- 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
OXFORDSHIRE v DEVON – DAY TWO
Day one report | Day two podcast
JAMES Burke was cruelly denied his maiden Minor Counties century as Devon piled up the runs against Oxfordshire at Great & Little Tew.
Burke (pictured with Bob Dawson) was four runs short of a century when he hit a full-toss to short mid-wicket.
A ton looked there for the taking and no one knew it better than Burke himself
“It should have gone a long way, but I just didn’t hit it right,” said the disappointed opener.
In the overall context of the game 96 as good as a hundred for Devon, who were 381 runs ahead when Burke got out.
Roger Newman, Devon’s director of cricket, said Burke should try to be pleased to get 96, not disappointed to miss out on a ton.
“Your should always enjoy your achievements even if they don’t match your ambitions,” said Newman.
“Now James has got so close to a hundred I hope he will be spurred on to actually get one.”
Oxfordshire, 52 for six overnight, resisted Devon’s bowlers long enough to avoided the follow on.
It didn’t look that way at first as Jamie Overton bagged three wickets in a row as Oxfordshire deteriorated to 68 for nine.
Last pair Ashley Blanchard (27no) and Matt Taylor (15) put up a fight long enough to save the follow on by three runs.
David Lye needed just four balls to remove Taylor and put Devon in again with a 146-run lead.
Openers Burke and Rob Woodman made a brisk start, but with 28 on the board Woodman came out to drive Taylor and was caught in the offside.
Burke and Lye added 62 for the second wicket and neither looked like getting out until Lye did.
Chad Keegan bowled a long-hop which Lye pulled to mid-wicket.
Burke and former captain Bob Dawson then took total control of the bowling in a third-wicket partnership of 138.
It wasn’t quite chanceless as Oxfordshire started to get a little ragged in the field from all the leather chasing inflicted on them.
Burke got to 50 off 101 balls and had been in for 11 minutes longer than three hours when he got out.
Dawson, who when he was hitting the spinners into the trees earlier on looked like overtaking Burke from a standing start also got out to a full-toss, which he smashed to the fielder at long-leg.
Devon declared at 291 for seven, leaving Oxfordshire a full day plus 15 overs to make 438 to win.
When bad light stopped play in the penultimate over last night, Oxfordshire had reduced the deficit by 32 runs for the loss of opener Damian Shirazi, who was lbw to Trevor Anning offering no shot.
Devon 251 (N D Hancock 63, R J Woodman 32, C Overton 26; C B Keegan 6-54) & Devon 291-7 dec (J E Burke 81, R I Dawson 66; D F Lye 36), Oxfordshire105 (A R Blanchard 27; J Overton 3-42, T S Anning 2-19, C Overton 2-10).
Bonus points: Devon 6, Oxfordshire 4.
