Sunday, April 13
SIDMOUTH'S Josh Bess collected three wickets in the final over as Devon defeated the University of Exeter by four runs in a thrilling finish to yesterday's 50-over friendly at Exmouth.
Devon, bowled out for 188 in their last over, had the Students on the rack at 87 for six with James Burke and Trevor Anning both among the wickets.
A seventh wicket stand between David Cranfield-Thompson and Alphington's Paul James, got the University up to 182 for six with the last over to go.
Cranfield-Thompson and James took a single each to get the target down to five to win off four balls. Then Bess struck.
Cranfield-Thompson, who hit 88 off 115 balls with seven fours and a six, was caught down at fine-leg after top-edging a Bess short ball.
James blocked the next one, the got out caught behind with a ball to go, setting up the classic cricketing finish of six to win of the last ball.
Out came tail ended Alex Willis, who took a mighty heave and was given out lbw as the ball rapped into his pads.
Bess finished with four for 21 from eight overs, easily the best bowling return of Devon's day.
Earlier, Devon found runs hard to come by at first after Exeter's Aaron Williams, North Devon's Neil Bettis and skipper Bob Dawson all went cheaply.
Williams was possibly a little unluckier than the others as he fell to a brilliant sprawling catch at mid-wicket by a diving James.
Richard Foan (29) and David Lye (28) got Devon back on track with a stand of 55 that ended when Lye was bowled by the University's Sidmouth seamer Scott Barlow.
Leg-spinner Willis accounted for Foan two overs later as Devon reached the halfway stage at an unimpressive 74 for five.
Exeter's Rob Holman (38) and Paignton's James Hudson, who top scored with 43, then set about giving the bowlers something to defend by putting on 73 for the sixth wicket.
Holman went first, followed by a quick in and out by Bess for two, but Hudson carried on until the score reached 173,
Hudson looked nailed on for a half-century when he came down the track to have a go a Barlow and walked past the ball, leaving Sandy Allen and easy stumping.
The University's bowling figures were a mixed bag, James bowled tidily for no wickets, while Barlow had two for 22 off 10 overs, but Travers' three for 38 when the slog was on at the end were probably the best.
Devon 188 (D F Lye 28, R J Holman 38, J M Hudson 43, R J Foan 29; C Travers 3-38), University of Exeter 184-8 (D R J Cranfield-Thompson 88, J W K Beeny 23; J J Bess 4-21, T S Anning 2-28). Devon bt University of Exeter by 4 runs.
.