The victorious Devon team after thier win at Manor Park, Norwich
MINOR COUNTIES TROPHY - SEMI FINALS
(Sunday, July 13)
DEVON are on their way to Lord's again after beating Norfolk by 52 runs in yesterday's Minor Counties Trophy semi-final in Norwich.
Norfolk appeared to have the upper hand after dismissing Devon for 190 in the last of their 50 overs – spinner Chris Rogers claiming a personal competition best of five for 30 in the process.
Devon produced a bowling and fielding display out of the top draw to dismiss Norfolk for 138 in reply – Paignton spinner James Hudson mopping up at the end with to finish with four for 39.
Devon needed early wickets to be competitive defending a below-par total – and Trevor Anning delivered two before Norfolk reached double figures.
Carl Amos was caught by a sprawling Chris Mole at square-leg then Rogers couldn't resist nibbling at a width ball he should have left alone and edged a catch to keeper Sandy Allen.
Ian Bishop got in on the act when he had former Kent pro Trevor Ward caught at short cover by Hudson, leaving Norfolk 10 for three.
Skipper Bob Dawson later said the getting Ward out was the turning point of the game.
“Amos, Rogers and Ward are the three players who have scored most runs for Norfolk this season so they were big wickets,” said Dawson.
“When Ward got out you could almost see panic setting in.
“It wasn't the easiest track to bat on and I felt then the only way Norfolk could win was if we threw it away. We didn't.”
Jake Mickelburg defied Devon for 103 balls while he made 75 in a losing cause, but no one other than Chris Borrett made more than 14 in support.
Tight bowling by Scott Barlow and James Hudson nudged Norfolk into six then seven an over territory to win – and wickets were falling as well.
Once Mickleburg got out the tail collapsed as the final three wickets went without a run added in a total of 138 all out.
Dawson top scored for Devon with 77, but only Neil Hancock offered any long-term support with 34.
First out for Devon was opener Mole, who went fishing outside the line to Ian Slegg and was caught behind for 17 of the 46 on the board.
Neil Bettis came and went in the space of three balls – same bowler, same method of dismissal – which left Dawson and Hancock to get on with it.
Dawson dealt with bad balls savagely, driving and pulling with little or no mercy, and other than a difficult chance in the 30s when Ward dropped him at gulley barely played a rash shot.
The captain got out just as Devon were trying shake off the shackles spinners Chris Brown and Rogers were trying to impose on them. Daswon tried to work Amos through mid-wicket and was caught at full grovel by Jake Mickelburgh.
Hancock was next to go – caught inches inside the mid-wicket boundary playing a short born out of frustration.
Amos and Rogers did a good containing job - between the 30 th and 40 th overs they only gave away 23 runs – and Hancock got out trying to take the game to them with a pre-meditated heave.
After Hancock went there were bits and pieces from Allen and Annning – the both made 15 – and a couple of disappointments as well.
Quick scoring David Lye copied Dawson's way of getting out. Hudson, fresh from a maiden century in the three-day game against Dorset, looked in control before scooping the easiest of catches back to Rogers.
Waiting for Devon in the final are Berkshire, who beat Oxfordshire in yesterday's other semi-final.
Devon have appeared in five previous Lord's finals – registering wins in 1992, 1994 and 1998. Yesterday's victory was sweet revenge for the 2001 final, in which Devon lost to Norfolk by 114 runs. Dawson, Lye and Bishop all played in that match.
Devon last appearance in the final of the competition was in 2002 when it was staged at Worcester. They lost that one by two wickets to Warwickshire's Board XI.
Devon 190 (R I Dawson 77, N D Hancock 34; C J Rogers 5-30, C Brown 2-25, I R Skegg 2-29), Norfolk 138 (J C Mickleburgh 75; J M Hudson 4-39, T S Anning 2-21). Devon bt Norfolk by 52 runs.
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