JAMES Degg’s early season run of form continued with another half- century in Devon Lions’ 76-run win over the University of Exeter at Bovey Tracey.
Degg followed knocks of 29 and 63 not out in T20 action at Seaton with exactly 50 in the Lions’ total of 241 all out in the last of their 50 overs.
Degg learned his cricket with Plympton and via the Devon age-group system. He has signed for Premier side Torquay this season.
The Students were 86 for six approaching the halfway stage when rain made it impractical to carry on.
Duckworth-Lewis was consulted to calculate the exact margin of victory.
A combination of mizzle, wind and showers had made the game an unpleasant experience for players and the hardly handful of supporters who braved the elements.
Tim Western, the Lions’ director of coaching, said the team responded well to the challenges in front of them.
“I was pleased with the way in which the young team played positively under George Allen’s leadership, despite the challenging conditions,” said Western.
“James Degg has worked extremely hard on improving his game during our winter programme and it was good to see another confident knock.
“All the top-six batsman got a start and it would have been good to see another one of them make a score. Ben Beaumont (Cornwood) and James White (Tavistock), making their Devon Lions’ debuts, looked promising.
“George Benton (Paignton) showed his all-round qualities with a very useful 56 off 52 balls, which made Devon Lions’ total a tough one to chase.
“The bowlers and fielders did very well to restrict the University, with Ed Middleton (Exeter) and Matt Petherbridge (Plymouth) taking two wickets each.”
Degg and Allen (25) put on 66 for the second wicket as the Lions reached 92 for two.
Cornwood’s Matt Skeemer (21) then Benton (56) upped the tempo in the final third of the innings.
Matt Clarke (24) and Charlie Fernandes (24) made the only scores of note for the University before the rain set in.
The Devon Lions’ next fixture (Sunday, May 12) is against Cornwall at Callington, where they will play back-to-back T20 games. The week after Devon Lions host Dorset at Budleigh in a 50-over match.
Devon Lions 241 (J H G Degg 50, G Benton 56, G B Allen 25; R Hari 3-51), University of Exeter 86-6 (M Clarke 24, C Fernandes 24; M J Petherbridge 2-24, E W O Middleton 2-33). Devon bt University of Exeter by 76 runs
