Devon Cricket Board - Devon hold on in tense finale

Devon hold on in tense finale

DEVON’S tail-end charlies held out under pressure as the game against Herefordshire ended in a tense draw.

Herefordshire, beaten in both previous Championship games this season, got into a position where they couldn’t lose by totting up a lead of 389 at lunch on the final day.

Whether Herefordshire skipper Ben Stebbings had left enough time to win the match by bowling Devon out looked unlikely – as did Devon’s chances of knocking off the runs.

Neither side had scored at anything resembling five and a half an over on either of the previous days, so to expect Devon to have a go on a wearing pitch was fanciful to say the least.

And with Devon on 184 for four going into the mandatory final hour, Rob Holman (70) and David Lye (52) getting them most of the way there, it seemed the game was going to fizzle out.

Far from it! Five balls into the final lap Sandy Allen was caught at leg-slip to give Brad Wadlan his third wicket in the innings and tenth in the match.

Matt Golding was next to go – also caught round the corner, but in his case off Mike O’Shea – as Devon dipped to 191 for six.

And when skipper Josh Bess was trapped lbw by O’Shea for 39, Devon were 226 for seven with a minimum of four more overs to come and possibly a few more.

Herefordshire had to bowl at least 17 overs in the last hours – those are the rules – and excelled themselves by getting through four more than required.

With three balls to go Wadlan removed Trevor Anning lbw, leaving Chris Bradley to shut up shop for the draw with Devon on 257 for eight.

Rhys Davies was undefeated on 43 at the other end having defied Herefordshire for more than 17 overs, firstly with Bess then Anning.

Although Devon did manage to save the game, when the management review the match they will come to the conclusion Herefordshire were on top for the majority of the nine sessions played.

Devon’s best spell came between lunch and tea on day two when skipper Bess completed a century to keep his side in the game after they had slumped to 59 for five.

It was a similar story on day three with Herefordshire calling most of the shots.

Herefordshire, who were 168 for three overnight, lost O’Shea nine balls into the morning session when he was caught at short leg off Bradley without adding to his score of 83 not out.

A 55-run stand between Wadlan and Stebbings ended when the former was bowled by Bradley for 44, leaving Herefordshire 227 for five.

Stebbings and Dan Cox hoisted another 52 runs for the sixth wicket before Lye made a breakthrough. Stebbings tried to hit Lye down the ground and was caught at long on by Seb Benton for 42.

That was one of Benton’s few highlights in the game as he collected a pair when he batted, out first ball in the first innings and third ball in the second.

Chris Powell was in and out for two – trapped lbw by Trevor Anning – then Dan Cox tried to pull Bradley over midwicket and was caught in the deep by Holman.

Patel (20) and Nick Powell (16) were the not out batsmen at the declaration.

It was a gruelling session for Devon’s bowlers, none more so than former captain Bradley who finished with figures of five for 125 from 32 overs – 18 on day two, 14 on day three – which gave him a combined analysis of 61-10-212-7 for the match.

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