TUESDAY, AUGUST 9

DEVON'S reign as Western Division champions is over after a gallant attempt to beat Berkshire in the ‘must-win' game at Torquay ended in a nail-biting draw.

   Berkshire, 229 for four overnight and 306 runs ahead in the match, declared without further loss on 346, setting Devon 424 to win in a minimum of 82 overs.

   Devon gave it their best shot – when skipper Bob Dawson and Neil Hancock were in full cry the chase was on – but the game slipped away from them in the time it took to go from 264 for three to 300 for seven.

   Then the order went out to make it has hard as possible for Berkshire to pick up the three wickets they needed for the win that would have put them a point clear off Cheshire at the top of the Western Division table.

   Devon lost Sandy Allen and Trevor Anning in quick succession, leaving Cheshire almost 12 overs to prise apart last pair Ian Bishop and Arwyn Jones.

   There were a few scares along the way – Jones lobbing the ball over the fielder at mid-wicket and narrowly avoiding chopping one on to his stumps – but Cheshire couldn't part the pair.

   Although a draw meant Devon are mathematically out of it, skipper Dawson wasn't too despondent. Devon were second best for most of the match, but more than shaded the final day and cheered the captain by getting into a position where they could have won.

   “It's a shame we aren't going to the division it this year, but we have played below our best in the last two games and are paying for being rained off against Cheshire at Bovey when I believe we would have won,” said Dawson.

   “Had that game gone our way – 220 to win with 10 wickets in hand and a day to do it – we wouldn't be where we are now. Cheshire would have been out of it and it would have been a straight fight between us and Berkshire.

   “At least we showed what we are capable of today by having a go at chasing 424 to win. Not many sides would have done that – and we kept going until we were seven wickets down before shutting up shop.

   “If I had gone on past 100 instead of getting out for 89, and Hanks had batted a few more overs than he did, we could have won it.

   “When Hanks was out we needed 150 off 24 overs and the way we were going that was gettable. At that stage we were winning the game – and they knew it.

    “Hanks was unlucky with his dismissal – the bowler caught it under his armpit – but that's the way cricket goes sometimes.”

Chris Mole (39) and Richard Foan (63) gave Devon's middle order the launchpad they needed to attack the Berkshire bowling – and they took the chance with bats swinging.

   Dawson three sixes and 11 fours – for of them in one over from Carl Crowe – while Hancock swatted four sixes, two in a row off pacer Tom Lambert, and six fours before his unlucky demise.

   The chase ended with three quick dismissals – Hancock, big-hitter David Court to a good catch at slip by Crowe and Andy Procter to a regulation caught and bowled by Lambert.

   Sandy Allen's departure lbw when he padded up to Crowe exposed the tail, but they came through a test of nerve with flying colours.

   Berkshire 334-8 (T D Fray 111, S P Naylor 86, B H D Mort 51, C D Crowe 27; A J Procter 5-75, A Jones 2-98) & 346-4 (T D Fray 154, S P Naylor 87no, J R Wood 40; T S Anning 2-91), Devon 257 (C M Mole 67, A W P Allen 41, D G Court 39, N D Hancock 35; C D Crowe 8-100) & 332-9 (C M Mole 39, R J Foan 63, R I Dawson 89, N D Hancock 45; C D Crowe 4-107, T L Lambert 3-60). Match drawn. Berkshire 12pts, Devon 9.