Western Stars scored four half-centuries en route to a convincing 114-run win over St. George's at Sea Breeze Oval on Saturday.

Stars' place in a record fourth straight Camel Cup final was hardly in doubt after the favourites raced to the second highest score in competition history.

A 111-run opening stand between Gregory Sampson and Anthony Foggo in 24 overs laid the foundation on a good strip. They were followed by rapid-fire scoring from Andre Manders (66), Arnold Manders (29) and Jeff Richardson (50) as St.

George's only managed to get in 48 overs by the 3.30 p.m. cut-off.

But St. George's had reason to feel they could have broken through sooner after Foggo was involved in a controversial play with silly mid-on fielder Anthony Trott.

With Foggo in his teens and the score in the 30s, the batsman attempted to hook Kenny Phillips and the ball ricocheted off his face in the air toward the off side. As Trott attempted to take the catch, a stunned Foggo stumbled in the same direction, setting off an explosive reaction from the fielding side when he survived an appeal for obstruction.

Foggo went on to score a smart 66, with eight fours and a six bfore tiring near the end and being bowled by Eugene Foggo to make the score 149 for two.

Sampson fell to the same bowler 38 runs earlier, also losing his patience and giving a catch to mid-on after scoring a flawless 54, which included nine fours.

Andre Manders' appearance did nothing to slow the run rate and St. George's did themselves no favours with a less than ideal performance in the field.

Arnold Manders was in a no-nonsense mood from the outset with four monstrous sixes off Foggo included in his 17-ball innings. A Ricky Hodsoll off-cutter knocked back Manders' centre stump, but that brought St. George's little reprieve as Richardson joined Andre Manders.

While Manders was more selective, Richardson got going almost immediately, his half-century coming from only 36 balls.

Richardson hit six fours and three sixes and Manders eight fours, both falling to Clay Smith in the penultimate over.

Smith claimed two for eight in his lone over while Foggo finished with two for 74 from 10. Leg-spinner David Adams was the most economical with only 37 coming from his 10 overs, for no wickets.

St. George's began their reply to the massive total in positive mood with Dexter Smith, making his first appearance against his former side, and Eugene Foggo putting on 53 in the first eight overs.

Smith had the fortune of being put down twice in the same over off Allan Brangman, on nine and 17, before settling in.

Stars had to resort to their bread-and-butter spin attack with Arnold Manders and Wayne Richardson introduced to slow the scoring rate.

Richardson struck a double blow in his third over with the score 71 when Foggo (18) mistimed a full toss and wicket-keeper Anthony Manders took a well-judged catch. And two balls later, a St. George's gamble backfired when Phillips, promoted to three, was yorked without scoring.

There was more celebration for Stars when Arnold Manders took a sharp catch at short mid-wicket to send back Dexter Smith for 53, for Richardson's third wicket. Smith had hit eight fours and six.

Clay Smith and skipper Graham Fox put on 31 for the fourth wicket before Arnold Manders induced Fox (three) into giving Andre Manders an easy catch on the long-off boundary.

Trott joined Smith at the wicket with the asking rate just under eight runs an over with 25 remaining.

The pair had added 45 before Trott suffered a hamstring injury that forced him to retire to the pavilion until the ninth wicket had fallen.

Sensing the urgency of the situation, Smith made a final effort to increase St. George's chances. But Jeff Richardson took the second, and most important, of his three catches off a line drive to long-off to send him back for 46.

Smith hit four sixes and two fours.

The bowling of Hasan Durham (three for 26) and Andre Manders (three for 24) accounted for the remaining batsmen after the initial breakthroughs.

Trott, batting with a runner upon his return, finished on 35 not out.

Wayne Richardson claimed three for 46 from 10 overs while Arnold Manders was economical with one for 24 from 10.