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SUNDAY, JULY 20
DEVON were starting out on the comeback trail at the end off the first day of the Minor Counties Championship game against Cheshire at Exmouth.
Bat dominated ball while Cheshire rattled along to 341 for six in the maximum 90 overs allowed in the first innings.
Devon lost opener Aaron Williams in the first over of their reply – he was lbw to left-armer Adam Sydall – and what had already been a difficult day appeared to be taking a turn for the worse.
The other batsmen to perish in the final sessions last night were debutant Lewis Gregory, who was lbw for eight with the score on 28, and skipper Bob Dawson.
By stumps Devon were 63 for three with Rob Holman unbeaten on 29 and nightwatchman Ian Bishop nought not out.
Devon's first target to today is to reach 192 to make Cheshire bat again and avoid the follow-on.
Gregory didn't fare so well when he bowled earlier in the day, although he was by no means alone struggling to bowl a line and length.
Cheshire left-hander Dan Leech was homing in on a century when Gregory came into the attack and licked his lips at a succession of half-trackers.
Six times Gregory dropped it short in two overs – and five times Leech hammered him way to the boundary.
Those five fours prompted an early exit from the attack for Plympton all-rounder Gregory, although he was by no means the only bowler to stray from line and length when bowling to Leech.
Leach went on to make a top score of 154 in Cheshire's impressive total of 341 for six after 90 overs. Along the way he clattered 26 fours – that's 104 in boundaries – and only offered two half chances getting there.
Devon could not have a had a much better start than the one they got: Ian Bishop having opener Johnny Kettle caught behind in the first over.
Leach and skipper Andy Hall pushed the tally on to 54 when Anning tempted the Cheshire captain into a drive and bowled him through the gate.
Another 90 went on the board before Devon saw their next breakthough, the wicket of Ben Spendlove who stepped outside the line to Bishop and was bowled.
James Duffy and Leech punished Devon for bowling short and with a stand of 120 for the fourth wicket that took Cheshire up to 264.
Leech was finally out playing an ungainly reverse paddle shot to spinner James Hudson.
Duffy went on to make 87, but missed out on a century when he was caught at long-on having a thrash at Newman.
It was a classic case of six and out for the burly left-hander, who had deposited the preceding ball from Hudson into the tennis courts beyond the deep mid-wicket boundary.
Hudson, with two for 60 from 17 was the most successful of the Devon bowlers. Scott Barlow, 22 overs for 61 runs, was the most economical.
Cheshire 341-6 (D N Leech 154, J A Duffy 87; J M Hudson 2-60), Devon 63-3 (R J Holman 29no).
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