Like a predator stalking its injured prey, Western Stars will be looking to capitalise on Devonshire's shocking loss to Willow Cuts last weekend when they host the league and Camel Cup champions in Saturday's Central Counties Cup final at St. John's field (11 a.m. start).

Certainly Stars were not sorry to hear that Devonshire, for all their batting strength, could only manage 55 against their jinx team as seamer Rodney Fubler claimed six for 13.

That rare loss, the first in the league for Rec. since the 1990 season, may give Stars some hope but Devonshire captain Anthony Amory feels the defeat will actually have a positive effect on his team.

"It could definitely be a blessing in disguise,'' he said this week. "I felt it was what we needed. We needed something to get us back into it. That happened last week Sunday and this weekend is totally different.

"It (the loss) just keeps us on our toes. We lost the edge we had last year but we come into this game with a different attitude.'' Only two Devonshire batsmen -- Terry Fray (10) and Winston Trott (14) -- reached doubles figures against Willow Cuts who completed the season's biggest shock in just 27.5 overs after being dismissed for 117.

"The wicket had dried out for us and the ball was coming off that little bit faster, which made a bit of a difference,'' Amory said of the conditions at Somerset Cricket Club.

"We didn't adjust to that quickness off the wicket, which Rodney was getting.

There were also a couple of questionable lbw decisions, though that's not to make excuses.'' Devonshire, who will have seamer Mark Trott back to boost their bowling this weekend, should carry a psychological advantage over a Stars team that they have beaten three times in limited-overs play since last season. Rec. stopped Stars in the highest-scoring Camel Cup final last year and also got by them in the quarter-finals of the knockout last season. This year they beat them again in the Camel Cup final.

"There's not much more we can do to beat Western Stars,'' Amory said. "They have to make adjustments to beat us. Against Stars we have come out on the better end and now they have to pick up their game. This is a limited-overs game and they don't want to lose a trophy they just got.'' Amory stressed that no opponents of the champions are taken lightly. When they get together to analyse the Stars team they will pay close attention to every player.

"We take everybody and see what they can do and can't do,'' Amory said. "We never take any opponent lightly. On that day our opponents could be better than us. We never take anybody for granted.'' Devonshire have the batsmen to mount big totals -- players like Amory, Albert Steede, Donald Norford and James Pace. Roger Trott will be missing because of religious beliefs.

Rec's top bowler this season has been all-rounder Leon (Cubba) Place who is back in the game after injury. In limited overs and open cricket he has taken 27 wickets (nine limited overs and 18 open) at an average of 8.51 each. Main strike bowler Anthony Edwards is hitting form after a good tour of England with the Bermuda team.

Amory and Steede have been Rec's main run-getters this season with Steede scoring 490 limited overs and open division runs at an average of 54.44 while Amory is averaging 37.88 for his 341 runs. Both have hit two centuries. Pace is averaging 37.85.

ALBERT STEEDE -- Chief run-getter.

ON THE REBOUND -- Anthony Amory and Devonshire Rec. after last weekend's humiliation.