a surprising 149-run victory over Police at Police field, thanks to fine batting performances by Allan Richardson and Lionel Cann.

Richardson hammered 79 and Cann chipped in with 73 as the duo joined in a third-wicket partnership that enabled the visitors to reach a formidable score off their 50 overs on their way to their sixth straight victory.

On the easy paced wicket the east enders were seldom threatened by the Police bowling attack and with two wickets down for 74 the St. David's innings was further solidified by Richardson and Cann.

Richardson struck four fours and two sixes from 91 balls while Cann hit five sixes and four fours off 60 balls. Also amongst the runs were opener Shea Pitcher with 44 and Dean Pitcher with 13.

Skipper Dennis Archer was the top bowler for Police with five for 54 while Dwayne Leverock had two for 51.

Police did not fare too well against an inspired bowling attack and were in early trouble when opener Donovan Livingston (0) was dismissed by veteran George Cannonier with the total on one and his partner Wayne Clarke 14 runs later when he was run out.

Archer (11) and Leverock (21) added stability with a third-wicket stand of 28, but after the former was dismissed by teenager Sam Robinson it did not take the bowlers long to rip through the remaining batsmen.

Devonish Small, with a knock of 19, and Winfred Austin, with an undefeated 15, were the two Police batsmen who made decent contributions, but their efforts still fell way short of what was needed to bail out their team.

Reginald Pitcher led the St. David's bowling with four for 30 off just five overs of left-arm spin while Cann had two for 26 off six overs.

Somerset Bridge 85 Southampton 87-3 Ryan Belboda sent Somerset Bridge crashing to a seven-wicket defeat at White Hill yesterday when he snatched five wickets for 21 runs off ten overs, including three maidens.

In a build up to Saturday's Western Counties Cup semi-final between the same two two teams at Southampton Oval, Bridge succumbed to the medium pace of Belboda and young all-rounder Janeiro Tucker who supported with three for 21 off eight overs.

With the duo spearheading the bowling attack Bridge were dismissed in 33.2 overs. Only four Bridge batsmen reached double figures with opener Tony Cheeseman and David Jones each scoring 14 while Alfred Carter and skipper Robin Swan both chipped in with 11.

Southampton reached victory after 23.4 overs with Clevie Wade hammering 36 not out in quick time, striking three sixes and two fours. Olin Jones followed with 13 and Michael Brangman with 12.

Gary Crofton was the top bowler for Bridge with two for 29.

Hamilton Parish 176 Warwick 157 Brian Morris slammed 60 and Perry Simmons took three wickets for 35 to inspire Hamilton Parish to a 19-run victory over Warwick at Southampton Oval.

In addition to Morris' fine innings Chris Caisey scored 24 and Phillip Burgess scored 14.

Mark Tucker was the top bowler for Warwick with three for 35 while Daniel Caines had three for 36 and Johnny Nusum two for 32.

Opener Frank Morgan led Warwick in batting with 43 while Nusum scored 28, Estrick Ferguson 22 and Tucker 14.

Supporting Simmons in the bowling were Phillip Bailey who had two for 18, Chris Caisey two for 22 and Mike Burgess two for 32.

PHC 107 Somerset 111 PHC came close to recording a major upset yesterday before home team Somerset battled back to win by two wickets after being set a modest target.

PHC decided to bat first after winning the toss and though they were in early trouble at 22 for two, a third wicket stand of 45 between high man Kevin Dill and Dennis Bell enabled them to recover to 67 before the third wicket fell.

Dill's departure for 34, which included six fours and a six from 51 balls, sparked a slump as three wickets fell for seven runs with spinner Winston Reid taking two more wickets on his way to five for 23 from 10 overs.

Somerset captain Perry Maybury took two for 27 from 10 overs and Charles Swan two for 20 from eight to support Reid.

Despite a 32-run opening stand, Somerset quickly found themselves in some trouble at 45 for five as the introduction of Nigel Anglin as first-change in the eighth over proved a decisive move. Anglin claimed four of the five wickets, including openers Kevin Saunders (23) and Dexter Basden (13) as wickets fell on 32, 32, 43, 47 and 47.

Maybury saw off the threat by blasting three fours and two sixes in his knock of 28 off while veteran Roger Hunt scored 20 not out. Anglin went on to finish with six for 30 from eight overs while Mike Dill and Cal Waldron both took one wicket.

Social Club 78 Cleveland 79-3 Cleveland picked up an easy win at St. John's field after Social Club stand-in captain Dwayne (Streaker) Adams won the toss and decided to bat first on a wicket of uneven bounce.

Social Club were in early trouble with their first two wickets falling for just six runs. The third and fourth wickets went on 28 to leave the home team in deep trouble and Cleveland kept on the pressure to dismiss them in 28.3 overs. Only two Social Club batsmen reached double figures, Earlston Wolffe with 13 and tailender Leonard Gilkes with 11.

Earl Richardson led the Cleveland bowlers with three for 17 from six overs while opener Andre Smith claimed two for 13.

After an opening stand of 45 between Grant Smith (19) and captain Peter Philpott (31), Cleveland were coasting towards a comfortable nine wicket victory when they lost two wickets within three runs of victory as Jermaine Postlethwaite finished with 19 not out. PHOTO NICELY DONE -- Wicket-keeper Allan Richardson, left, and Herbie Bascome of St. David's celebrate after Bascome runs out Police opener Wayne Clarke with a fine throw.