- South Dartmoor back to winning ways in cups
- Tom Allin tournament raised more than £5,000 for air ambulance
- Taverners kit bag delivered to Sri Lankan youngsters
- Devon trying to contact the class of 56
- Paceman Tshepo running in Virgin London Marathon
- Five Devon women in Western Storm squad for Kia Super League
- Registration night for all ages at Topsham on Monday
- Lots pouring in for auction at Allin Memorial tournament
- Thames Valley Gentlemen Cricket Club
- Bradninch add Argentinian flavour to Devon League
- Ipplepen youth registration night on Friday
- Final call for Groundsmans first seminar this year
- Devon League official tackling London Marathon for charity
- Bovey on familiar territory in Aaron Printers Cup
- Brockman Cup - Cup Kings lie in wait for holders
- Shepherd Trust helps Kingsbridge build for sustainable future
- DCL - Umpire Appointments 2016 (May 7th - July 2nd)
- Long standing records beaten
- North Devon see off Paignton chase
SKIPPER Neil Hancock is one of a number of players hoping their bosses will look kindly on them for more time off after Devon beat Berkshire with a day to spare to reach the Minor Counties Championship play-off game next month.
Devon thrashed Berkshire by 10 wickets at Sidmouth on Monday to win the Western Division title for the first time since 2006.
Their prize is a crack at Eastern Division champions Cambridgeshire – they beat Staffordshire to win – in a four-day game at March CC staring on September 4.
Hancock is going to need extra time off work to play in the game – and he isn’t the only one. Rob Holman, Chris Bradley and Rob Woodman are among those needing to beg some extra time off work.
Keeper-batter Matt Thompson, one of the stars of the win over Berkshire is due to go on holiday while the match is on and is already working on rearranging his flights.
Said Hancock: “There are going to be a lot of phone calls to bosses over the next few days from the guys who need a bit more time off.
“A couple of the lads have relatively new jobs and they are the ones who will find it hardest.
“Being a four-day game as well means it is Thursday by the time everyone gets back to work, which is most of the week gone if you are the boss.
“Such are the joys of amateur cricket, but we have a squad of players and there are people to come in if we need them.”
Devon’s win over Berkshire was a dramatic affair which went to extra time at the end of day two. Berkshire were nine wickets down when time expired at 7pm on Monday, but the rules allowed Devon to claim an extra 30 minutes to get a result.
Scott Barlow needed one ball to get the last man out, which left Devon five overs to make 23 to win. Holman and James Burke knocked them off in 15 balls.
When wickets were tumbling before lunch – six went reaching 251 for seven – Devon were 28 behind Berkshire on first innings and looking wobbly.
A stand of 102 between Hancock and Torquay’s Thompson got Devon 85 runs ahead on first innings and made it possible to win the match.
“If you had said to me at lunch we would win the game by the end of the day, I would not have believed it,” said Hancock.
“Matt and myself were lucky enough to get a few runs when they were needed and make a difference to the game.
“I was quite happy to let him get on with working the strike and keeping the scoreboard going – he’s good at that – then I had had a bash in the last 10 overs or so.
“A lead of 85 was reasonable – and whey we had Berskshire 24 for three at tea I thought we might get them out for 200 ish and knock them off the following day.
“What I didn’t expect was to roll them so easily, so credit to Josh Bess and Trevor Anning at the start, then Chris Bradley and Scott Barlow for finishing them off.
“We held almost everything in the match – only one catch went down – and that made a massive difference.
“Putting Josh in at slip worked really well as he took five in the match – four of them belters. Bob (Dawson) and myself have been in there up to now, but it’s time for the old guys to get out and let the young ‘uns have a go.”