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PAIGNTON’S James Hudson topped the Devon batting averages in the Minor Counties season that ended this week with a defeat by Shropshire.
    Hudson, who broke into the side for the first time this season, was leading run scorer with 404 from eight trips to the crease. He made a maiden century against Dorset at Bournemouth and passed 50 on two other occasions.
    Hudson’s average of 67.33 was a long way clear of the next best, which was the 236 runs at 46.20 scored by North Devon’s Neil Bettis.
    Another of Devon’s success stories was Exeter’s Rob Holman, another first-season rookie, who came home with 237 runs at a respectable 39.50.
    Budleigh Salterton’s Sandy Allen, who finished the season opening the batting, was another batsman to average in the high 30s.
    The season was a disappointing one for Devon in the Minor Counties Championship as their campaign was dogged by bad weather from start to finish. They finished third from bottom in the Western Division and, for the first time since 1981, failed to win a game.
    The stop-start nature of the season is reflected in some very modest averages from players who would normally expect more in their columns.
    Devon captain Bob Dawson, whose career average is in the early 40s, didn’t pass a hundred for the season and averaged just 13.42. All-rounder Trevor Anning was another who returned a figure well below his career average.
    The bowling burden was borne by Anning with 18 wickets at 20.72 each and Ian Bishop, who picked up 13 scalps at 24.76. Bishop is just two wickets away from breaking the 200 barrier for Devon.
    Although three-day games were a bit of a disaster area for Devon, they shone in the Minor Counties KO Cup, culminating in a 40-run win over Berkshire in the final at Lord’s earlier this month.
    Dawson, with 264 runs at exactly 44, was the most consistent batter on the way to Lord’s where he scored 96 in the final.
    David Lye (133/44.33), Neil Hancock (124/31.00) and David Court (136/27.20) all chipped in when needed.  
    Bishop with 13 wickets and Hancock with 10 were the leading bowlers.