Devon v Dorset

at Sidmouth C C

Gater continues in fine form

Devon continued on their impressive 2004 campaign with a hard fought victory over Dorset at the lovely seaside ground of Sidmouth.

Dorset won the toss and elected to bat. A tight opening spell of eight overs from Carr and Toland yielded just 13 runs. Local boy Paris Pinney then came on to claim two wickets on his home ground to leave Dorset on 31-2. A third wicket stand of 54 restored some momentum to the visitors batting before the spinners Lenygon and Debenham tightened things up again. Debenham took 2-27 from 10 overs and Lenygon 1-19 from eight. Will Gater and Nathan Bulley also picked up a wicket as Dorset closed on 158-7 from their allotted 45 overs.

The Devon openers found it equally hard to score early on as they struggled against probably the best bowling they have seen this summer.

Things got worse when Luke Tuckett had to retire hurt, Mattthew Hickey was then trapped lbw for a duck and Henry Parkin was then injured and also had to retire. Devon were effectively 6-3 in the eigth over.

Will Gater joined Lewis Gregory and together they shared a stand of 82 before Gregory fell for 29. Gater went on to make a deserved 52 before an unbeaten stand of 63 between Matthew Thompson 26no and James Toland 33no secured a five wicket victory in the 30th over.