SUNDAY, MAY 31
GUEST player Marshall Hood hit a match-winning 66 not out as Devon defeated Somerset by six wickets in yesterday's nail-biting Twenty20 challenge match at Exmouth.
Former England fast bowler Andy Caddick took Somerset down to Exmouth as part of his testimonial season fund-raising games. Somerset made 149 for four in their 20 overs – which Devon passed when Hood hit the final ball of the game for four.
Although former Aussie Ashes winner Justin Langer pulled out of the trip, a strong Somerset side included Marcus Trescothick, South African Zander De Bruyn and rising star Craig Kieswetter.
Former England star Trescothick and Kieswetter gave Somerset a 43-run start. James Burke made the breakthrough when he had Kieswetter caught at point by Hood, the Western Australian playing for Exeter this season.
Trescothick went on to make 30 and was looking to up the tempo when he was caught on the long-on boundary.
Left-hander Neil Edwards hit 27 in a knock that ended when he holed out down the ground. Rob Holman took the catch to give Neil Hancock the wicket.
Last man out was Steffan Jones, who played for Exeter when he was studying next door at the university, who was bowled for one by Josh Bess with the score on 102.
Somerset were steady rather than scintillating for most of their innings, but finally accelerated in the last four overs when De Bruyn and David Stiff began flogging the bowling.
De Bruyn helped himself to 42 off 21 balls with three fours and three sixes – two of them of Neil Hancock. Stiff made 15 off nine balls.
Devon were always up with the asking rate of around seven and a half an over, having got away to a dream start through openers Hood and Sandy Allen.
Allen got on with it to make a quick 23 while Hood dug in at the other end during a stand of 40.
Rob Holman (38) helped Hood get the target down to 36. Holman looked in pretty good nick with a succession of smart drives but got out chancing a single to Caddick, who threw stumps down with a direct hit.
Neil Hancock had a rare failure, he was bowled aiming to drive Jones, but with Hood well dug in it didn't really matter.
Devon reached the last over from Jones needing six to win. They lost David Lye with two needed when he was caught at deep-square leg. Bob Dawson struck a single to level the scores, Hood hit Jones down the ground to win the game.
Somerset 149-4 (Z De Bruyn 42no, M E Trescothick 30, N J Edwards 27), Devon 153-4 (M J Hood 66, R J Holman 38, A P W Allen 23; S P Jones 2-22). Devon bt Somerset by 6 wkts.