The 2002 Season (2)

The game against Wiltshire was played at Torquay Cricket Club. Wiltshire batted first and looked at one stage to be on course for a score in excess of 220; Devon recovered and with fine bowling spells from Rose. Eames and Barker Wiltshire finally scored 203 runs. Devon got off to a slow start and needing five runs an over Stanton and Arbourne produced a match winning stand with Devon reaching 204 for five.

 

The annual fixture with Cornwall was rearranged due to bad weather and played at Cornwood Cricket Club. On a very wicket Devon were asked to bat and soon found great difficulties in scoring runs quickly. However, thanks to a remarkable century from Bob Macey Devon reached a respectable 200 from their allotted overs. Cornwall soon discovered how difficult it was to score runs and with fine spells of bowling from all of the bowlers and in particular Francis Adams, Cornwall finished well short of the Devon total.

 

Having won all five of their games Devon travelled to Weston Super Mare against Somerset full of confidence. However, runs were difficult to score on a very slow wicket, Devon ’s strength in depth in the middle to late order produced a final score of 201 for ‘7 adding 70 runs in the last ten overs. In reply Somerset lost early wickets hut after 35 overs ‘were exactly the same position as Devon . They too soon found how difficult it was to increase the run rate and they were eventually howled out in the 42 nd over for 162. Again the outstanding fielding performance was the difference in the two sides.

Devon went to the final game against Dorset still needing a win to be certain of finishing top of their group and electing to bat Dorset on another slow wicket were restricted to 145 in 45 avers. Pick of the Devon bowlers were Rose and Howard. In reply what should have been a straight forward win became a real battle in the last 10 overs of the game. Poor batting from the top order left the late order to score 57 in 10 overs which was at a rate much higher than either side had achieved at an’~ stage of the game. However, alt-rounder Brent Howard produced the innings of the match with a quick-fire 33 not out ably supported by Stanton and Rose and Devon finally overtook the Dorset score with 3 halls to spare.

 

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