Devon v Oxfordshire

Plymouth College

17th July

Grainger and Huxtable keep their heads to ease Devon wobbles

Cameron Grainger and Barnaby Huxtable stayed calm and collected as they eased Devon to a comfortable win over Oxfordshire with more than 16 overs to spare.

After losing the toss Devon were asked to field, not a bad thing to do after recent attempts at chasing totals. On an awkward pitch Devom got off to a sluggish start with Ryan and Barnaby struggling to adapt to the angle of the pitch.

Chris Sanders and Will Chapman then replaced both and the change worked as both picked up two wickets to leave Oxfordshire struggling on 48-4. This soon became 68-5 as Ned Menheneott picked up a wicket with his legspin. Freddie Gabbitass then joined the attack and Oxfordshire were reeling at 90-6. There followed a 76 run 7th wicket partnership which threatened to take the game away from Devon. However, Gabbitass kept wheeling away and with the return of Chris Sanders they managed to remove both dangermen and Oxfordshire slipped to 170 all out. Freddie Gabbitass 4-26 and Chris Sanders 3-12, the pick of the bowling. Ryan Skinner was unlucky not to pick up a couple of wickets during his second spell. Devon spilled too many catches once more and fielding remains an area where we must improve.

Devon's reply was shaky, as first Tom Mitcham holed out, leaning back in the shot. Freddie Gabbitass was bowled by a full inswinging yorker and then Alex Brown was dismissed early in the piece to leave Devon reeling at 32-3. ned Menheneott, watching the carnage from the other end was joined by Alex Hill. Not for the first time this season, alex dug Devon out of a hole as he shared in stands of 71 with Ned and  41 with skipper Zak Bess as Devon appeared to be coasting home. To their credit Oxfordshire kept attacking and with the fall of Ned Menheneott for a composed 27, Alex Hill for a top score 52 and skipper Bess for a typically agressive 22 it was left to the middle order to see Devon home. George Stephenson fell for a single and it appeared that Devon were once again looking at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Not the case as Cameron and Barnaby batted very sensibly and showed how to close an innings out with no alarms to give Devon a three wicket victory.