Devonshire Rec. suffered a scare before pulling off a two-wicket victory over lowly Willow Cuts in a limited-overs Gold Division game at Devonshire Rec.

field yesterday.

The chase after a winning target of 111 runs proved to be a real chore for the league leaders rather than being the mere formality one expected. And in the end it took some defiant batting by stalwart Albert Steede to pull them through.

Steede was undefeated with 37 when Devonshire eventually reached victory -- doing so with 13 overs to spare.

The usually aggressive Steede was forced to play a subdued role after the first three wickets fell for 39 runs. He and James Pace (28) added 31 for the fourth wicket and after the departure of Pace, Steede and Mark Trott (six not out) put on 19 to take the team to victory.

Rodney Fubler led the Willow Cuts with two for 11 runs from 10 overs. His brother Kevin had two for 18 from five overs while skipper Dexter Basden took two for 36 from 8.1 overs.

Basden was one of only two Willow Cuts batsmen in double figures scoring 61 and forced to use extra caution after losing his opening partner Anthony Fubler (one) and other top-order batsmen early. The other player making a major contribution was Kevin Fubler with 16.

Skipper Anthony Amory led Devonshire's attack with five for 13 from 9.2 overs while Leon Place had two for 14 from six overs and Erskine Smith two for 18 from 10 overs.

Somerset 189 Hamilton Parish 175 Somerset and Hamilton Parish produced another close match in the west end, after last weekend's tie, as the home team came out on top by 14 runs in a tense finish.

Anthony Bailey, who hit 28 in the Somerset tail-end, finished his day with three for 26 from 10 overs as Parish fought stubbornly to the end with a last-wicket stand of 38 between captain Irving Burgess (50) and Philip Bailey (14 not out).

Burgess got good support in the batting with opener Millard Bean scoring 26, Corey Hill making 24 in his first match of the season and Chris Caisey hitting 34.

Another college student, Phillip Burgess, fell to Bailey without scoring in his first match and Dennis Trott also failed to score as Parish had a shaky start of 16 for three, which later became 44 for six before the tail-enders pulled them out of deep trouble.

Donovan Livingston, who shared the new ball with Bailey in the absence of Perry Maybury, took two for 37 from 10 overs while Shannon Warner claimed two for 25 in 6.4 overs and captain Andre Manders two for 38.

Middle-order bats Rahji Edness (33), Manders (28) and Gladwin Edness (25) were the other significant scorers for Somerset while Jermaine Warner scored 20 and Davon Wade and Shannon Warner 14 each.

Brian Morris claimed three for 32 to lead the Parish bowling while Hill took two for 12, Cal Burgess two for 54 and Bailey two for 52.

Cleveland 199 St. David's 189 Last man Scott Minors was run out at the bowler's end chasing a risky single as St. David's lost their unbeaten limited-overs record in this 10-run defeat at Sea Breeze Oval.

The Islanders, after two bad defeats at Sea Breeze Oval this season -- must have feared another low score after losing opener Allen Richardson on the first ball of their innings. Albert Simons got that first wicket and followed up with the wickets of John Pitcher and Shea Pitcher in his next two overs to have St. David's in early trouble at 21 for three.

A fourth-wicket stand of 35 between Oliver Pitcher and Phillip Pitcher (18) and another one worth 40 for the fifth wicket between Oliver and Lionel Cann enabled St. David's to recover to 96 by the 25th over. But they were quickly back on the rack when Cleveland captain Peter Philpott removed Oliver Pitcher (30) and youngster Michael Kelly in one over and then Cann (26) in his next over to make it 110 for seven.

However, like Cleveland, their tail-end wagged as captain Ken Pitcher (31) and Reginald Pitcher (20 not out) added a patient 50 for the ninth wicket in taking the score from 122 to 172 before Reginald Pitcher and Minors added 17 for the last wicket.

Simons and Philpott both took three wickets for Cleveland.

Earlier, Cleveland were rescued by number seven bat Carlton Smith (44) and tail-enders Diallo Sharrieff (45 not out) and Albert Simons (24 not out) ) after crumbling from an opening stand of 36 to 95 for seven. Sharrieff and Cory Lowe (10) put on 42 for the ninth wicket then Sharrieff and Simons added 31 for the last wicket.

Scott Minors claimed four for 24 from 10 overs while Cann claimed two for 27.

Allen Richardson, who started the match as wicket-keeper and took two catches, was later called up to bowl 10 overs of off spin, giving up 30 runs for his one wicket.

Social Club 143 Bailey's Bay 146-4 Social Club recovered from their 18-run debacle on Saturday against Willow Cuts to score 143 against a stronger Bailey's Bay outfit but still came out six-wicket losers.

For a while it looked as if the fans might be in for a repeat performance as Social Club stood at 46 for five with their top-order batsmen back in the pavilion. But a terrific knock of 44 by number nine bat Karl Furbert coupled with an adventurous 26 by Roddy Thompson enabled them to reach a respectable total.

Thomas Brangman (11) also got into double figures against an attack spearheaded by fast bowler Clarkie Trott, who claimed three wickets. Anthony Braithwaite and Jermaine Outerbridge also got into the act with two apiece.

A 45-run opening stand between Devrae Hollis (18) and Richard Foggo (44) got Bay started on the right track and they never looked back. Cal Dill contributed (22) and number four Smith a whirlwind 38. All of Smith's scoring strokes were boundaries as he showed disregard for the bowling -- as seen by Lee Raynor, who gave up 46 runs in 3.5 overs -- registering five sixes and two fours.

Raynor, however, did manage to take two wickets -- although expensive -- while Desmond Smith and Cecil Tucker both had one each.

Somerset Bridge 145 Southampton 146-6 Seasoned opener Keith Wainwright and junior Kwame Tucker put Southampton well on the path to a four-wicket victory over Western Counties rivals Somerset Bridge at the Oval.

The openers put on 62 in 68 minutes when Tucker was caught by David Jones off Gladwin Ingham, having hit five fours in his 28.

Wainwright went on to make 43 (one six, six fours) but when he was bowled by spinner Sidney Simmons, Rangers seemed to lose their way.

Durwood Cann, strangely the seventh bowler used by Bridge, was again in the midst of a late rally as he took two for eight from fives overs.

But Rangers received just enough from Mike and Ricky Brangman who each made 16, Stevie Lightbourne (12) and Janeiro Tucker (11) to prevent the upset.

Earlier, Bridge captain Jones top-scored with 49 at number five. Jones, who has been in and out of the team this season for personal reasons, stroked two sixes and five fours in his 133-minute stay.

The visitors were always in trouble as wickets fell around Jones. From 60 for six, Jones and Sidney Simmons (17) added 48 for the seventh wicket.

Gary Crofton (19 not out) and Cann (13) contributed to the rearguard action, which saw Bridge's last two wickets put on 36.

Quinton Burch led the way for Rangers with the ball, taking three for 19 from 10 overs. Stevie Lightbourne claimed three for 22 from five overs and Janeiro Tucker two for 39.

HITTING OUT -- Willow Cuts captain Dexter Basden ondrives during his knock of 61 yesterday. But Albert Steede and Devonshire had the last say in a two-wicket victory.