Cornwall v Devon St Austell C.C.

Scorecard

Devon knew before the first ball was delivered what was required if promotion was to be achieved in the first year of the new format ECB competition – an outright win. The game plan would be simple win the toss, bat score 370 plus get Cornwall in on the first night and bowl them out twice – easy. In this exceptional summer the weather did not come into the reckoning until a heavy downpour early in the week on an uncovered track and a forecast of rain started to spread doubts. Add in a heavy dew in the latest start for the 17s since their visit to the Canterbury Final and minds were changed. Watkin won the toss and Devon fielded, the first hour was very difficult and Chris Jenn took the key scalp of Chris Martin in the third over caught behind at 9. However from then on until lunch it was all Cornwall who advanced to 123 after 36 overs. There was a total transformation after the interval as Devon took six wickets for 86 runs. Leon Loveridge held two vital catches at mid on off Miles to remove the dangerous Jarman and Bray-Smith. Piper held two exception catches at mid wicket off Parker. Tea came at 209-7 and within three overs after tea Cornwall were all out for 225 with James Carr taking both the second another remarkable catch by his fellow spinner Loveridge. Devon had thirty-two overs before close of play keeper Marc Bettiss volunteered to open, reservedly accepted – right decision. With Torrington’s Mike Wigley the North Devon pair put on 49 in 81 balls when Wigley holed out. Jack Horton put on another 28 before he gave Rowse a tame return catch and Devon were 77-2 after 20 overs. The skipper Nick Watkin and his keeper took Devon to close of play at 113 although at one stage it appeared that the side would have to spend the entire evening with their feet off the ground but the scores found a wide and a no ball. It was likely that these two would form the key partnership the next day.

Wrong again Watkin played perhaps his first and hopefully his last dreadful shot in Devon colours as at 118 he gave cover catching practice, the response from Cornwall showed how important they considered this wicket. Adam Parker batted sensible in putting on 32 with Marc Bettiss and in his normal attacking mode would have hit the ball he was out on over the mid wicket boundary but he was batting sensibly so he found mid wicket. Poor bloke could not win!

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