Encouragingly the players were asking themselves – How did we loose that one? Where did we go wrong? Hopefully some of the answers will be resolved over the next two paragraphs. In very uncertain conditions, the two previous days under 21 games had been called off without travelling, as the 2007 summer returned with a vengeance, Matt Hickey inserted Haberdashers. Jenkins and Patel batted for eleven overs without any apparent problems although sixteen overs were lost in this period to one very heavy shower and one less persistent. The openers were scoring at 4.36 when Patel was caught by Carr off Hickey’s fourth ball of his final over of his first spell. Another 42 were added in ten overs for the second wicket as the visitors were scoring at a very acceptable rate, at least from their point of view. It was a smart run out by Ryan Stevenson and Matt Thompson that broke the spell and sent back the second opener. It had been all left arm seam from the town end as Peter Steer replaced the captain who had turned to spin at the pavilion end, initially from Tom Field, then after four overs to Jonathan Debenham. This was a good spell for Devon as Alex Carr replaced Steer after two overs into the second half of the visitor’s innings as both innings had now been reduced to 42. Debenham bowled his full quota of nine. In the twenty-fifth over Debenham bowled a wicket maiden having the visitor’s captain very well caught by Will Gater in an over the shoulder job, Gater made good ground and demonstrated the standard of catching required at this level. The score was now 104 and eleven runs later Debenham took his second wicket when he beat Selvakumar in the flight and bowled him. His figures were now 2-21 off six. Malde was batting well but became Peter Steers first county wicket when he was bowled for an excellent 56 ball 38. It was now the order of the long handle and from 118-4 in the thirty-first over Haberdashers advanced to 191 at tea. They scored at 6.66 (having scored at 3.80) as some simple outfield catches were not taken, and the shorter bowling green boundary was cleared. Carr bowled an excellent first five overs at two and a half but was lofted for a big six and a four with a single off his last over. Debenham was confirming with not just his athletic fielding but his figures of 3-35 off nine why he was with the seventeen’s the following week, although his non appearance at the Tuesday practice session would require some more serious work on his behalf. With his penultimate ball he had Morjaria caught by his captain. Hickey was now back in tandem with Steer and moving towards his bowling goal for the season by taking two more important wickets. Carr caught Soffair and Steer the famous grandson – Tom Edrich. The captain considered the target just over four an half gettable. The sun was now out and the conditions improving.

Matt Thompson and Luke Tuckett put on 48 in seventeen at just under three when Tuckett was just starting to take on the double spin attack of Parekh and Edrich was run out by a direct hit. He had scored 26 off forty-seven balls. Thompson was joined by Ryan Stevenson and they took the score past the hundred to 116 in the thirty-first over (Haberdashers had been at the same stage 118-4) when Thompson’s stay at the wicket that had lasted one hundred and one minutes ended as he was bowled by Parech. In such a similar situation to their opponents would Devon be able to score at a similar rate 6.8? They went at 4.6 for five overs, increasing the required rate to close to seven and half and the pressure was building. Matt Hickey was out in the thirty-eighth over, Henry Parkin in the fortieth with 30 still needed off 15 and as the final over was approached with an improbable eighteen still required. Captain Soni had a day to remember, as he marshalled his troops, who were really up for the game and now most certainly scenting victory when he took a hat trick. Stevenson’s fine innings came to an end (51 off 62 balls in 84 minutes}, the batsmen crossed, Gater caught next ball and Steer went for a second first baller in eight days. Game over as Debenham and Ingham played out the final three balls leaving Devon 15 short. Hopefully the original questions have been answered, Devon must take all their chances, they must slow down the inevitable acceleration that comes in setting a target with wickets in hand, Devon have to set a tempo throughout their innings that does not set up a rate of more than a run a ball at chase down and will have to look at improving their running. However the benefits outweigh the defeat, some players have enhanced their reputations in the push for places for the Isle of Wight festival and it is anticipated that a couple of fifteens will be available for the vital trip to Wales, which could decide if Devon progress in the Inter County competition in 2008. The record books will be checked to see if Soni’s hat trick is the first by an opponent at this level.