Gwent at Bradninch C.C on Tuesday 6th June, 2006 won by 88 runs

Under more hot, sunny skies, Matt Thompson again won the toss and chose to bat on a hard and bouncy wicket. There was a fair amount of movement with the new ball, but Thompson and Luke Tuckett coped with all the Gwent quickies offered. The innings went off like a train with Mr Extras seriously outscoring the batters – but an opening partnership of 50 was a good platform and it proved to be the best partnership of the innings. Luke Tuckett was first to go, playing over the top of a good yorker. Matt Hickey joined Thompson and pushed the score along to 76 in the 20th over when Thompson was trapped lbw. Will Gater strode to the crease and for just over 7 overs traded almost solely in boundaries whilst Hickey quietly fed him the strike. Having hit a lost-ball 6 into an adjoining field Gater was then tied down with six consecutive dot balls – succumbing on the 7th to a catch behind. By now with spin operating at both ends the next 6 overs only yielded 11 runs and the wicket of Henry Parkin. Was it to be another mid-innings stall? At 133 for 4 off 34 overs with only 11 to go the run rate needed something of an injection.....which it duly got from Miles Lenygon and latterly debutant Michael Collinge. Devon scored 63 off the next eight overs and wrested back the initiative. In the midst of all this Matt Hickey was patiently ticking over at one end doing a really good job for his side. Just reward for this vigilance would have been at least a half century or perhaps a not out. However in the mad scramble of the last 3 overs he was one of three wickets to fall – caught for a dependable 43. Devon closed on 213 for 9, 80 of these coming off the last eleven overs. Top scorer was Mr Extras (67), as the Gwent bowlers bowled 29 extra balls in the innings.

Hickey and Alex Carr opened up for Devon and the accuracy and control were there right from the start. Hickey coped very well with running in down the slope and only overstepped twice. They were an ideal combination as Carr bowled with a nagging length and accuracy whilst Hickey was occasionally very awkward and lively. In the seventh over there was breakthrough as Cleeve failed to spot Hickey’s slower ball and drove an overhead catch straight to Will Gater at short mid-off. Hickey got the next ball to leap up at the dangerous Hassan who appeared to fend it off to Miles Lenygon at slip. Although given out Hassan was unconvinced but at 15-2 Gwent were reeling.

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