Alley was run out by a direct throw. Keeper Smith, with a finger injury was forced to give up the gauntlets first to Buzza, which was not that sensible in view of his finger injury the previous week and then after tea to the ever eager Tom Whittle. Tea was taken at 213-7 when Acton caught Walker off Orchard. Suddenly Somerset were 218 all out with the new keeper catching Green first ball after the interval off Orchard, Whittle then in the Justin Yau school of keeping stumped Neal off Wakeley knocking the stumps out of the ground and sanity was fortunately restored when Orchard gave Wakely his second wicket. A declaration was unnecessary as Devon would chase 206 for an outright win in 42 overs at just under 5 an over. With the side’s main chaser, Robbie Debenham, either in Spain or Portugal this week, it would be necessary for one or two of the sides batsmen to put together a big innings. It was not to be despite some fine batting. Neal with Jenkins help removed the leading Devon under 17 batsman Fletcher at 8, his age group colleague Tidball went at 23 and eventually James Parkin fell at 41 after 16 overs. Parkin is in one of those terrible runs, he is not moving his feet which in the past his fast hands have got him out of similar trouble but for the first time in county cricket he is under real pressure. He gutted it out for an hour reaching 18 out of 41. Luke Bess and keeper Whittle put on 41 with Bess playing the innings needed if a win was to be achieved. Whittle was caught off Eggbeer’s first ball but without the criticism of the day before and the home side looked to have problems drawing the game let alone achieving an outright win. Bess was lbw at 123 off Eggbeer's first ball of his fifth and final over for a fine 52 ball 48 (10 fours) and thoughts of an outright loss now entered the thinking. Acton was continuing from where he had left off in the morning, with Smith now out of the batting line up, Harris was promoted, he bashed it for a 10 ball 9 and was caught off Neal. Buzza was bowled second ball leaving Devon 141-7 with ten overs left. At first Evenden and Acton were cautious but as the fields got more attacking so did the batters who put on an undefeated 56 leaving Devon only nine runs short at another late close of play – 7.25pm. Hopefully Devon will appreciate why they are required to bowl at 17 an hour! Acton was not out for 67 off only 63 balls (ten fours) and Evenden batted for 48 minutes in reaching 15 off 34 balls in an innings of great benefit to his side. In the end a fair result with many more pluses than negatives, the side were committed to the cause sticking to the task and the day ended with the unlucky Billy Wakely missing out on the Festival. With 75 overs needed from the spinners in 2007 his chance may come again. This game was a personal triumph for Eliot Acton who scored 120 in the match without being dismissed and led the side with guile.

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