DEVON are clinging on to hopes of beating Wales at Abergavenny after a ‘bizarre’ second day’s play that featured 316 runs scored and 24 wickets fall.
Devon, 143 for three overnight going into day two, collapsed to 194 all out with Wales spinner Brad Wadlan doing most of the damage with a six-for-18 haul.
Adam Small, 89 not out at the start of play, only added one more run before he was bowled by Ben Morris.
Devon saw more than enough of Wadlan on day one as he was the last man out for exactly one hundred in Wales’ total 255 all out. It was his third successive century against Devon and he hadn’t finished with them either!
More of Wadlan later…
Wales, 59 runs ahead on first innings, caved in for 123 the second time around with Kazi Szymanski taking three for 34 including the prized wicket of Wadlan.
Szymanski, who hails from Torquay, played for Wales while he was on the staff with Glamorgan and when he contract ended he stayed in there. He plays league cricket for Swansea, in the same side as Wadlan.
With Wadlan in and out for eight only Mike Bevans (44) and Sam Pearce (25) made progress against the Devon bowlers. The last five wickets went for just 24 runs scored with Max Shepherd spinning out the stragglers at the end.
Devon had 47 overs batting time either side of tea in which to knock-off the 185 needed to win the game. They closed on 142 for seven after another going over from, you guessed it, Brad Wadlan.
Wadlan’s left-arm spin accounted for five Devon batters at a cost of 38 runs including Matt Thompson, whose second-ball duck was a real blow for Devon.
Thompson, whose limpet-like qualities have won Devon many games in the past, was caught at leg-slip trying to work the ball down to fine leg.
Worse was to come as Calum Haggett, Sam Read and Ben Beaumont all went in the same Wadlan over as 85 for three became 85 for six in a rush.
When stumps were pulled Devon were 142 for seven with Elliot Hamilton (52) and Szymanski (16) the not-out batsmen.
Devon have all day to make 43 to win with three wickets in hand.
Dave Tall, the Devon team boss, said it was the ‘most bizarre day of cricket’ he had ever been involved in. He was quick to absolve the Abergavenny club of any blame.
“When that number of wickets falls in day the first thing people think is ‘it must be the pitch’, but I can categorically state it is not,” said Tall.
“Everything Abergavenny Cricket Club has done to put the game on – ground, catering and anything else – has been superb.
“Adam Small got a good ball that straightened him up, but the rest of our first-innings dismissals were due to inept batting.
“When we bowled the second time we bowled well and Wales were no better than us when they batted.
“We had an opening this morning to take control of the game and the disappointing thing is we did not take it.”
Wales 255 (B L Wadlan 100, J Davies 54, H L R Friend 25, C F Brown 23; C J Haggett 45-42, H M Whitlock 2-31, K B Szymanski 2-45) & 123 (M J Bevans 44; K B Szymanski 3-34), Devon 194 (A J Small 90, M W Thompson 26; B L Wadlan 6-18) & 126-7 (A J Small 33, E H Hamilton 52no; B L Wadlan 5-38). Bonus points: Devon 5, Wales (6).
