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Dorset’s track record of actually playing at Axminster has not been the most promising. For the past three years they have travelled and not a ball has been bowled. Although rain brought the game to a premature conclusion at tea on the second day, a result was achieved. Not the result hoped for by the home side but nevertheless much was achieved over the 144 overs bowled. Devon won the toss and Matt Thompson opted to bat. This innings will be remembered for Elliot Rice’s maiden hundred in only his second appearance for the county. The captain was the first to leave in a manner that seems to be increasing, with the score on 5 he was run out at the bowler’s end backing up. His partner Barney Huxtable’s straight drive was deflected by bowler Salt. Seventeen runs later Huxtable was also out when Khan bowled him for ten. Number three Miles Lenygon followed on 32 trapped leg before by Salt. Devon was now in difficulty when in the twenty-second over they were four down for 49. Pressure was building as three maiden overs were bowled before Zach Bess succumbed for a sixty-eight ball 27. Lunch was taken after 32 overs with the scoreboard reading 80-4 as Cameron Grainger and Elliott Rice stabilised the ship. Their partnership was worth 89 when Grainger was caught for a one hundred and five ball 43. The increasing maturity of Grainger’s batting was clearly visible in this important innings. The pair had put on the best fifth wicket partnership of the summer. Rice’s batting was a revelation as he demonstrated the vital art of knowing your own strengths and batting within them. In tandem with his Budleigh colleague, Charlie Morris, he reached his maiden county fifty (107 balls) as the score was advanced to 183 before Morris was the second leg before for 26. Their forty-five run partnership was the highest sixth wicket contribution of the summer. The Paignton all rounder Connor Bryan and Rice put on the second highest partnership of the season, 97 off one hundred and twenty balls, with Bryan particularly dominant, reaching his fifty in forty-eight minutes off sixty-seven balls. On the charge he was stumped with Devon now nearly fully recovered at 276-7. Rice was progressing towards his hundred, just ten runs short at the demise of Connor Bryan. Matthew Kidd entered the arena with a similar instruction to the one he received in the Foundation game and he did not let his captain down. The three hundred was passed as Kidd clouted twenty off ten with eighteen in sixes. Rice was still one short of his landmark when Kidd was Jaques’ second stumping victim. Rice reached his hundred in the company of a fellow under 16, Tom Dyer. The skipper felt that 311 was sufficient and at 5.17pm he called his batsmen in. Elliott Rice was unbeaten on 101 (191 minutes, 169 balls, 18 fours) and had demonstrated tremendous maturity far above his age. Thompson was confident in the 18 overs remaining he would make some inroads into the opposition. Only one wicket was taken as Dorset cantered to 84 at 4.66 an over. The wicket to fall was after seven overs when Morris bowled Evans with Dorset on 38.
This was not a normal Dorset side as they have now started utilising their educational establishments including their universities. On the second day Devon were immediately put under the cosh, as Hasted and Khan put on 189 for the second wicket in one hundred and fifty-eight minutes off two hundred and seventy-six balls. Hasted was Charles Morris’s second wicket caught Huxtable for 89 two and a half minutes before lunch. Last ball before the interval Morris took his third wicket when Butler was caught by Toby Ingham. Dorset were now two hundred and twenty-seven for three off fifty-four overs. Devon had nearly clawed their way back into the game but Khan was firing on all cylinders! In the fourth over after an excellent salad, Morris took his fourth and final wicket when Ingham took his second catch to remove the visitor’s keeper/captain Jacques. Twelve had been added and it was obvious that the wicket of Khan was the vital one and would determine the final result. His fifty had come off sixty-nine balls, sixty-three later he had passed three figures and he was unbeaten as his side passed their target. On 268 Tom Dyer took his first wicket when Toby Ingham completed his own hat trick. However the sixth wicket pairing had taken the score up to 318 when Dyer bowled Khan four short of a rare personal milestone. His 146 had been off two hundred and twelve balls with twenty-three fours, he had totally dominated the Devon attack. One more wicket fell before rain brought a conclusion to the game. In the final over before tea Huxtable did it again as golden arm was brought on and he bowled Allam with his fourth ball with the Dorset score now on 324. Heavy rain brought the game to an end with most of the honours going to Dorset. However Morris, Grainger, Rice and Bryan should have been pleased with their own exploits. Scorecard |
