Under 21s

Nail Biting

Cornwall v Devon (2)

With the sun now out and Devon enjoying the best of the pitch and conditions Foan and Wright started confidently as they took 22 off 24 balls however one piece of good luck for Cornwall and misfortune for Devon changed the whole complexion of the game. Wright smacked the ball back hard to the bowler, Hunkin, hit his hand and the ball ricocheted onto the stumps to leave Foan stranded out of his ground. It was the start of a disastrous period for Devon . Wright and Neil Bettiss took the score to 36 when the opener became the first of Hunkin’s four victims when he was bowled, three balls later Lye went the same way, seven balls passed before Hunkin trapped Gitsham in front then it took another three deliveries before he bowled Holman. At this stage Hunkin’s figures stood at 4-11 off six overs, the result of bowling straight. Time for a walk. It is two years since a Holman run out sent the writer on a tour of the delightful Truro River and it was appropriate, if annoying, that it was his demise that gave the puppy its first opportunity of a tension walk. The breeze brought the tanoy message down the river that Neil Bettiss had been dismissed apparently by another outstanding catch in a similar position to Wright’s as Farris dived in goal keeper fashion to leave Devon 46-6. Time for Custer’s Last Stand - was it at Dawson’s Creek, no no that is a Channel Four programme currently in its last series. Anyway Dawson was at the crease with skipper Trevor Anning and Devon were in it up to their neck. Both Dawson and Anning took 30 balls to score their first seven runs as the visitors started to dig their way out. The pair put on 40 life saving runs off 88 balls when Anning patted back a tame caught and bowled to Smeeth. At 86 -7 Devon were 53 runs short with three wickets remaining and 95 balls left. Dryness in the throat surely Bobby Dawson could not get Devon home from here. It got worse Edmonds drove left armer Ivamy and was caught at slip by Preace 89-9 oh no, time for a brave face. However we had forgotten that the County Captain is some batsman and the current under 17 keeper Marc Bettiss a top prospect. Initially taking the strike Dawson took the pressure off the youngster and Bettiss watched the masterful Dawson padding up to the Oxford Blue leg spinner Michael Mundy and even tried it himself. In the main he uncharacteristically used a straight bat.

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