Devon Cricket Board - Seven-wicket Bougourd let pitch do the work

Seven-wicket Bougourd let pitch do the work

RYAN Bougourd had a debut to remember as Devon defeated Wales by five wickets in a one-day thrash at Exmouth.

Bougourd, in the Minor Counties side for the first time, took seven for 41 as Wales slumped to 124 all out.

Then Matt Thompson (28no) and Rob Holman (11no) saw Devon home with an unbroken stand of 46 for the sixth wicket that repaired the damage done by a middle-order collapse.

After reaching 44 for none – James Burke (22) and Rob Woodman (38) the run getters – Devon dipped to 79 for five before Thompson and Holman restored order.

Bougourd, whose form for Bovey Tracey over the past few seasons won him a place in Devon’s development programme over the winter, said he happened to be the right man in the right place.

“The pitch definitely helped me as it was explosive to start with as the ball was going through the top,” said Bougourd.

“What I tried to do was bowl in the right areas as much as I could and let the ball and the pitch do the work.

“After lunch their batsmen started playing some attacking shots and I felt then I could get a few more.”

Devon were due to open their defence of the Minor Counties title won last year on Sunday, but bad weather put paid to the first two days.

The first 10 overs were uneventful until Bougourd made the breakthrough in his second over when he bowled Sean Griffiths for 17.

Trevor Anning joined in by taking two in a row – Callum Reid caught at slip then Charlie Lowen caught at mid-on – which meant three wickets had gone on 34.

Bougourd then got stuck into the middle order and by lunch Wales were 63 for six.

Jamie Claybrook was caught by Wood at mid-on, Mike Griffiths played down the wrong line and Darren Thomas went to another Wood catch at mid-on.

A stand of 30 either side of lunch between Keiran Bull and Harry Powell stopped the procession of batsman trudging up the hill back to the pavilion for a while.

Bougourd broke that stand by snaring Powell lbw and followed up by encouraging Bull to pick out Bradley at extra-cover.

Victim number seven was Nick Davies, who was caught and bowled off the leading edge.

The final word went to Anning, who had Jonno Denning caught on the boundary by Josh Bess.

Coming next for Devon is the Minor Counties Trophy quarter-final against Wiltshire at Corsham this Sunday.

Devon orignally named 11 of the 12 they took to Oxfordshire in the last of their group games, plus Somerset and England U19 star Jamie Overton.

Overton, whose home club is North Devon, isn’t part of Somerset’s plans during the current T20 phase of the season.

However, Somerset have refused permission for him to play for Devon on Sunday.
Matt Golding is brought in to make up the 12.
Wales 124 (K A Bull 24; R J Bougourd 7-41, T S Anning 3-32), Devon 125-5 (R J Woodman 38, M W Thompson 28no, D S Phillips 3-27). Devon (12pts) bt Wales (4) by 5 wkts.

Devon (from): J E Burke (Budleigh), R J Woodman (Taunton), R J Holman (Exeter), D F Lye (Exmouth), M J Wood (Plumtree), J J Bess, (Sidmouth), M W Thompson (Torquay), G R Chappell (Bradninch), T S Anning (Exmouth), C Bradley, R Bougourd ( both Bovey Tracey), M C Golding (Bradninch).

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