Devon Cricket Board - Lions mauled in opening friendly

Lions mauled in opening friendly

DEVON beat the Devon Lions by 73 runs in 45-over warm-up game at Axminster on Sunday.
Matt Thompson and Rob Holman both hit half-centuries as Devon made 234 for seven.

Then Nick Watkin took three wickets for 34 runs as the Lions were held to 161 for nine in reply.

The Lions were 42 for one and going along nicely with Dan Bowser helping himself to some short pitched stuff from Devon’s seamers.

Bowser’s dismissal – run out for 21 – spared a collapse that saw four wickets fall going from 42 for one to 57 for five. Game over.

Among the casualties was Cornwood’s Jason Hall, who was lbw to a full-pitched ball from Liam Lewis.

The rot stopped when Lions skipper Will Murray went out to join Tavistock’s Rhys Davies.

Teenager Davies took the lead in the stand, which got to 66 before it was broken by Murray’s removal to sharp catch at short cover.

Davies went on to make 48, then holed out down the ground to Thompson on patrol at long-on.

“It was a great knock under the circumstances from a 17 year old, but had he been a bit more alert between the wickets it could have been 68 not 48,” said Devon’s director of cricket Roger Newman.

“It is identifying things like that which make games like this worthwhile exercises.”

Plymouth’s Sam Stein chipped in with 22 before he was ninth man out in the final over.

When Devon batted Holman and Thompson had put on 123 for the second Devon wicket without looking seriously troubled.

A switch from seam to spin broke the partnership as Holman went after Max Curtis and hit the ball straight up in the air. Hall jogged back towards to mid-off to take the catch.

Thompson went eight runs later when Curtis tossed one up to lure him out and Tavistock’s Davis had the bails off in flash.

Devon had wickets in hand going into the last 10 overs and sacrificed a few in the pursuit of runs.

Lewis smacked a brisk 29 off 26 balls before the overs ran out.

Curtis with two for 28 was the pick of the bowlers.

Plymouth’s Sam Stein, in the Lions side for the first time, was wicketless but should get another chance later in the season to show what he can do.

“Sam needs to do some work on his action, but he definitely has something and we can work with him to sort that out,” said Newman.

Stein felt he could have bowled better, but added: “It was my first game of this sort and must admit I was very nervous.

“It is early in the season and I felt a bit undercooked, but I know I can bowl better and hope I get another chance to do myself justice.”

Newman’s overview of the match was straightforward. It was an assessment exercise and a worthwhile one.

“To maintain Devon as a successful county you need strength in depth and competition for places,” said Newman.

“Games like this allow us to have a look at players we may need over the season, while reminding the established players there is competition for places.”

Devon 234-7 (R J Holman 63, M W Thompson 59, L J Lewis 29; M Curtis 2-28), Devon Lions 161-9 (R Davies 48; N S Watkin 3-34, R Bougourd 2-31, L J Lewis 2–29). Devon bt Devon Lions by 73 runs.

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