WELL what can I say?
Weeks of encouraging the team to bat with freedom, confidence and energy were well and truly taken on board – in scintillating fashion.
We were stuck in on a good Torquay track – enter skipper Marcus Hoddinott.
Marcus has performed well with the bat in previous games and was due a big score. He delivered.
He and Matthew Skeemer – opening for the first time for the county – put on 70 for the first wicket and we never looked back. It was just the start we needed.
In came Jack Maunder to join Marcus and between them they put on a breath-taking174 for the second wicket with an array of attacking shots backed up with excellent running.
Marcus went on to get his well-deserved ton and finish undefeated on 103 after 155 minutes at the crease. A marathon and momentous effort.
Jack fell just two runs short of his century which was a huge pity. But we are confident there’ll be another chance not too far away.
Well done and congratulations to both lads.
Cornwall were never going to get anywhere near out total. Jack Thomas and Sam Boddington gave us a steadying opening start with the ball. It was Todd Rossouw(2-23), Dominic Bess(2-11) and especially Dominic Mulberry (3-12) who ripped the heart out of the visitors' middle order. Cornwall finished on 153-9.
It was a superb all-round performance with bat and ball, supported again by some sharp fielding.
We have now set exceptionally high standards. The challenge now is to maintain them.
SCOREBOARD
Devon 286-5 (Hoddinott 103no, Maunder 98, Skeemer 19), Cornwall 153-9 (Thomas 1-17, Boddington 1-26, Rossouw 2-23, Bess 2-11, Mulberry 3-12). Devon won by 133 runs.
Jim Parker