Western Stars 267 Southampton 220 Seamer Treadwell Gibbons picked up three wickets in his second spell as Western Stars won their third Camel Cup final by 47 runs at St. David's yesterday.

The target set by Stars proved too steep for first-time finalists Southampton Rangers as the asking rate climbed to 10 runs an over in the last 10 when still 100 runs were needed.

But there was still a glimmer of hope in Clevie Wade's eyes as, with the last of the recognised batsmen, Sidney Simmons, at the other end, the Rangers player-coach got set to take up the challenge.

Rangers were on course for the improbable when 11 came in the first of the last 10 overs and then Cleon Scotland gave up nine in the next over as Wade brought up his 50 with a hoisted six over long-on.

But things started to go wrong on the first ball of Gibbons' next over when Simmons came down the crease and was stumped by Anthony Manders when all was needed was a nudge for a single to give Wade the strike.

That dismissal left Rangers in deep trouble at 188-6 in the 43rd over and when Wade himself skied a catch to Hasan Durham on the deep mid-wicket boundary off Scotland's next over after four `dot balls' by Carl Garzette, Rangers were at the point of no return.

Garzette departed for 15 at 202 and then Ryan Belboda was ninth out one over later before Garry Williams fought to the end with two sixes in a last wicket stand of 16 with David Saltus. Williams went to a catch on the long-on boundary by Justin Robinson to end the game.

Rangers' top order never got going after Kwame Tucker retired in the third over feeling dizzy. When he returned at the fall of the third wicket, Rangers had only 80 on the board after 20 overs.

Olin Jones, a century-maker the day before, fell to a good catch at slip by Ricky Brangman after scoring 16 to be first out when the score was 28. Opener Keith Wainwright led the fightback after losing three partners, and his wicket was a prized scalp for Stars as Robinson held the first of his three catches in the deep. Wainwright's 48 included six fours and a six.

Tucker and Wade then added 72 for the fifth wicket, the biggest stand of the innings, before the former hooked a short delivery from Arnold Manders and departed for 30 when Gibbons held a comfortable catch inside the square leg boundary.

Wade's 57, including six fours and a six, signalled the last hope for Rangers after the return of Gibbons from the clubhouse end proved a good decision.

Gibbons picked up the wickets of Simmons, Belboda and Williams to go with the key scalp of Janeiro Tucker for four in his first spell and finished with figures of four for 37 from 7.3 overs. Manders had a tight 10-over spell, collecting two for 33 while Hasan Durham had one for 28 from 10 overs.

Earlier another Stars veteran, Ricky Brangman, led their batting with 50 with four fours and three sixes off 55 deliveries. Captain Albert Steede (44) and Gibbons (16) put on 43 in just seven overs as Stars scored at six an over in the first 10 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.

Saleem Mukudem, Manders and Scotland all got in the late 20s in the middle order as the runs kept coming after Brangman and Mukudem added 70 for the fourth wicket in taking the score from 97 to 167 between the 18th and 36th overs. Then Manders and Scotland chipped in with a vital 60 for the sixth wicket as Stars raced past 200.

Some big hitting by tailender JaJa Millett boosted the score even further as he smashed three huge sixes in his knock of 22.

Garry Williams was the top Rangers bowler with three for 37 while spinner David Saltus was the most economical of all the bowlers, giving up just 19 runs in his 10 overs and claiming two wickets. Belboda and Janeiro Tucker also took two wickets apiece.

Semi-finals -- see Page 15