It just doesn’t get any better as our fine string of results continued.
Oxford chose to bat on a damp wicket at Axminster CC only for Jack Thomas to continue where he left off against Dorset by bowling the Oxford opener with the first ball of the game!
It set the standard for the rest of the session with tight, aggressive bowling supported by really impressive all-round fielding.
Seb Ansley was the main wicket-taker with 4-29 from his eight overs. Ben Roberts, now showing a lot more confidence, chipped in with 2-15.
The visitors were reduced to 92 all out from their 40 overs.
Openers Marcus Hoddinott and Matthew Skeemer were told to play their natural game and did just that. We strolled past the required total in the 24th over with Skeemer (39) and Hoddinottt (37) both carrying their bat.
It was once again a brilliant team performance with the bowling, fielding and batting spot on. We bowled fewer wides and gave away fewer extras – well kept Gareth Penrice and Dan Powell – and we kept the pressure on the Oxford batters with good concentration levels and intensity in the field.
Batters Hoddinott and Skeemer oozed confidence and quite rightly so. We just need to keep this up with the festival looming.
SCOREBOARD
Oxfordshire 92 (Ansley 4-19, Roberts 2-15), Devon 96-0 (Skeemer 39no, Hoddinott 37no). Devon won by 10 wickets.
Jim Parker
WILTSHIRE v DEVON
At last! Jack. Jack Maunder was bitterly disappointed when he missed out on a century by just a couple of runs against Cornwall. But despair turned to jubilation when he finally reached his milestone in the game at Chippenham CC.
We were put into bat by our hosts and didn’t get off to the best of starts when we lost openers Marcus Hoddinott and Matthew Skeemer, and were dangling on 11-2. But Dan Powell joined Maunder to forge a brilliant 138-run partnership. Jack was eventually out for 103 with Powell carrying his bat for an undefeated and well-deserved 57. We finished on 198-6 from our 45 overs.
To be fair we weren’t at our best in the bowling department but were still too good for the Wiltshire opponents. Dominic Mulberry, Luke Cummins, Seb Ansley and the ever-economical Dom Bess bagged two wickets apiece as the hosts were skittled out for 131.
It was another comprehensive victory and gives us just the right impetus going into the festival. Every player has now contributed in some way or the other in recent games with a string of fine results the reward.
Congrats, Jack. Taunton here we come.
SCOREBOARD:
Devon 198-6 (Maunder 103, Powell 57no), Wiltshire 131 (Mulberry 2-17, Cummins 2-25, Bess 2-12, Ansley 2-20). Devon won by 67 runs.
BERKSHIRE v DEVON
Game called off due to rain
Jim Parker