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SUNDAY, MAY 25

DEVON had a bad attack of déjà vu at Banbury Town where the first day of their game against Oxfordshire was rained-off without a ball bowled.

   Devon lost seven days play in the Minor Counties Championship to bad weather last season, which skipper Bob Dawson believes had a lot to do with surrendering the national title won the previous season.

   There was no play at all against Wales at Swansea and the games against Wiltshire and Oxfordshire were reduced from three days to one.

   The 2007 season ended with two days of showers at Exmouth, which killed the game against Oxfordshire stone dead.

   Both sides will be hoping this game does not go the same way.

   One player keener than most to get the game on will be Oxfordshire's veteran opening bowler Keith Arnold. If he plays it will be his 200 th appearance for the county in the Minor Counties Championship.

   Arnold, who is 48 tomorrow, is in the twilight of a career that has seen him play for the Minor Counties Representative XI, England Amateurs and the England Board XI.

   He has claimed some big scalps along the way, including Brian Lara twice in the same game, disgraced South African Hanse Cronje in both innings of a game at Torquay and Gary Kirsten, Mark Greatbach, both Flower brothers and Graeme Hick, to name just a few.

  

  

 

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