DAMIAN SHIRAZI has helped book Southampton Institute a return ticket to cricket headquarters.

Shirazi, who plays for Southern League champions BAT, was on top form in the regional qualifying round of the BUSA Indoor Cricket Championships.

Last year the Institute students won the qualifying event at the Rose Bowl, and this feat has been repeated.

The Institute's opening game against the University of Portsmouth saw the highly-rated Shirazi and John Knox both retire with the obligatory 25, and a surfeit of extras helped the score to 135-4.

Portsmouth lost early wickets to Sam Taylor and were never really in the hunt, finally being dismissed for 70.

The derby against Southampton University was another triumph for the Institute as Shirazi (30), James Rose (25) and Azeem Hamid (24) led the way in a 137-2 total.

An outstanding catch by Tshepo Legodi was the highlight of an excellent Institute display of out-cricket, as the Uni collapsed to 92 all out.

Bournemouth University defeated both Reading and Essex fairly comfortably in the other group, setting up a final showdown.

The Institute's proven formula of batting first and posting a total worked again as Shirazi and Rose both retired within the first five overs.

Hamid, Taylor and Legodi all scored freely and Rose's return took the final total to 154-4.

Bournemouth soon crumbled against fine bowling by Shirazi and Legodi, and although the last pair rallied they could only reach 108.

The Institute will now travel to Lords on March 13, 2004 to take part in the BUSA finals, which is a six-team event. They will be looking to improve on last year's equal third position finish.

The winning squad was: Damian Shirazi, James Rose, John Knox, Sam Taylor, Azeem Hamid, Tshepo Legodi, Kwame Appiah, Dan Feist.

Southampton Institute student Kaelam Joyce won gold at the BUSA Boxing Championships at Coventry in the middleweight division.

Having won both the quarter and semi-finals by stopping his opponent, the second year computing student defeated the pre-tournament favourite on points in the final.