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SUNDAY, MAY 9
IT was a day of records for Devon as they thumped Berkshire by 142 runs at Instow to keep their Minor Counties KO Cup hopes alive.
Devon, who defeated Berkshire by 40 runs in last season's final to win the cup, hoisted a record-breaking 387 for five in their 50 overs. Chris Mole hit 132, Neil Hancock made a rapid 77 and Rob Holman struck 75 more sedately from 82 balls.
Devon's previous best in this competition was 353 for six against Gloucestershire CB at Combe Dingle in 1999. That was in a 60-over match. The 50-over best was 328 for five against Dorset at Bournemouth in 2007. Mole scored a ton in that game too!
Having softened them up with the bat, Hancock the bowler then performed the hat-trick to stop Berkshire's run chase in its tracks. In three balls they went from 72 for one to 72 for four and the game was over as a contest.
No Devon bowler has taken a hat-trick in this competition since it started in 1983.
Opener Mole was the lynchpin Devon batted around as he gave a text-book display of waiting for the bad ball to come along. He didn't look like getting out until he did, playing a false shot at a full-length delivery from Berkshire skipper Bjorn Mordt. The score was 303 for three at the time.
Opening partner Bob Dawson will no doubt have been curing his luck getting out for 20 on a day when the rest of the top-four batsmen cashed in. Dawson picked up a leg-stump half-volley and helped it on its way to Jono McLean out at deep square leg.
Mole and fellow left-hander Rob Holman pushed the score along to 240 before the next man departed – four runs short (139) of what would have been record Devon stand for the second wicket in the cup.
Holman was the man out: caught at short-cover playing a half shot to Mordt.
Berkshire saw enough of Hancock in last season's final, when he scored 53 off 26 balls, to know what an explosive player he is when the mood takes him.
Yet it was Mole who supplied the pyrotechnics during the stand of 63 with Hancock that took Devon past 300.
Steve Naylor suffered worst of all under Mole's lash as he was clobbered for six four tines in one over. Mole cleared long-on, long-off mid-wicket, finishing off with a massive blow over long-leg.
If Berkshire thought they would get some respite by removing Mole, they were soon made to think again by Hancock's latest onslaught against their bowlers. He reached 50 off 24 balls, went on to 77 off 34 and fired seven fours and six sixes. He was dropped twice in successive ball, but was on 74 and 76 at the time so it didn't make much difference.
Berkshire's challenge was to score at almost eight an over and they gave it their best shot for the first nine. David Barnes was run out by a direct hit from Trevor Anning, but Richard Logan and Jono McLean were up with the clock until Hancock split them up.
McLean was out lbw, Mordt was bowled next ball and a clearly disappointed Nayloe trooped off after umpire Phil Matten judged him lbw as well.
Logan went on to make a top score of 64, but got out hitting out and when he went it was all over bar the shouting.
Victory keeps Devon in the running for a qualification place in the quarter-finals, but they are not there yet. They have to beat Wiltshire at Trowbridge this Sunday – and hope either Herefordshire or Cornwall don't go past them on run rate in the final round of matches.
Devon 387-5 (C M Mole 132, R J Holman 75, N D Hancock 73; B H J Mordt 2-46), Berkshire 245 (R J Logan 64, J C Morris 47; N D Hancock 4-56). Devon (2pts) bt Berkshire (0) by 142 runs.