The rain that had been threatening all day had the final say in Cornwall’s forty-first over when the visitors were still just behind the required run rate so Devon came out victors by just point 27 of a run. On arrival the Devon skipper David Manning was completing the final touches to the Tavistock ground that in good weather conditions looked in pristine condition. The threat of rain later in the day was the only cloud in the sky. Cornwall won the toss and inserted their hosts. The Barton pair of Aaron Williams and Nick Watkin put on 74 in 22.4 overs when Williams became the first of Shorten’s five victims when he was caught behind for a 69 ball 43. His Barton colleague Will Grainger went two balls later for a duck and this was Nat Price’s score when he was also bowled by Shorten in his next over. 82- 3 became 94-4 as the skipper was caught by Barber off Shorten for two fours. James Toms broke the spell as he fell to the visitors captain Pearce caught behind by former Hampshire youth player Turner. The situation was now dire 110-5 after 31.4 but got worse as the anchor Nick Watkin became Shorten’s fifth and final victim for a 104 ball 40. Some sensible batting by Adam Parker (14), Gary Larcombe (25) and Will Murray (13) took the score up to 176 with seven balls unused as Jack Porter was the last batsmen out stumped by Turner to become Pearce’s third wicket. A run rate of 3.61 was hardly scintillating.
However it was just enough. Paignton’s England deaf international took a wicket in his first over when Horwell was caught behind by Manning. However the next wicket to fall was 108 runs later in the thirty-fifth over when left hander Turner miss hit Parkers first delivery into the safe hands of Will Granger. Devon stuck to their task with the promoted Harrison sent in to lift the run rate leg before to Nat Price off the last ball of his seventh over and then Cornwall’s opener Ben Smeeth was run out by a brilliant direct hit for a 112 ball 68. Price’s last ball of his eighth over bowled Jarman and Cornwall were 8 runs behind the required rate when the umpires, at 5.42, called the players off for the second time not to return again. The Devon bowlers were outstanding in difficult conditions. We record our appreciation to Tavistock C.C. for their kind hospitality.

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