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The
victorious Devon team after thier win at Manor Park,
Norwich
MINOR
COUNTIES TROPHY - SEMI FINALS
(Sunday,
July 13)
DEVON
are on their way to Lord's again after beating Norfolk
by 52 runs in yesterday's Minor Counties Trophy semi-final
in Norwich.
Norfolk
appeared to have the upper hand after dismissing Devon
for 190 in the last of their 50 overs – spinner
Chris Rogers claiming a personal competition best of
five for 30 in the process.
Devon produced a bowling and fielding display out of
the top draw to dismiss Norfolk for 138 in reply –
Paignton spinner James Hudson mopping up at the end
with to finish with four for 39.
Devon needed early wickets
to be competitive defending a below-par total –
and Trevor Anning delivered two before Norfolk reached
double figures.
Carl Amos was caught by a sprawling Chris Mole at square-leg
then Rogers couldn't resist nibbling at a width ball
he should have left alone and edged a catch to keeper
Sandy Allen.
Ian Bishop got in on the act when he had former Kent
pro Trevor Ward caught at short cover by Hudson, leaving
Norfolk 10 for three.
Skipper Bob Dawson later said the getting Ward out was
the turning point of the game.
“Amos, Rogers and Ward are the three players who have
scored most runs for Norfolk this season so they were
big wickets,” said Dawson.
“When Ward got out you could almost see panic setting
in.
“It wasn't the easiest track to bat on and I felt then
the only way Norfolk could win was if we threw it away.
We didn't.”
Jake Mickelburg defied Devon for 103 balls while he
made 75 in a losing cause, but no one other than Chris
Borrett made more than 14 in support.
Tight bowling by Scott Barlow and James Hudson nudged
Norfolk into six then seven an over territory to win
– and wickets were falling as well.
Once Mickleburg got out the tail collapsed as the final
three wickets went without a run added in a total of
138 all out.
Dawson top scored for Devon with 77, but only Neil Hancock
offered any long-term support with 34.
First out for Devon was opener Mole, who went fishing
outside the line to Ian Slegg and was caught behind
for 17 of the 46 on the board.
Neil Bettis came and went in the space of three balls
– same bowler, same method of dismissal –
which left Dawson and Hancock to get on with it.
Dawson dealt with bad balls savagely, driving and pulling
with little or no mercy, and other than a difficult
chance in the 30s when Ward dropped him at gulley barely
played a rash shot.
The captain got out just as Devon were trying shake
off the shackles spinners Chris Brown and Rogers were
trying to impose on them. Daswon tried to work Amos
through mid-wicket and was caught at full grovel by
Jake Mickelburgh.
Hancock was next to go – caught inches inside
the mid-wicket boundary playing a short born out of
frustration.
Amos and Rogers did a good containing job - between
the 30 th and 40 th overs they only gave away 23 runs
– and Hancock got out trying to take the game
to them with a pre-meditated heave.
After Hancock went there were bits and pieces
from Allen and Annning – the both made 15 –
and a couple of disappointments as well.
Quick scoring David Lye copied Dawson's way of getting
out. Hudson, fresh from a maiden century in the three-day
game against Dorset, looked in control before scooping
the easiest of catches back to Rogers.
Waiting for Devon in the final are Berkshire, who beat
Oxfordshire in yesterday's other semi-final.
Devon have appeared in five previous Lord's finals –
registering wins in 1992, 1994 and 1998. Yesterday's
victory was sweet revenge for the 2001 final, in which
Devon lost to Norfolk by 114 runs. Dawson, Lye and Bishop
all played in that match.
Devon last appearance in the final of the competition
was in 2002 when it was staged at Worcester. They lost
that one by two wickets to Warwickshire's Board XI.
Devon 190 (R I Dawson 77, N D Hancock 34; C J Rogers
5-30, C Brown 2-25, I R Skegg 2-29), Norfolk 138 (J
C Mickleburgh 75; J M Hudson 4-39, T S Anning 2-21).
Devon bt Norfolk by 52 runs.
.
