Devonshire Rec (Tuff Dogs won toss): Devonshire Rec beat Tuff Dogs by five wickets

Devonshire Rec advanced to the final of the Central Counties on Saturday after comfortably beating Tuff Dogs thanks to a stellar all-round performance by debutant Onias Bascome.

The St George’s Cup Match captain led the bowling with three for 21 off 7.2 overs after sharing the new ball with Bevin Carr as Tuff Dogs were dismissed for 141 in 35.2 overs after winning the toss.

Bascome then scored 57 not out in the run chase, rescuing the holders from early trouble at 23 for three after 10.1 overs. Coming to the crease in the ninth over at 20 for two, Bascome lost opener Tarik Jennings two overs later and then Clay Darrell in the 17th over on 38 for four, before a fifth wicket stand of 64 in ten overs with veteran Rudell Pitcher steadied the innings.

After Pitcher departed, bowled by Kamau Leverock for 42 after facing 36 balls and hitting six fours and a six, Bascome saw the team home comfortably with captain Alafia Henry adding 15 not out in their unbroken stand of 43 for the sixth wicket. Bascome faced 58 balls in 87 minutes at the crease and hit three fours and four sixes.

Leverock and veteran Dennis Musson took two wickets each to lead the Tuff Dogs bowling. Leverock bowled 8.4 overs after sharing the new ball and giving up 43 runs, though he also bowled the only two maiden overs in the innings.

Leverock, the first change, had figures of two for 31 from six overs, while Justin Corday had an economical spell, taking one for 25 from ten overs.

Earlier, Rec had Tuff Dogs four wickets down for just 36 runs by the thirteenth overs, including the wicket of Leverock for nine as Dion Ball picked up two of the first four wickets after coming on as first change.

He trapped open Adam Petty lbw and then had Leverock caught by Henry for the fourth wicket.

DeSilva and Musson added 48 for the fifth wicket before the stand was broken with Musson’s dismissal for 16. Curtis Jackson, another Tuff Dogs debutant, was dismissed for one next over by Henry (85-6) before the captain then bowled Justin Corday for a first-ball duck.

Henry struck again two balls later, this time removing the experience DeSilva for 27 to make it 86 for eight.

Some dogged batting in the tail end by No 9 and 11 batsmen, wicketkeeper Davon Wade and vice captain Justin Barritt enabled Tuff to add 55 runs for the last two wickets.

Wade scored 20 from three fours and a six while Barritt smashed three sixes and a four for 25 not out from just ten balls. He and captain Terence Corday put on 34 for the last wicket.

Henry finished with three for 35 from seven overs while Bascome claimed the last two wickets of Wade and Corday. Dion Ball took two for 45 off seven overs.

Devonshire Rec will meet Western Stars in the final on August 21.