The final round of this year's Minor Counties Championship begins on Sunday with what must be one of the most inconsequential ends to a season in years in the Western Division. Apart from pride, personal performances and minor placings order, there is nothing really meaningful at stake in any of the five games.

Devon's win at St Austell against Cornwall meant they cannot be caught at the top of the table, regardless of whatever happens in their final game with Wales MC at Exmouth. As for the rest, with qualification for the C & G Trophy a thing of the past, there will be no great pressure in the closing set of games.

Cornwall will be looking to end a somewhat disappointing season as it began, with a win. They travel to Brockhampton to face Herefordshire who have had a miserable year having drawn one and lost four.

At St Austell, for the third successive game, Cornwall went into the final hour looking to survive for a draw. In contrast to the games at Camborne and Swansea this time it was not to be as two late strikes with the second new ball gave Devon victory. It ensured them the title, with 15 balls of the match remaining. It was Cornwall's first defeat of the season and only second in the last 11 championship outings over the last two seasons.

Cornwall were always up against it after the visitors racked up 421-9 in their first innings. Again Cornwall made an enforced late change with Gavin Edwards replacing the injured Karl Turner behind the stumps.

Things looked good on the first morning when the visitors were reduced to 78 for 4, but Neil Hancock's 155 not out and Sandy Allen's maiden century put Devon on top. Continuing from 70 for 1 overnight, Cornwall wickets fell steadily on the second morning after Tom Sharp made 51 and Anthony Penberthy 28.

From a perilous 162-6 Ben Price hit a county best 91 and with Matt Robins making 25 they pushed the total up to a more respectable 268. Devon didn't enforce the follow on and added 223 for the loss of three wickets by the close, off 57 overs.

They batted on for another 15 overs on the third morning, to the surprise of some, to reach 341-5 before declaring. Bobby Dawson made 55 and David Court 56. Lee Caddy took 2-74.

The declaration enabled Hancock to become only the second Devon batsman to achieve a century in both innings of a game. And it's only the fourth time the feat has ever been achieved against Cornwall in over 100 years of championship cricket. Geoffery Hebden was the first for Dorset at Penzance back in 1952. More recently Vic Marks for Somerset Seconds at Taunton in 1976 and Paul Lazenbury for Herefordshire at Leominster in 2000 did likewise.

Cornwall were set the academic task of scoring a massive 495 to win in what turned out to be around 96 overs. Matt Robins was promoted to open the innings and made a promising 44 before being third out at 115. Penberthy made 78 and with 20s down the order from Hands, Hunkin and Edwards well into the final hour Cornwall looked liked saving the game.

The second new ball, after 90 overs, did the trick as Trevor Anning accounted for Hunkin and Caddy to the delight of the visiting contingent.

Devon Ist Inns 421-9 (90 overs) (ND Hancock 155no, AWP Allen 100; CA Hunkin 3-77, TG Sharp 3-85, JM Hands 2-96), Cornwall Ist inns 268 (BP Price 91, TG Sharp 51, AL Penberthy 28, ML Robins 25; TS Anning 5-56, MJ Webb 3-41).

Devon 2nd inns 341-5dec. (ND Hancock 100no, DG Court 56, RI Dawson 55; LM Caddy 2-74).

Cornwall 2nd inns 275 (AL Penberthy 78, ML Robins 44, GD Edwards 28no, JM Hands 23, CA Hunkin 20; TS Anning 4-53, A Jones 3-82, AJ Procter 2-88) Devon (24 points) beat Cornwall (6 points) by 219 runs.