Devon Cricket Board - Davies and Bess take Devon past follow-on target

Davies and Bess take Devon past follow-on target

HALF-centuries from Josh Bess and Rhys Davies helped Devon avoid following on against Herefordshire at Colwall today.

Herefordshire, who made 344 for seven in their first innings, had reduced Devon to 40 for four at the end of day one – spinner Brad Wadlan taking three for 10.

Overnight pair Bess and Matt Golding added 12 in the morning before Herefordshire broke through again – Mike O’Shea having Golding caught at leg-slip for nine.

Devon were 52 for five then and the target of 195 to make Herefordshire bat again seemed a long way off.

New skipper Bess found a willing ally in Sandy Allen as the job of rebuilding started.

While Bess stoppered up one end, Allen played some shots at the other on his way to 42 of 44 balls

The stand had produced 67 runs when Allen was caught behind off Wadlan.

There was still some way to go to pass the follow-on target, but Bess and Davies got there without too many dramas.

Davies has scored a 50 in both games he has played for Devon this season and made it three on the trot with an unbeaten 58.

Bess was 61 not out from 163 balls faced in a lunchtime total of 208 for six.

Devon still trail by 136 with 29 of their 90 overs to go in the first innings.

Herefordshire 344-7 (B R W Stebbings 133, D J M Cox 80no, C A M Wadlan 57; J J Bess 2-32, C Bradley 2-87), Devon 208-6 (R W Davies 58no, A P W Allen 42, J J Bess 61no; B L Wadlan 4-83).

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