DAY TWO REPORT - JULY 10

RICHARD Foan posted a new Minor Counties personal best of 150 as Devon did their best to make up for lost time on the rain-ruined second day of their game against Herefordshire at Torquay.

   The Sandford opener, 57 not out overnight, (click here for day one report) reached his century just before lunch then had to wait more than three hours to get back in the middle again.

   When the drizzle lifted Foan went past his previous best of 130, scored against Dorset at Exmouth two years ago, and never remotely looked like getting out until he did.

   Having hit 16-year-old left-armer Chris Powney for four to reach 150, Foan flailed at a wide long-hop and hit it straight to a diving Henry Langford at point.

   As knocks go it was out of the top draw and better than anything the compact left-hander has done in the Devon League with Sandford this season.

   “I don't know whether it is the pitches that are better or whether it is just having more time, but I feel good when I got out to bat for Devon,” said Foan.

   “Knowing you have 90 overs in the first innings means you don't have to worry about getting on with it, you can wait for the right balls to come along rather than playing a few shots that could get you out.

   “It helped that I didn't have to spend much time in the nervous 90s either. I got to 94, hit a four for 98 and they brought the field up, as captains do when you are nearing a hundred.

   “The next ball was on the leg side and I thought lovely, there's a nice gap to hit it through.”

   Skipper Dawson, who did his bit to make up for lost time later in the day, said Foan's innings was a testimony to the player's application and hard work on his game.

   “Richard is a very uncomplicated player who has worked out his strengths and weaknesses and plays to them,” said Dawson.

   “He played himself in, waited for the bad balls to come along and dispatched them. I don't recall a streaky shot. It was a professional-type of innings, one he can be proud of.”

   Along the way Foan shared a stand of 162 for the first wicket with Chris Mole – he was the only man out before lunch when bowled by spinner Peter Scott for 53 – and another of 120 with Sandford clubmate Neil Bettis.

   Bettis made 49 before Scott trapped him lbw, although getting him out turned into a mixed blessing for Herefordshire as it brought Bob Dawson out into the middle.

   Dawson hammered Herefordshire for 50 off 45 balls with four sixes and three fours as Devon pelted through the 400-run barrier. The casualties were Foan at 326 then Neil Hancock, who was caught behind to give Scott his third wicket.

   If getting Bettis out was a bad move, dismissing Hancock proved positively foolish. David Court came in, took guard and dispatched the next delivery from Scott high over the boundary fence and into the municipal duck pond next door.

   Court clubbed two more sixes and a clutch of fours on his way to 37 off 15 balls before he was the last man out on 419.

   Dawson was still there undefeated on 65 when the umpires halted play due to bad light with Devon 138 runs ahead on 422 for five. The Devon captain will be looking for an early declaration today, a break in the weather and the time to bowl Herefordshire out a second time to win the game.

   Herefordshire 284 (H J Langford 52, D J R Exall 69, A M Nahorniak 53; A J Procter 5-67, I E Bishop 2-85), Devon 422-5 (R J Foan 150, C M Mole 53, N C Bettis 49, R I Dawson 65no, D G Court 37; P J Scott 4-129). Bonus points: Devon 8, Herefordshire 5.