HONG Kong Cricket Club's Nomads took over sole leadership of the Connaught Saturday League yesterday as title rivals Kai Tak had their first defeat of the season. Nomads beat club rivals Gap Ramblers by 107 runs at Hong Kong Cricket Club to move on to 54 points from five games. Mike Swift (147) and John Garden (132) scored the bulk of Nomads' 35-over total of 311 for three and Ramblers managed only 204 in reply, despite 60 from Ian Laidlaw. Gavin Erasmus and Tim Davies each took three wickets for Nomads. Swift and Garden had a partnership of 256, with Garden hitting 34 - five sixes, followed by a four - off one over from Mark Winstanley. At Kowloon Cricket Club, Kai Tak, who were level on points with Nomads before play began, went down by eight wickets to Saracens. Kai Tak made 210 for seven in 35 overs thanks to Mike Brown's 72 and an unbeaten 50 from Alan Burge. Krish Krishnan was Saracens' top bowler with three for 39. Saracens reached their target with only two deliveries remaining after Hong Kong captain Pat Fordham timed the run chase to perfection, opening the innings and finishing undefeated on 126. Burji Shroff scored only 27 in an opening stand of 119 and Mike Harvey accompanied Fordham to victory with 33 not out. Hong Kong University recorded only their second win of the season with a two-wicket victory over Witherers at Sandy Bay. Witherers managed only 134 for nine in 35 overs, with Marcel Iveson hitting an unbeaten 44. Roger Mather also scored 44, including two sixes and five fours. The pair put on 62 for the seventh wicket. There was some fine bowling by Hong Kong U, with Manu Chopra's medium-pace off-cutters claiming four for 16 off 10 overs, Mervyn Peart taking three for 34 and Bill Howarth two for 32. Seven Witherers men were clean-bowled. In reply, Bob Adamson's 35 included four fours and two sixes and there were also useful knocks from Brian Jones and Anand Asundi as the University reached their target with one over to spare. There was the closest finish at Sek Kong, where every over in the Craigengower v Tartars game was bowled from the same end because of the mat wicket's condition. Chasing Tartars' 151 all out in 34.2 overs, Craigengower needed one off the last ball and Kevin Styles won the day. Tartars' David Thompson hit 78 and had two for eight from seven overs.