Devon Cricket Board - Berkshire hit by bans for West decider

Berkshire hit by bans for West decider

DEVON have been warned not to throw away their hopes of winning the Minor Counties by regarding Berkshire as easy pickings in the Western Division decider starting at Sidmouth tomorrow.

Berkshire top the table by eight points from second-placed Devon with one game to go – and could win the title if they avoid defeat.

Devon have to win to claim their first Western Division title since 2006 as they can’t earn enough bonus points in a drawn game to get ahead of Berkshire.

There is everything to play for, although for Berkshire the build up to the game has been hampered by discipline issues.

Berkshire have been in deep hot water with the Minor Counties authorities in the wake of their game against Oxfordshire at Banbury two weeks ago.

Three players skipper Bjorn Mordt, all-rounder Steve Naylor and spinner Carl Crowe have all been banned and will miss the match.

Phil August, from the Minor Counties executive said: “Crowe and Naylor were charged with unjustified, unacceptable and persistent noisy behaviour aimed at batsmen, having refused requests to stop.

“Naylor also has an additional two-match ban for using foul language in the pavilion after being given out.

“Mordt is responsible as captain for not controlling his players and he also received a charge for showing dissent at an umpiring decision.”

That’s quite a catalogue of calamities for Berkshire – and they have further team selection problems as former Middlesex all-rounder Chris Peplowe is in the Unicorns’ squad to play Somerset at Taunton tomorrow.

That’s four key players missing – Crowe in particular has been a thorn in Devon’s side more than once – and hints at Devon being favourites.

That sort of thinking worries Roger Newman, Devon’s director of cricket, who can’t Berkshire letting the title slip away from them without a fight.

“Berkshire will be angry, wounded animals when they get to Sidmouth – and we all know how dangerous they can be,” said Newman.

“The biggest mistake we can make is to think as Berkshire are depleted they won’t be putting up that much of a fight.

“If we think like that we will probably lose – and would deserve to for that matter.

“ Berkshire aren’t top of the table because of three of four players, but because they are a good team.

“Sean Udal is playing for them and it isn’t that long ago he was playing for England and captain of Middlesex.

“It is clear Berkshire mean business as they have managed to get Dan Housego released by Middlesex to play in the game.

“He’s a Berkshire lad from Windsor – a batter who went through the Middlesex Academy and has been playing First Class cricket this season.

“I have got no problem with that at all – just wish our neighbouring counties would show us the same consideration when we ask them to release players back to us.

“We have been chasing Berkshire ever since the first round of fixtures, when they beat Cornwall in two days and we drew a rain-affected game against Dorset.

“We have had to work hard to get this close to Berkshire and give ourselves a chance. It would be foolish to throw in away by making the mistake of underestimating the opposition.

Devon beat Shropshire two weeks ago to close the gap on Berkshire without skipper Neil Hancock due to injury, and seamer Scott Barlow, who had to work.

Both are added to the XI that overcame Shropshire, which will mean two players dropping out to accommodate them.

Will Gater and Charles Morris, who were stand-ins against Shropshire, would appear vulnerable, although Newman said it would be hard leaving either out as they were part of a winning team in the last game.

This year’s final, if Devon get through, will be against either Cambridgeshire or Staffordshire from the Eastern Division.

Curiously, they are also playing each other in a winner-takes-all fixture, which is at Wisbech.

Devon (from): J E Burke (Budleigh S), R J Holman (Exeter), R J Woodman (Taunton Deane), R I Dawson (Budleigh), J J Bess, N D Hancock (both Sidmouth), D F Lye (Exmouth), W H Gater (Sidmouth), T S Anning (Sidmouth), C Bradley (Bovey T), M W Thompson (Torquay), S Barlow, C A J Martin (both Budleigh).

Berkshire: M D Y Roberts, D E Barnes, J J McLean, C P Crowe, J C Morris, D M Housego, S D Udal, E E Brock, S R Davison, T W Parsons, S J Wheeler. 12th: T P Dellor.

Umpires: C T Puckett & J G Reed.

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