MAY 2, 2009
DEVON can take a big step towards a place in the quarter-finals of the Minor Counties KO Cup by beating Herefordshire at Colwall tomorrow (11am).
Holders Devon made a winning start in Group Three when they defeated Cornwall by 44 runs at Exmouth last Sunday, while Herefordshire were taking a 120-run hammering by Wiltshire.
Devon captain Bob Dawson sees Berkshire and Wiltshire as the rivals to worry about in the group, but has concerns about Herefordshire as well.
The form book says Devon ought to win, but Dawson is always uneasy about Herefordshire, whose playing strength can fluctuate from match to match.
“Generally we have had the better of our games with Herefordshire in recent seasons and I would want that run to continue,” said Dawson.
“What you worry about is who is going to be playing for them as they seem to have access to a lot of players in and around the Birmingham area.
“When you meet them one year your might only recognise two or three players from the last time you played them.
“Herefordshire is an important game to win if we want to qualify for the quarter-finals and qualify as the top team.
“The top team is at home in the quarter-finals, which would suit us much better than last season, when we got to Lord's the hard way by winning in Cheshire and Norfolk because we were second in our group.
“I would much rather roll out of bed on a Sunday morning and rock up at Exmouth half an hour later than drive halfway across the country the night before.
“Qualification is our first aim though and it is realistic to expect that with three wins from four games. Our toughest games are yet to come, so we don't want to put pressure on ourselves by losing this one.”
Dawson won't have Budleigh Salterton paceman Ian Bishop at his disposal for the next three games as he is serving a five-week suspension imposed by the Devon League.
Paignton's off-spinning all-rounder James Hudson has been accepted for the military academy at Sandhurst for officer training and is confined to barracks until late June or early July.
Opening batsman Chris Mole is fit after missing the Cornwall game due to injury.
That leaves two places in the 12 to fill, which have gone to Sidmouth seamer Will Murray and Exeter spin bowler Adam Gribble.
‘When we last played up there two years ago the wicket was slow and dead with little in it for the bowlers,' said Dawson.
‘You don't want someone bowling too quickly as all that will do is help the batsmen score runs.
‘You want the nagging line and length of an accurate medium pacer or spinner, which forces the batsman to go after them to score runs.
‘Will and Adam are proven league bowlers who don't give away many free hits, which makes them ideal for this game.'
Herefordshire (probable): A P Sutton, S A Wedge, C W Boroughs, L E W Sellers, O Griffiths, D D Bassett, H V Patel, H J Langford, H R Jones, F H Shahid, I D Stevenson.
Devon : R I Dawson, A P W Allen (both Budleigh), R J Holman (Weston), C M Mole (Cuckfield), N D Hancock (Sidmouth), D G Court (Weybridge), D F Lye (Exmouth), L Gregory (Plympton), T S Anning (Sidmouth), W B R Murray (Sidmouth), A J Gribble (Exeter), S Barlow (Sidmouth).
Umpires : J C Lofthouse & J Wilkinson