Devon Cricket Board - Dawson hits ton in Devon draw

Dawson hits ton in Devon draw

TUESDAY, JUNE 23
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DEVON captain Bob Dawson played the anchorman role with an unbeaten century as the game against Dorset fizzled out into a draw.

Dorset left Devon a target of 404 to win in what would have been 92 overs had it gone the full distance. It didn’t. At 246 for five with six overs to go Dawson and opposite number Tom Hicks decided there was no prospect of a result and shook hands on a draw.

Dawson said after the match Dorset had batted too long to keep the game alive and hadn’t attacked strongly enough from the start of the last innings to force a result.

“They needed to dangle a bit more of a carrot and we might have gone for them,” said Dawson.

“Had it been 50 less with another 20 minutes to get them we would probably have gone for them. I might have got out playing a few more shots – and the might have got a few more wickets with more attacking fields at the start.

“Dorset out-batted and out-bowled us for the first two days, but on the third we came back well and did enough to deserve not to lose.”

Hicks was things slightly differently, although admitted he may have been over-optimistic about bowling Devon out to win the game.

“I don’t think we batted too long as we had to be in a position where we could not lose,” said Hicks.

“What I didn’t realise was just how difficult it was going to be to bowl Devon out on what was a pretty flat track.

“I felt the attack we had could force a win, especially as Devon played some injudicious shots in their first innings.”

Dorset, who resumed on 182 for four in their second innings, cracked on to 311 for five in 16 overs before skipper Hicks decided he had enough on the board.

Chris Jones, 73 not out overnight, hurtled to his century and carried on to 110 before David Lye got him out.

Chris Park advanced from 11 not out to an unbeaten 86 in a flurry of shots as he took Devon’s bowlers to task.

Devon’s first man out on the chase was Dan Bowser, who was on 29 when Matt Metcalfe bowled him.

Surviving opener Anthony Griffiths went next, unlucky on 13 when Metcalf snared him lbw with a ball that kept low.

Devon were 43 for two when Griffiths got out, which brought James Burke out to join Dawson. Their stand of 54 took Devon through to lunch at 60 for two and on to 97 for three when Burke was caught at slip by Aaron Williams off Hicks.

The bulk of the afternoon session was taken up by a partnership worth 77 between Dawson and Lye which left Dorset too much to do after tea to win the game.

Sandy Allen helped Dawson see Devon through to tea without further mishap after Lye was bowled by spinner Glyn Tregus for 47. By rights he cshould have been there at the end with his skipper.

However, Dawson got stuck in the 90s (it took him 14 balls to go from 98 to 100) so Allen tried to chivvy him along by taking a single.

Dawson wasn’t about to risk missing a ton when he was on 99 and when Allen realised that it was time to to a U-turn, Ed Denham’s throw got to keeper Chris Park before Allen reached the crease.

Dawson reached his century in the next over from Hicks when he hoisted his opposite number for six over square leg.

Dawson finished unbeaten 105, his 12^th Minor Counties century. He faced 216 balls getting it and hit 18 fours and three sixes.

Dorset 320 (N G Park 118, C R Jones 46, N Baker 56; C L Metters 4-67, G R Chappell 4-65) & 311-5 (G R Tregus 44, C R Jones 110, C L Park 86no; A J Dibble 2-65, D F Lye 2-66), Devon 228 (J E Burke 69, D J Bowser 37, R I Dawson 53; P M Warren 5-45, P S Jones 4-68) & 246-6 (R I Dawson 105no; D F Lye 47, D J Bowser 29; M J Metcalfe 2-38). Dorset (11pts) drew with Devon (10).

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773