HAMPSHIRE duo Dimitri Mascarenhas and Chris Tremlett helped England retain the Hong Kong Sixes title yesterday.

All-rounder Mascarenhas was the hero of England's qualification from Pool One at the Kowloon cricket Club, and he struck 12 runs from just six balls as Sri Lanka were defeated by five wickets in the final.

The 27-year-old boosted his World Cup chances on Saturday when he made scores of 35, 22 not out and 23 not out, including EIGHT sixes, as England beat Kenya, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong to qualify for the semi-final.

He was at the crease with captain Matthew Maynard when defending champions England clinched their fourth Hong Kong Sixes title with 13 balls to spare yesterday morning.

Tremlett only batted once, hitting two sixes in an unbeaten 14 from five balls in the 15-run semi final win against the UAE, in which Darren Maddy scored 39 not out, having taken 3-7 in the final pool game against the hosts.

Maddy was England's leading wicket-taker with four, while Tremlett and Mascarenhas, pictured above, both took three wickets during the tournament, including one apiece in the final.

England assistant coach Maynard said: "We bowled magnificently in the final - our bowlers won the game for us."

England manager David Graveney said: "Some of the boys have played five-over cricket before but we adapted well considering most of the other teams are in their domestic season."