Devon Cricket Board - Plymouth defend 77 all out to win Booker Wholesale Devon Cup

Plymouth defend 77 all out to win Booker Wholesale Devon Cup

Plymouth captain Harry Ramsden, surrounded by players on the pitch at Heathcoat, after beating Cornwood in the final of the Booker Wholesale Devon Cup

WHO needs high scores to make a dramatic cricket match? Certainly not Plymouth who beat Cornwood by four runs to win a thrilling Booker Devon Cup final.
Plymouth’s total of 78 all out at Heathcoat, in a game reduced to 25 overs each due to morning rain, never looked like being enough to win the cup.
Then Cornwood slumped to 29 for five in reply, fought back to reach the last over needing six to win with their last pair in the middle and lost when tail-ender Adam Goodliffe was bowled by Ben Stein with two balls to go.
It was a real see-saw game with the result in doubt right to the end.
“When we were 41 for six batting first I felt if we could just get to 90 we might have a chance,” said Plymouth skipper Harry Ramsden, pictured with the cup and league chairman Stuart Munday
“The pitch didn’t look that bad, but played worse than it looked for both sides.
“Seventy-seven all out wasn’t as many as we would have liked – then we took a wicket second ball and our tails were up.
“Getting Cornwood’s pro Jackson Thompson out cheaply was huge for us and 29 for five we felt the game was winnable.
“Of course they fought back – Craig Harris and Chris Parker batted really well – and then they needed 12 to win in three overs with five wickets left.
“Ben Stein bowled brilliantly at the end for his three wickets in 10 balls to win a remarkable game.”
The man of the match award went to Plymouth all-rounder Rob Bennett, whose 18 not out was crucial for Plymouth. So, too, were his four overs for 12 runs when Cornwood batted.
Having slumped to 45 for seven with nearly 10 overs to go, Plymouth’s priority was batting out as long as the could.
Bennett (left) was involved in stands that put on 32, which may not seem a lot but were priceless in the context of a low-scoring game.
“If you made 10 on that pitch it was a good score,” said Ramsden.
Plymouth hadn’t helped themselves at times with some poor shot selection, but that shouldn’t take anything away from Cornwood’s bowling performance.
Left-arm pacers Adam Goodliffe and Craig James were rapid on a skiddy pitch and did all the early damage.
James had four wickets for 12 runs from his five overs – the best bowling in the match.
Old warhorse Dave Burke gave Plymouth the wicket they wanted when he trapped Ben Warren lbw second ball.
Burke (2-7), Hal Kerton (2-12) and Ramsden (2-8) kept the lid on Cornwood until Harris (20) started playing some shorts.
Harris and Parker (25) threatened to take the game away from Plymouth in a stand of 37 that rescued Cornwood from 29 for five.
Stein had Harris caught behind with the third delivery he bowled, which started the slide that sent Cornwood to 73 all out in just 13 balls.

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773