By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
DEVON can forget about reaching the National Counties T20 finals day after a double dose of disappointment against Dorset at North Perrott.
Devon were defeated by seven wickets then 41 runs in the two-match format used in the group stages.
With two games to go Devon are propping up the Group Two table on four points with Dorset (9pts) and Cornwall (8) leading the way.
Wiltshire (6pts), who have completed their group games, can’t qualify now. And neither can Devon, who can only accumulate eight points even if they defeat Herefordshire twice at North Devon this Sunday.
The only game that matters is at Wadebridge where Cornwall have back-to-back games against Dorset to settle who goes to finals day at Tring CC in Hertfordshire on May 22. What Devon do in the Sandhills at Instow is largely irrelevant.
Devon were bowled out for 68 in the 18thof their 20 overs in game one by Dorset, which was new record low for the team in the competition. The previous low was 88 all out against Berkshire at Wormsley in the 2018 semi-final.
Sam Read (18), skipper Calum Haggett (17) and opener James Degg (11) were the only batters in double figures.
Rob Pack (3-14) and Felix Organ (3-12) took the bowling honours for Dorset with three wickets apiece.
Although Devon pace pair Kazi Symanski (1-11) and Dan Goodey (2-11) kept Dorset’s batters quiet for a while, Sam Young’s 30 not out was enough to wipe out a modest target with more than seven overs to spare.
Young (62) and Organ (69) shared an opening stand of 119 in Dorset’s game-two total of 165 for five.
Ed Middleton was the only Devon bowler to operate at less than eight runs an over. Haggett (4-38) was the main wicket taker.
Devon subsided to 36 for four in reply and from then on only the margin of defeat was in doubt.
Adam Small (22) and Elliot Hamilton (20) helped make the running total more respectable as Devon reached 124 for eight in reply.
Dave Tall, the Devon coach and manager, said neither performance was worth dwelling on for long.
“The best way to describe it is that collectively we let ourselves down,” said Tall.
“What happened against Dorset served to highlight areas in which we have a lot to learn in this format of cricket.
“There were times when we did things quite well, but we did not do them for long enough to put Dorset under sustained pressure.”
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