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WEDNESDAY, JULY 25

DEVON captain Bob Dawson has switched his attentions to winning the Minor Counties KO Cup having written off any chance of regaining the Western Division title won last year.

   Devon's title chances all-but disappeared yesterday when the game against Wales at Swansea was finally called off without a ball bowled.

   Dawson had been hoping to play a one-day game for a winner-takes-all 16 points after losing the first two days of the match to bad weather.

   But it only took the most casual examination of the pitch at Swansea for all parties to agree no play would be possible.

   Devon were third in the Western Division table going into the latest round of matches and looking to make inroads into Cheshire's 13-point lead over them at the top.

   That gap is now 27 points with 48 to play for as Cheshire played their game to a conclusion against Wiltshire at Alderley Edge near Stockport and won it by an innings.

   “That's us stuffed as far as this season is concerned as I can't see how we can catch Cheshire now,” said Dawson.

   “I would back us to win our last two home games against Cornwall and Oxfordshire, but that's not going to be enough now.

   “ We needed Cheshire to either lose or draw one of their last three matches just to have any sort of chance before our match against Wales was called off.

   “Cheshire might not win it – they still have Shropshire to play who are second – but I can't see any way we can win it now.”

   Dawson's attention now turns to winning the KO Cup semi-final replay against Cheshire at Boughton Hall CC on the outskirts of Chester this Sunday. The prize for the winners is a trip to Lord's on August Bank Holiday Monday to face Suffolk in the final.

   Dawson is keeping his fingers crossed the weather gods don't wash out the semi-final a second time and force the tie to be decided by a bowl out.

   “Going to Lord's and winning there is the best possible compensation for missing out in the Championship,” said Dawson.

   “As long as we have something to aim for the season is still alive for us and getting to Lord's is a pretty good target to have.

   “If we can get to Lord's then the season will be judged a success.”

   Dawson will be talking to Somerset coach Andy Hurry over the next couple of days to secure the releases of opening batsman Arul Suppiah and all-rounder Rob Woodman for the semi-final.

   Sidmouth's Neil Hancock, currently unable to play in three-day games due to work commitments, will also come into the selection reckoning.

   Devon's only absentee from a full-strength side is opening batsman Chris Mole, who is   away on honeymoon. Suppiah will be the obvious replacement if Somerset agree to release him.