Devon Cricket Board - Bradley bags nine wickets as Devon take control

Bradley bags nine wickets as Devon take control

DEVON v SHROPSHIRE - DAY TWO

DEVON are in the driving seat going into the last day of their game against Shropshire after taking five wickets in the final session last night.

A see-saw day ended with Shropshire 82 for five in their second innings, which was 106 ahead in the match after they had been bowled out for 283 first time round.

Chris Bradley had taken two wickets - Whitney stumped by Thompson and a surprised Ryan Lockley who was bowled offering no shot.

David Lye trapped Jamie Ralph lbw for nine then Bradley teased Richard Oliver down the track and Thompson had the bails off in a trice.

The last man out was skipper Chris Murtagh, caught under the lid by Rob Holman of Bradley, who had four for 19 in the innings and nine for108 in the match.

When Devon batted, Openers James Burke and Holman got Devon off to a sold start – they put on 115 – then five wickets fell for 27runs as Jono Whitney (4-46) bowled Shropshire back into the game.

Josh Bess (23), Matt Thompson (49no) and last man Bradley (21no) got Devon to 259 for nine in their 90 overs.

Holman made 51 in the opening stand before it all went wrong for Devon.

Holman went first, five balls after his 50 when he went back to Jono Whitney and was given out lbw.

Then it all started to go wrong. Rob Woodman only lasted two balls before he went lbw to the same bowler.

Burke fell next on 126, caught at point, off Whitney, and Lye didn't last much longer. He was bowled by Whitney for nine.

Bob Dawson got off the mark with a boundary, then got out in the next over when ex-Kent seamer Neil Saker knocked over his middle stump.

When Thompson went in, Devon were 137 for five, with Whitney having taken four for 29

Thompson and Josh Bess stopped the rot for a while by putting on 37 before Bess was lbw to Matt Downes for 23.

At 191 Devon lost Will Gater leg-before to Andy Gray. Trevor Anning (6) was eighth out at 199 when Gray claimed him lbw as well.

Thompson and Charles Morris saw Devon through to tea without further incident, although Shropshire were convince Thompson should have been giv en out caught behind in single figures.

Morris was the last man out when Gray bowled him, bringing acting skipper Bradley to the middle.

Thompson and Bradley put on 28 in the final overs with Bradley doing most of the scoring, mainly at Gray’s expense.

The last over arrived with Thompson on 46 and looking to reach 50 before time ran out.

It came down to two off the last two balls, which would have been on had Thompson not taken a single with one ball to go.
Shropshire 283 (R K Oliver 58, C P Murtagh 66; C Bradley 5-89, T S Anning 3-65,) & 82-54 (C Bradley 4-19), Devon 259-9 (J E Burke 64, R J Holman 51, M W Thompson 49no; J D Whitney 4-46, A K D Gray 3-68).

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