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DEVON'S final warm-up game before they play Dorset at Bournemouth this Sunday in the MCCA KO Cup didn't go to plan as they slipped to a 104-run defeat against the University of Exeter at Bicton College.

   The Students recovered from a middle-order collapse to make 259 for nine in their 50 overs with Will Stebbings wringing every last run out of the tail enders in a fightback from 193 for eight.

   Devon never really got going – only three batsmen reached double figures – and were bowled out for 154 with more than 11 of their 50 overs to come.

   Devon captain Bob Dawson said he was disappointed to lose, but added some good had come out of the defeat.

   “We probably didn't have the best of the wicket as it deteriorated in the second innings, but we can't really blame that,” said Dawson.

   “The university have some big games of their own ahead and they were far more up for this match than we were.

   “We didn't play well, they did and if it turns out to have been a useful kick up the backside for us it won't have been such a bad thing.”

   Devon spinners Andy Procter and Richard Foan had the Students in trouble after they had been 144 for two – but the rest of the bowlers failed to finish them off.

   Chris Travers, a Zimbabwean who has played for Scotland in World Cup qualifying matches, made 63 early on and Devon's Sandy Allen made 30 before the collapse came.

   Devon's hopes of bowling the student side out early were thwarted by Stebbings, who made a patient 34 and batted out time with tail-enders Tom Stayt and Simon Bird.

   Devon would have felt a target of 260 to win in 50 overs was within their reach, but suffered an early setback when opener Foan failed to survive the first over.

   Stayte, who has opened the bowling for Gloucestershire IIs, and Bird shared the wickets between them as Devon dipped to 86 for four with Dawson out for 31 and David Court gone for 29.

   Only Barton's Aaron Williams, who came into the side as a late replacement for Somerset-tied Arul Suppiah, hung around long to make a top score of 36 as Devon faded away to 154 all out with 11 of their 50 overs to come.

   Spinner Paul James (2-12), an Alphington regular during his time at the University, and left-arm pacer Alex Carroll, who has signed to play for Budleigh Salterton this season, did the damage to Devon in the bottom half of the order.

   University of Exeter 259-9 (C Travers 63, S Allen 30, W Stebbings 34, Extras 60; A Procter 3-31, R Foan 2-29), Devon 154 (A Williams 36, R Dawson 31, D Court 29; T Stayte 3-26, S Bird 2-21, P James 2-12). University of Exeter bt Devon by 105 runs.