By Conrad Sutcliffe

DEVON haven't abandoned hope of a third successive Minor Counties Western Division crown despite an eight-wicket pasting by Shropshire at Exmouth yesterday.

   Shropshire, needed just 16 balls in the morning to bowl out Devon for 338 – Andy Procter going from 21 not out to 44 out with a clutch of lusty heaves - and leave themselves the rest of the day to make 80 to win.

   Fourteen overs was all it took to knock off the runs and Devon's only cheer came when Ian Bishop nipped out Chris Martin then Matt Tilt in quick succession to leave Shropshire 20 for two after four overs.

   Tilt was particularly miserable when he trooped off as Bishop had just got him out for a duck for the second time in the match.

   But surviving opener Ed Foster (26no) and first-day centurion Gary Fellows (37no) quickly put Devon out of their misery by taking Shrospshire to victory before the lunch plates had been laid out.

   Devon were joint top with Berkshire going into the latest round of games and anxious not to fall too far behind before the counites play each other at Torquay in three weeks time.

   It was some consolation for Devon skipper Bob Dawson that Berkshire could only draw against Oxfordshire and are only eight points in front. But Cheshire have gone past Devon into joint top spot on the back of a nine-wicket win over Wiltshire. And Shropshire in fourth are only two points behind Devon now and fancy a late tilt at the title themselves.

    Dawson said his overview of the season hadn't changed that much in the wake of the Shropshire defeat.

   “If we win out last two games against Berkshire and Wiltshire then we can still be champions,” said Dawson.

   “Berkshire will be behind us, Cheshire and Shropshire have to keep winning and keep picking up maximum bonus points, which is a tall order.

     “We were neck and neck with Berkshire and always knew when we got them down to Torquay we would have to beat them.

   “Because they have only drawn against Oxfordshire there is a bit of pressure on them now as they have to beat us.

   “Last season we slipped up badly against Cornwall with a game to go, but bounced back to beat Wiltshire and win the division.

   “We have shown how resilient we can be in the past and I am confident we can do it again.”

  Opening batsman Matt Hunt shares Dawson's views about Devon's ability to bounce back, although he concedes they will have to play a lot better against Berkshire.

   “We lost this one on the first day when we bowled badly and fielded poorly,” said Hunt.

   “They bowled well to us, just back of a length making it difficult to score runs and after making us follow-on we were never really in it.”

     Shropshire 440-7 (G M Fellows 161, J T Ralph 109, E J Foster 68; A J Procter   2-128) & 80-2 (G M Fellows 37no), Devon 181 (N D Hancock 52, A J Pugh 48; N J Clewley 4-65, D N Catterall 5-30) & 338 (N D Hancock 101, C M Mole 77, A J Procter 44,   D N Catterall 3-56, N J Clewley 4-84).