Devon Cricket Board - berkshirefinalday

berkshirefinalday

DEVON were one wicket away from victory against Berkshire in a thriller at Newbury which went right down to the last ball.

Devon, bowled out for 153 in their second innings, left Berkshire 51 overs to make 243 to win – hardly a tall order at this level of cricket.

Keeping up with the asking rate proved tougher than Berkshire anticipated though as Ian Bishop, Aditya Rai and David Lye all bowled miserly spells.

Bishop took his Devon tally to 200 wickets with the scalps of Dan Housego and Jono McLean, then Rai had Dave Barnes caught in the cordon by Anthony Griffiths as Berkshire struggled to 77 for three.

A stand of 68 between Bjorn Mordt (38) and Steve Naylor (32) gave Berkshire some hope, but Lye got them in successive balls with catches.

The asking rate was almost 10 an over by then and Devon the most likely side to win. Chris Metters picked up the next four wickets to add to the four he claimed in the first innings to leave Berkshrire on 168 for nine with 11 balls to go. Last pair James Morris and Tim Lambert blocked it out for the draw after that.

Earlier, Berkshire lost their last five wickets for 69 runs before lunch when play resumed on the third day at 219 for five.

Metters added two more wickets to his overnight haul – Morris brothers James for 54 and Richard for 16. The South Devon favourite finished with four for 81 in the innings and eight for 98 in the match

Lye accounted for two more of the lower order including tail-end charlie Lambert, who was caught at slip in the last of Berkshire’s 90 overs.

The other wicket to fall was that of Dan Yarnley, whose running between then wickets wasn’t as quick as Rai’s throw into the stumps.

Devon went out second time around with a lead of 89 and had only added two when first- innings centurion Chris Mole was caught at slip off Logan.

The hunt of quick runs inevitably meant several innings of the in-and-out variety as former Hants, Notts, and Northants seamer Logan bowled too straight to allow too many liberties to be taken.

A full-pitched ball from Lambert proved Rob Holman’s undoing as he edged it to slip for 36 of the 66 on the board.

Anthony Griffiths was yorked by Logan in the next over, followed by David Court getting out lbw to the same bowler as Devon dipped to 70 for four.

Lye stopped the slide with a brisk 45 that helped Devon reach 141 for six when Logan bowled him, just as he had Devon skipper Dawson 30 runs earlier.

Once Lye went it was downhill all the way for Devon as the last five wickets tumbled for 12 runs. Logan took four of them and leg-break bowler James Morris the other.

Devon 377-7 (C M Mole 142, A P W Allen 50no, R J Holman 66; C P Crowe 2-21, T L Lambert 2-101) & 153 (D F Lye 45; R J Holman 36; R J Logan 8-56), Berkshire 288 (D E Barnes 52, S P Naylor 49; J C Morris 54; C L Metters 4-81, D F Lye 2-19, R I Dawson 2-25) & 176-9 (D E Barnes 36, B HD Mordt 38, S P Naylor 32; C Metters 4-18, D F Lye 2-17). Match drawn.

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773