Devon Cricket Board - Woodman top scores as Devon take it steady...

Woodman top scores as Devon take it steady...

DEVON made slow progress between lunch and team in their Minor Counties Championship game against Shropshire at Whitchurch.
A tea, taken after 59 overs, Devon were 183 for seven with Matt Thompson (25) and Chris Bradley (1) the not-out-batsmen.

Devon were 68 for two at lunch – a lead of 95 overall – with Rob Woodman and Seb Benton in occupation of the crease.

Benton was first to go – caught down at long-leg trying to hook Dan Bowen and finding Elliot Green just inside the rope. He made 46.

Woodman, 34 not out at the break, saw Josh Bess come and go cheaply to a slashed catch to mid-on. Bowen again the bowler.

With the score on 145 Woodman was fifth man out when he aimied to hit spinner Green over long-on and was well caught on the run by Richard Oliver.

Woodman made 70 off 12 balls with 44 coming in fours.

Matt Thompson did what he has done before – hold the bottom half of the order together – and started off with a stand of 27 with Matt Golding.

Golding perished to a slip catch – Ed Foster obliging Green – and a poorly David Lye only made four before he lobbed the same bowler to Jamie Ralph at mid-wicket.

When Lye went Devon were 178 for seven – a lead of 205 – which they extended to 210 by the break.

Earlier needed little more than 20 overs to finish off Shrosphire when play resumed on day two.

Shropshire progressed to 128 for nine through surviving opener and captain Ed Foster and tail-ender Elliot Green.

The pair, who came together at 35 for eight, were closing in on the record ninth-wicket Shropshire stand of 108 set against Devon at Budleigh in 2001 when Foster played back to David Lye and was give out lbw.

Foster scored 58 off 144 balls and hit six fours during his stay.

Lye flushed out last man Dan Bowen one run later with a beaut of a delivery that appeared to pitch around leg-stump and hit the top of middle and off. It was too good for Bowen, whatever it was!

Green was not out on 44 in the final total.

Trevor Anning, whose four-wicket burst at the end of day one reduced Shropshire to 28 for seven, finished with five for 29.
There were two wickets each for ]Bess (2-53) and Lye (2-4).

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