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Sunday, June 3

DEVON are through to the last four of the Minor Counties KO Cup by the skin of their teeth after beating Cornwall at Instow by seven wickets in the final round of west Group matches.

   Devon were level pegged with Wales on five points at the top of the table going into the final round of matches – and as Wales defeated Dorset by three wickets it was down to run rate who went through.

   And, by 0.08 of a run, Devon will be playing Cheshire away in next month's semi-final with the prize of a trip to Lord's in August waiting for the winners. It doesn't get much closer than 0.08 of a run.

   Skipper Tom Sharp top scored for Cornwall with 46 in their total of 191 for five which always looked below par when put up alongside Devon's batting line-up.

   Cornwall started hesitantly in the face of a lively opening spell from Devon paceman Ian Bishop, who had Matt Robins caught at slip then conjured up a ball that was just too good for Carl Gazzard and bowled him

   Sharp, in at 20 for one after Robins was dismissed, kept Bishop out for the rest of that spell and with Gary Thomas for company put on 40 for the third wicket.

   Scoring runs proved hard work for Cornwall as Devon's bowlers kept it tight for over after over.

   Thomas looked like he wanted to play his shots – the flashing blade outside the off-stump was a bit of a giveaway to his intentions – but only made 13 before snicking a ball from Trevor Anning through to Devon keeper Sandy Allen.

   Sharp and Alex Smeeth couldn't raise the tempo either and as in 10 overs together in mid-innings they only added 35.

   Sharp, who faced 107 balls and only acquired three boundaries, hit out and got out when he swung at Andy Procter and was caught in the run down at long-off by Chris Mole.

   Going into the last 10 overs Cornwall needed some runs from somewhere and got them from Smeeth and Chris Hunkin.

   Hunkin didn't hang about – he was not out 45 with two fours and two sixes – while Smeeth made 38 before Mole ran him out with a little help from Neil Hancock.

   Cornwall racked up 75 in the last 10 overs – Neil Hancock and Bob Dawson both getting a bit of stick at the end – but the odds on anything other than a Devon win looked remote at that stage.

   Mole and Dawson gave Cornwall's opening bowlers a roughing up early on – after 10 overs Devon were 50 without loss – and there was only going to be one winner after that.

   Dawson blazed away to reach 78 off 71 balls in a stand of 146 with Mole for the first wicket that set the tone of the chase.

   Cornwall spinner Michael Munday, who is on Somerset's staff, went for 22 in one over while Dawson was going at full steam ahead. The Devon captain reached his half century with the second of his three sixes in that over.

   The partnership ended when Dawson tried to smash Hunkin down the ground, looking to add to his tally of five sixes and four fours, and was caught at tight mid-on by Thomas.

   Hancock came and went for 14 – Hunkin had him caught behind –then Mole fell for 69 with victory virtually in sight.

   When Mole flicked a full-length ball to Sharp at mid-wicket the target was down to 10 to win, which David Court and David Lye duly chalked off.

   Hunkin, with three for 29 was Cornwall's most effective bowler. Munday, who changed ends after his mauling by Dawson to get away from the short boundary behind him, was the most expensive with none for 64 from eight overs.

    Cornwall 191-5 (T G Sharp 46, C A Hunkin 45; I E Bishop 2-9), Devon 192-3 (R I Dawson 78, C M Mole 69; C A Hunkin 3-29).