The intention was for Devon to fire off all barrels in their first under 17 game of the season but in fact the two day game at Exmouth was until the last hour a very subdued and lack lustre affair with Wiltshire in the driving seat for most of the game. It did not help that this side can still not win the toss and our visitors had the first use of a typical Exmouth track. Wiltshire’s approach was to occupy the crease, cutting out risks and accumulating and until the first ball of the 74^th over and last before tea this proved to be a very successful plan. Their openers Alton and Abel put on 46 in the first hour and they were undefeated at lunch with 95 on the board. Immediately after the interval Damian Price struck when he enticed Alton (52) to be caught behind by Justin Yau. At 101 -1 Devon needed to make further inroads but Morris (66) and Abel continued the good work with a stand of 41 off 66 balls when off spinner Matthew Cooke took the first of his four wickets bowling Alton for a 120 minute 52. The key third wicket pairing of Morris and Hayward put on 54 when Jack Horton entered the attack and trapped Hayward leg before for 19. At tea Wiltshire were well placed at 196-3 with 29 overs left in the day and able to increase the tempo after the interval. The score increased to 239 after 85.5 when Morris was stumped by Yau off Porter for a 152 ball 66. It transpired that this was the key wicket as Wilshire then lost their last six wickets for 50 runs which was mainly due to a ninth wicket stand of 35 off 27 balls between Adams and Crick. Devon kept at their task and was rewarded with the final wicket in the 106^th over with Wiltshire all out for 289. Overall the out fielding was reasonable with good catches being taken and useful spells by all the bowlers. Devon left the Mear ground reasonable satisfied with their day’s work

The second day was slightly overcast but the total required looked very gettable. Devon started in a similar style as their opponents and put on 39 before the first drinks break. After the interval Daniel Bowser immediately steered the ball off his hip to the waiting short leg to become slow left armer’s Abel first wicket. Horton came in and eight balls later committed suicide and was stumped for 8, Abel's second victim of seven. Although Horton had tried to get the side up a gear no one else got close to the lever despite captain Tim Piper’s best intentions. With the ball turning a lot, albeit slowly, Wiltshire’s two left armers enforced a stranglehold that the home side could not break.
 

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