curtis Jackson 16.

A spirited 49 not out by Janeiro Tucker and a fine 30 by opener Kwane Tucker helped Southampton reach their winning target with time to spare. Also among the runs was Lyndon Raynor with 15.

Carlton Smith was top bowler for Cleveland with two for 20 off six overs, including two maidens while Albert Smith had two for 28 off four overs, including one maiden.

Western Stars 271 Police 15-0 With two hours lost to bad weather, this drawn match at Police Field provided little more than batting practice for Western Stars.

Stars' batsmen seemed to relish the conditions once they got to the wicket in a game which was always destined to end in stalemate.

Hasan Durham made good use of the occasion by hammering 84 not out while Cleon Scotland hammered a brisk 76. Albert Steede followed with 45 and Ricky Brangman 28.

JUST IN TIME -- Devonshire batsman Leon Place scampers back to his crease as Bailey's Bay wicketkeeper Calvin Dill stretches to take a wayward return throw during yesterday's Premier League cricket action at Devonshire Rec.