Southampton Rangers were crowned First Division 50 Overs champions despite suffering their first loss of the season away to Devonshire Rec on Sunday in the final round of the competition.

The visiting side were the firm favourites heading into the clash, but lost ten wickets for 53 runs to be all out for 115 in 30.1 overs in a staggering collapse after openers Oyinde Bascome and Danté Wellman had laid such a promising foundation.

Bascome scored 43 from 45 balls, with three sixes and three fours, while Wellman made 15, and Cup Match stars Dalin Richardson (12) and Dion Stovell (18) came and went without making too much noise.

Devonshire’s new-ball pair of Nyrobi Carmichael (four for 46) and Shaquille Pitcher (three for 22) doing most of the damage, and player-coach Rudell Pitcher taking two for 12.

All-rounder Allan Douglas Jr led Devonshire’s chase, belting four sixes in an aggressive 32 not out from only 13 balls, while Drewonde Bascome carried through his form from the Western Counties All-Star Game the day before by making 31 and Freeman Lema contributed 26, as Devonshire Rec reached their target in 22.3 overs.

But the Devonshire side, who finished this format with three successive wins, will be kicking themselves for the limp performance against PHC on June 22 when they were dismissed for 78 and lost inside 15 overs — putting them in a huge hole on net run-rate from which they would not recover.

Makai Jacobs (two for 23) and Donté Brangman (two for 33) were the pick of the Rangers bowling.

The title was Rangers’ third of the season after success in Twenty20 league and KO Cup.

Captain Richardson’s side finished ten points clear of Willow Cuts, who were also celebrating on Sunday after clinching the remaining promotion spot despite suffering an 11-run defeat by PHC at PHC Field.

Cuts were dismissed for 156 in 39.5 overs in pursuit of chasing PHC’s 167 all out in 39.2 overs.

However, there was still light at the end of the tunnel for Dexter Basden’s team, as they pipped Devonshire Rec to second place by the narrowest of margins on NRR — 0.801 to 0.751.

PHC, the third team to finish on 30 points, had an NRR of -0.358 to finish fourth.

All-rounder Charles Trott shone with bat and ball for PHC in the win, thumping a game-high 78 from 66 balls and later returning to claim three for 35 with his left-arm seam bowling.

Western Stars forfeited the other scheduled First Division contest when they failed to show up at White Hill Field to face Somerset Bridge.