Glenn Smith hit an unbeaten 54 and Terry Burgess took four for 23 to lead Bailey's Bay into their third Camel Cup final.

Burgess put Bay in the driver's seat at Wellington Oval, after Cuts were sent into bat, with an opening spell of three for 16 in eight overs.

Cuts were always in danger from 33 for three with young Dwayne Basden in the unlikely role as innings saviour.

Burgess struck in the fifth over when he had skipper Dexter Basden caught behind for seven with the score 12. Two overs later, Burgess was at it again, this time trapping Anthony Fubler lbw without scoring. Vivian Simons was next to go, for six, caught by Charlie Marshall off Burgess.

Cuts were at the critical point of their innings inside an hour with Richard Basden joining cousin Dwayne. But the Somerset Cup Match star had an unsettling time at the wicket before he was finally out for 11, caught by Ricky Hill off Clarkie Trott, to make it 63 for four.

Dwayne Basden's gallant stay came to an end in the 29th over when he was caught by Noel Gibbons off Trott for 29.

The innings was revived temporarily by stalwart Rodney Fubler and former Somerset player Gladwin Edness, who put on 36 for the sixth wicket.

Sadly for Cuts, both players got out after reaching their 20s and the team total had little chance to test the might of the Bay batting order after that.

Edness went first for 23 and Fubler followed shortly after for 20 to leave the side at 114 for seven.

Joseph Matthews weighed in with an unbeaten 19 at number 10 to help push the side past the 150 mark.

Trott and Jermaine Outerbridge both claimed three for 24.

Bay did not get the ideal start in their chase for the mediocre total as Devrae Hollis fell for nought on the second ball of Vance Gilbert's first over with four runs on the board.

Then bad luck hit the fielding side as Gilbert twisted an ankle three balls into his second over.

Rodney Fubler trapped Chris Smith in front for 12 to reduce Bay to 23 for two before they settled.

Charlie Marshall and Ricky Hill stabilised the innings in a 48-run third wicket stand in the face of tight bowling by spinner Vivian Simons and Kevin Fubler.

Fubler, in particular, was difficult to get away, his 10 overs costing only 15 runs. The off-spinner bowled Hill for 14 to make Bay 71 for three, but the Sea Breeze Oval boys would not crumble.

New bat Glenn Smith and Marshall added carried the score to 100 before the latter was out for 39, then Noel Gibbons joined the young left-hander to cross the score without further incident.

Smith finished on 54, his first Camel Cup half-century, while Gibbons was 28 not out.