With text messages whinging their way into most of the rooms at the Washington from that little angel Tash at the Angel the first day started early at 1.00am for some and overnight it got hotter, 10 hours later with the chimes of doom from the pavilion clock ringing for only one of the party the mobiles had been in constant use to get AS results. How would his mothers call up affect Justin as the day went on, he vowed to actually work this time and re-sit in November oh no straight back home to revision. Carr and Porter thoughts that they would be put in by their hosts were confirmed and they would have batted anyway as the over confident Carr – I never loose a toss lost the third on the trot and we were inserted. The CDO passes on the Cornwall result from the day before and it does look like this could be the championship decider. After 75 minutes all seems to be going to plan as Bess and Bowser get their act together and at 58-0 it is time to give the dogs their second walk of the day away from the dog unfriendly Bristol University ground down at the Dingle. The walk went well, all three behaved and thoughts of 450 and bowl them out twice took up most of the 45 minutes. Back at the ground number 6 is batting they must have moved Joe up the order. No Bess, Bowser, Cooke, Knight and Porter all had t-shirts and shorts on what on earth has gone on? The scoreboard read 72-5 no more dog walking today boys. Bess had gone first at 62 caught behind by the keeper Dent off Williams, three runs later spinner Patel took his wicket as Bowser was also caught behind, seven runs on Cooke was trapped in front by Johnston, Knight pushed with hard hands on his second ball and was caught, some thought he was out on his first! Johnson then bowled Porter through one of the bigger Devon gates and it is 72-5. We have been here before and it was the pair that steadied the ship at Sandford, Wilkinson and Smith, that again took their side to lunch at 79-5 after 33 overs. Smith did not succumb after lunch this time and the pair took the side up to Nelson but Smith did not receive the support of his side as feet remained on the ground. Smith was duly caught behind off Chrishimba for another important 10 off 50 balls, the partnership of 39 vital. Enter the captain James Carr; fresh from another knock in warm up, it must be very difficult not being liked by anyone in your side! He was caught on the back foot first ball but then drove his third for four. With Wilkinson another 25 critical runs were added then Wilkinson who has batted for over 700 minutes this season regularly getting his side out of messes was out for 34. He is calmness personified but when he was leg before he did show a little disappointment, he had batted for 106 minutes.

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