Opening batsman Allen Richardson smashed 116 in a record second-wicket stand of 176 with Albert Steede as St. David's enjoyed a run feast in their comfortable 43-run win over Southampton Rangers in the Benson & Hedges Champion of Champions first round on Saturday at Devonshire Rec. field.

Despite losing Reginald Pitcher with just seven runs on the board, St. David's bounced back in style with Richardson and Steede quickly taking the upper hand against the Rangers bowlers.

By the time the partnership was broken, when Steede was out for 64 from eight fours, Rangers knew they would have a large target on their hands with so many recognised St. David's bats still to come.

They made some progress by getting Dean Pitcher cheaply but that wicket only served to work in the favour of St. David's as the defending champions were boosted by the explosive batting of number five Lionel Cann.

Cann, fast developing into one of the Island's top all-rounders, put fear in the Rangers bowlers and delighted the crowd in the process as he smashed a whirlwind 56 of the next 70 runs from only 16 balls before he was eventually fifth out with the score on 265. Of his total, 52 came in boundaries from eight sixes and a four.

Wickets fell quickly and cheaply in the dying overs of the St. David's innings as teenager Janeiro Tucker claimed the last four wickets to finish with four for 56 from his nine overs but he, like most of the other Rangers bowlers, was expensive.

Opening bowler Quinton Burch and second-change Olin Jones were the most economical of the Rangers bowlers, Burch giving up 38 runs in his 10 overs for the wicket of Reginald Pitcher while Jones gave up 42 runs in his 10 overs.

Clevie Wade went for a costly 48 from six overs and Ryan Belboda and Garry Williams both were taken for 36 from six overs.

Rangers had a bad start to their innings when Kwame Tucker was caught and bowled by Ken Pitcher with just 16 runs on the board. Five runs later Olin Jones was trapped lbw by Dale Fox without scoring and Stevie Lightbourne made a contribution of just five before he was bowled by Herbie Bascome to make it 39 for three.

Keith Wainwright, already having watched three partners depart, got some support from Clevie Wade (26) as they added 79 for the fourth wicket. Bascome ended that stand with his second wicket of the match when Fox caught Wade and from there Rangers' chances of victory slipped quickly.

Captain Ricky Brangman managed just nine before he was bowled by Cann who took up from where Bascome left off. Fox, back for another spell, got the prize wicket of Wainwright for 90 as he started to throw caution to the wind. The innings contained nine fours and three sixes.

There was some resistance in the Rangers tail with Michael Brangman hitting a dogged 25, Tucker 14, Burch 24 and Williams 16 including a six and two fours off one Fox over.

Cann completed a good all-round match by taking three for 48 from 10 overs while Fox claimed two for 50 and Bascome two for 37, both from 10 overs.

LIONEL CANN -- 56 from 16 balls.