SUNDAY, MAY 4
DEVON didn't hang around longer than necessary rattling up a seven-wicket win over Wiltshire in their Minor Counties KO Cup opener at Exmouth.
Trevor Anning had competition-best figures of four for 17, and Scott Barlow claimed three for 22 on his debut, as Devon dismissed Wiltshire for 91.
Wiltshire were bowled out so early the caters hadn't laid lunch out, so the teams went back out for 20 minutes of so, allowing Devon to make a 17-run hole in the deficit.
There was a slight tremor after lunch when James Beeny and Bob Dawson went in quick succession, but from 22 for three there were no further mishaps as David Court (44no) and Neil Hancock (25no) knocked off the runs.
What should have been an 100-over game only lasted 57 overs from start to finish; hardly surprising then that the caterers were caught out.
Devon bowled and fielded well from the first over of the game to put Wiltshire under pressure and keep them there.
Ian Bishop made the first two breakthroughs, removing Eddie Abel with a ball that nipped in then having Jaydon Levitt well caught at slip by Beeny.
Former Gloucestershire and Worcestershire staffman Roger Sillence won't want reminding about the head-up shot that let Hancock bowl him all ends up and leave Wiltshire 39 for three.
Surviving opener Damien Shirazi played straight while wickets were falling all around him, which saved Wiltshire from total embarrassment.
Barlow announced his presence with a first-over scalp, that of Mike Coles, but couldn't shift Shirazi, who farmed the strike well to get the score up to 70 for four. Then Anning came into the attack and Wiltshire crumbled.
James Golding was caught on the back foot at slip by Hancock and two balls later Jamie Hibberd played down the wrong line and had his off-stump knocked back.
Wiltshire captain Richard Bedbrook came and went for one – Anning had him lbw trapped on the crease – and at 76 for seven the collapse was gathering pace.
Shiarazi was running out of people to bat with now, so chanced his arm and didn't get away with it for long. Anning had him caught behind for 47, leaving Barlow to take the last two wickets in four balls without another run added.
Devon lost opener Chris Mole before lunch to a catch behind, and Beeny was lbw soon after the restart.
The only other wicket to fall was that of Devon skipper Bob Dawson, who chased a wide ball best left alone and got a substantial snick through to the wicketkeeper.
Once Devon saw off new ball operators Alex Senneck and Bedbrook the back-up bowling held few threats.
Court walloped the spinners around to reach his 44 not out off 32 balls with four fours and a six over long-on.
Devon will be looking to continue their winning streak in the competition when they play Berkshire at Newbury this Sunday.
Wiltshire 91 (D C Shirazi 47, T S Anning 4-17, S Barlow 3-22), Devon 92-3 (D G Court 44no, N D Hancock 25no; A Senneck 2-31). Devon bt Wiltshire by 7 wkts.