By Conrad Sutcliffe

15.05.05 MCC too strong for Devon

TORQUAY old-boy Andy Jones hit an unbeaten 80 as MCC cruised to an eight-wicket win over Devon at Bovey Tracey yesterday.

Jones played for Torquay in 1994 while studying at Exeter University and went on to have a distinguished career in the amateur game with Wales and the Minor Counties Representative XI.

His near faultless knock – a half-shout for caught behind off Ian Bishop when Jones was in his 30s was the nearest Devon came to getting him out – ensured an early conclusion to a miserable day for the host club.

Devon's total of 162 for nine in 50 overs was hard work to make with the ball not coming on to the bat at any great pace.

Too many of Devon's batsmen got themselves out trying to up the tempo – and the theory in the home camp was MCC would have the same problems.

After Jones and former Hants and Gloucestershire left-hander Richard Scott had put on 119 for MCC's first wicket, that theory was in tatters!

Torquay opener Matt Hunt got out to one of the few balls that flew off the wicket when he gloved a catch behind after scoring 14 of the first 15 on the board.

Sandford's Neal Bettis will want to forget the mistimed pull shot that got him out caught and bowled for a duck.

Sandford clubmate Richard Foan will be kicking himself for giving his wicket away with his score on 29 by lashing wildly at a wayward delivery and jabbing it straight to the fielder at point.

And David Lye, also from Sandford, had done the hard bit by getting to 34 then surrendered his wicket with a tame hit to mid-off.

Skipper Bob Dawson thumped Chris Hollins down the ground for two sixes in the same over, them got out for 19 going for a third over mid-wicket and finding ex-Devon schoolboy player James Fulton at mid-wicket.

Bits and pieces from Budleigh pair Sandy Allen (16no) and Rob Newman (11) got Devon towards their eventual total.

Devon's seamers, with the exception of Ian Bishop, bowled too many ‘four balls' at Jones and Scott, who used the pace on the ball to do pretty well what they liked.

A change of pace finally produced not on but two breakthroughs in quick succession, although at 119 and 131 they came too late.

Foan's slow-left-armers tempted Scott out for a swipe through the off-side and he was stumped by a distance. In his next over Foan bowled Fulton with a delivery that just clipped the top of the middle and off stumps.

But there was never the remotest chance of MCC losing – they still had Somerset' Rob Turner to bat if needed – and Jones didn't have to work too hard knocking off the rest of the runs.

Devon 162-9 (R J Foan 29, D Lye 34; O A Dawkins 3-31, C J Hollins 2-41), MCC 164-2 (A J Jones 80no, R J Scott 65; R J Foan 2-25). MCC bt Devon by 8 wkts.