| Back on Track |
With Bangalore withdrawing at the eleventh hour once again the Isle of Wight Cricket Board came to the rescue of the Festival by putting out a second side at short notice. Devon returned to the Northwood ground, where they played twice last year with real success, to be confronted by a day when the temperature was more suited to early January than late August with the hoody and fleeces back in favour. The Island side included some over age players who had played against the twenty-ones at Exmouth won the toss and invited Devon to bat. Justin Williams, who scored his highest county score against the Island at Axminster, opened with Burke and the pair put on 33 at five an over, when Williams got a leading edge to be caught at mid on. Harry Stephenson, scored 7 off his two scoring shots which was over half of the second wicket partnership of 13, was bowled in the ninth over. |
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Williams is caught, Stephenson bowled, whilst Burke drives his way to a fifty. |
Robert Shergold and Burke put on 79 in eight minutes over the hour when Payne took his third wicket having Burke caught by Parker, for his first under 16 fifty of the season. He hit six fours and batted for one hundred and two minutes. Utilising the remaining 21 overs Devon doubled their score reaching 250. Shergold and Luke Bess put on 35 off 38 balls, Bess was then caught again, Sam Smith’s disappointing spell with the bat continued but Shergold completed an important personal milestone, his maiden county fifty. He was sixth out at 177 for an excellent 64, he hit five fours and two sixes facing 93 balls. At 180 Shane Evenden was caught. Chris Metters and Mark Gilmour then put on an undefeated 70 for the eighth wicket which should have been more if the pair had utilised more of the last few overs, eleven of the last 18 balls were not scored off, and again it was a matter of taking the ones rather than trying to clear the fence. The final score was still considered to be reasonable on not one of the Islands bigger grounds. The Island made no effort to chase at five an over so the important element was that Devon secured the bonus point. Bess rang the changes opening with Evenden and Carr but it was first change Rob Shergold who was cashing in on his luck from Sunday with a first county wicket to add to his maiden fifty. He trapped Burbidge in front in the seventeenth over with the score on 36. One run later Burke held his first slip catch of the week off Gilmour. Burkes fielding at slip throughout the week was outstanding and more than made up for the enforced loss of Cross to the Navy and the Scottish Highlands. Twenty-five were added off 47 balls for the third wicket when Gilmour gave Metters his first wicket, one run Burke again did the business as South Devon’s left arm spinner took his second. Five runs and 33 overs in to the home side’s innings Hose gave Smith another outfield catch and Metters his third wicket Metters now advanced to his second five for of the season when he bowled Parker at 74 and Carr caught Summers on 76. This was the final wicket to fall as Calloway and Andrews batted another 30 minutes, facing 71 balls putting on an undefeated 37. Devon secured the full five points and was back on track. The cool down included high catches which finished with three one handed, Dibble did the double as he cleaned up on the catching and predicted score and he wins the toss next day! Towel of the day went to Rob Shergold. |