Southampton Oval (Southampton won toss): Southampton beat Willow Cuts by nine wickets

The weather almost decided the Premier Division championship on Sunday, but then the clouds blew over, the sky cleared and Southampton Rangers were able to completed the victory that sets up an interesting winners-take-all clash with St David’s this weekend at Lord’s.

St David’s had already made short work of St George’s at Wellington Oval after the rain spared the east end. At the same time, the Rangers players were waiting anxiously for the rain to stop as news reached them that the defending champions had already secured their points. Trailing St David’s by six points going into the weekend, Rangers knew the importance of getting a result against Cuts, but it was all in the hands of Mother Nature.

When the rain stopped play at 1.20pm, Cuts were 55 for five after 14 overs, the match reduced to 45 overs a side owing to a late start at 12.21pm. When play finally restarted at 4pm, the overs had been reduced again to 26 per side, with Cuts left with only 12 more overs to bat.

Dexter Basden, their former captain, was the leading scorer with 31 not out, including three fours and two sixes at No 6, while Bergon Spencer, his partner before and after the rain stoppage, scored 17 and opener Chris Douglas 16.

With several players missing for Cuts, captain Malachi Jones opted to open the innings against his former team and faced just three balls before he was bowled by Kevin Tucker in the first over. Douglas and Shaquille Jones, who made six, added 24 for the second wicket before the bottom fell out of the Cuts batting when four wickets went down in the thirties to leave the visiting side in deep trouble at 36 for five. The rain then spared them further humiliation, only to hear that their innings had been reduced further when play did finally resume.

Tucker led the Rangers bowling with three for 21 from seven overs and Derrick Brangman took two for 19 from five overs.

Cuts made things interesting when Brangman was trapped leg-before by Kamal Bashir with the second ball of the Rangers reply, but that would be their only success as Dion Stovell and Alex Dore shared in an unbroken stand of 93 to carry the home side to victory. Stovell hit five fours in his 35, while the left-hander Dore four fours and two sixes on his way to 41 after coming in at No 3.