Western Stars 318

Devonshire 148

Saturday's Central Counties Cup final between champions Western Stars and challengers Devonshire could be summed up in two words . . . Albert Steede.

The flamboyant Stars skipper led from the front as he produced an awesome display of power batting en route to recording the season's first double century and highest individual score to date.

When the dust had settled, Steede remained unbeaten on 202, having battered 19 fours and 13 sixes. He faced 143 balls in an innings that lasted four hours and 50 minutes.

Only two other players are believed to have scored more runs in a Central Counties match. Tyrone Smith blasted 214 for Police in 1988 while Paul Rice clobbered an unbeaten 207 for Police in 1976.

Steede, a teacher at Saltus Grammar, was particularly harsh on Devonshire all-rounder Dennis Williams as he belted three successive towering sixes during the bowler's fifth and final over.

However, while Stars celebrated their 170-run triumph - and successful defence of their title - Devonshire were left to ponder what if.

The First Division side endured a miserable day in the field which saw them drop at least eight catches, including the crucial wicket of Steede when he was only on five. Devonshire skipper Winston (Herb) Trott was the culprit when he spilled a chance off his opposite number while fielding at first slip shortly after Stars had received an early jolt with the second-over dismissal of Jermaine Postlethwaite for three.

Ultimately, that miss proved costly as apart from Steede and Hassan Durham (37), no other Stars' batsman made a big impression.

Steede featured in three fruitful partnerships. First, he and South African all-rounder Saleem Mukuddem added 41 runs for the third wicket before the latter was caught by Rudolph Smith off the bowling of teenager Lamont Brangman for a useful knock of 15.

Steede and Durham then set about picking up the pieces and together featured in the day's highest stand. The Somerset Cup Match pair managed to put on 154 for the fifth wicket while Steede and veteran Arnold Manders (nine) added another brisk 48 for the sixth wicket as Stars continued to score freely. Durham included two fours in his 60-ball knock.

When the overs finally ran out, Stars had posted a formidable total of 318 for nine after losing four late wickets for six runs.

Crosdale led the Devonshire bowling with three for 59 off his ten overs while Smith finished with three for 62. Skipper Trott took two for 35 off ten overs and young Brangman one for 44.

In reply, Devonshire got off to a disastrous start as pacer Kevin Hurdle grabbed three early victims.

Chris Dailey would be Hurdle's first, with his very first delivery as the batsman nicked a catch to Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock in the slips without having scored. It wasn't long before Hurdle was again celebrating, this time with the dismissal of opener Omar Amory (two) with the score now reading 27 for two.

Six runs later, Hurdle claimed his third scalp, the crucial wicket of St.George's Cup Match prospect Ricardo Brangman who scored 25.

Devonshire lost two more wickets in quick succession at 44 and 53 before Brangman's younger sibling, Derek, strolled out to the crease in a no nonsense mood. Brangman cracked a boundary-laden 63 off 70 balls with his well deserved half century coming off exactly 50 balls. The powerful teenager hammered six sixes and two fours in 61 minutes.

Along with skipper Trott (17), the pair put on 51 for the sixth wicket before Trott threw his wicket away.

However, once Brangman finally departed going for yet another mighty swipe, the writing was clearly on the wall.

Manders replaced Durham at the northern end, and it didn't take the veteran long to grab two wickets and set himself up for the hat-trick. Manders had Crosdale clean bowled and Lamont Brangman back in the pavilion with successive balls. However, last man Maurice Steede padded one down to silly mid-on to deny Manders the magical treble.

Hurdle finished with three for 29 off seven overs, including two maidens, while Justin Robinson and Manders returned two for 37 and two for four respectively.