| The weather had the final say in this game when it intervened at eleven fifteen on the second day. Despite the best efforts of Dave Fouracre and Exmouth play did not start again until ten to three and forty-one overs were lost. The possibility of a first innings result was thus substantially reduced. Exmouth were there delightful selves, with their own marquee now erected. Josh Mailling won the toss and Devon batted. They reached lunch with no wickets lost and eighty-eight runs scored. The first over after lunch was a maiden, one off the second and Penrice was bowled on the second ball of the third – annoying as he had done much of the spade work in the two hour session before lunch. His partner Josh Mailling had started on booster with thirteen runs off the first nine balls he received, he did not then hold back and scored forty-seven off his first thirty-eight balls, indeed his fifty came off forty-seven deliveries so he cleared his first hurdle the thirties in style. He was joined by Ryan Rickard and they took their side up to 102 when Rickard was out. The third wicket pairing put on ten when Wyatt-Haines experienced a rare failure. Davies and Mailling contributed another seventeen runs but Devon was in some difficulty at 129-4 after forty-nine overs when the captain was bowled for an impressive 67. Still he had not batted on when he appeared in prime form. Davies and Dart started to stem the tide as they put on sixty-six taking their side up to 195. Five short of the second bonus point Davies was out for a seventy-four ball forty-six with five fours and a six. His partner lasted nine more balls when he also fell to Donald for thirty-one. He had batted for nine minutes over the hour, Devon now were very much on the back foot at 202-6 off sixty-five overs. It became 211-8 with Higgs and Bess contributing two runs, both scored by the former. Fortunately Popham and Kerton responded to the crisis as they put on sixty-four for the ninth wicket off one hundred and nine balls. This broke by one run the previous record set at Taunton Vale against Somerset two years earlier by Brown and Booking. Hallam Kerton reached his fifty off seventy balls but most disappointingly got out next ball. Paul Heard joined his North Devon friend and they added ten taking Devon up to an unsatisfactory 285. Heard was bowled leaving Popham on seventeen. The wicket fell in the ninety-second over leaving Wales nine overs to safely negotiate before close of play. This was achieved without any alarms and their target had been reduced by twenty.
The next day was atypical of 2012 overcast and the real likelihood of rain. This duly arrived five overs in with Wales now two hundred and fifty-two behind with ten wickets in hand. Lunch and tea were taken and it got a bit sparky as the Exmouth ground team suffered some abuse from the opposition. Wales were under a little pressure as they had lost their previous game with Worcestershire when both sides had agreed to take it to an outright win which set up the midland side for the summer. Thanks to the efforts of Dave Fouracre and his team play started at ten to four and Wales needed to score at just over six and Devon had to take ten wickets. The game ended in a draw with Devon taking six wickets having reduced Wales at one stage to 182-6 and Wales eventually then falling fifty-six short. It was a long session and it took Devon sixteen overs to take their first wicket when Stephens bowled Coates. The openers had put on eighty-four and the second pairing put on forty-four when Stephens took his second wicket with a catch from Penrice removing the captain Jones. This was in their forty-third over, the thirty-fourth of the day and there remained twenty-seven overs in the day. The run rate required had dropped just below six with Wood a major danger being unbeaten on sixty-three. The sides other off spinner Dom Bess, now back from a successful West of England Festival and attracting interest from Worcestershire took the third wicket trapping the keeper Jones leg before. Wood had advanced to 68 and the score to 142. Kerton took the key wicket in the fifty-third over thanks to a stunning catch from keeper Davies diving full length to his right. Wood was out for 85. Two quick wickets then fell - the fifth at one eighty Donald leg before to Stephens, the discovery of the summer, and two runs later Bull was out in a similar manner to Kerton. At 182-6 with eighty-eight balls left the home side scented victory and set appropriate fields. This allowed Francis and Ace to put on forty-seven in ten minutes under the hour. Jamie Stephens took 3-60 off eighteen and Hallam Kerton 2-23 off ten to complete a fine all round game.Mailling had employed eight bowlers including the Dart. The new caterers the T-Hut supplied splendid fare and Exmouth as always excellent.
The one day game the next day, that had been moved from the flooded Budleigh to Heathcoat, did not get started another result for the 2012 summer! |
