CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

NINE wickets to take and 102 over to get them in – that’s Devon’s winning formula on the third and final day of the Western Division Two game against Shropshire at Bridgnorth.

Devon, who made 503 for nine on day one with centuriuons  James Horler and Elliot Hamilton breaking records along they way, bowled out Shropshire for 255 in their first innings.

Paceman Kazi Szymanksi had a career best day for Devon by taking six Shropshire wickets for 58 runs, which helped Devon into a 248-run first innings lead.

Jamie Stephens, the Devon captain, could have asked Shropshire to follow-on as they were more than 150 runs behind after both first innings had been completed.

Stephens opted to give his bowlers more time to rest up and sent the batters out again to stretch the lead even further.

Although Horler and Hamilton were unable repeat their first-innings feats – in and out for 19 and 14 respectively – Calum Haggett and Ed Middleton were still seeing it like a football and both made half centuries to take Devon to 202 for eight before Stephens felt a 450-run lead was enough.

Haggett hit 68 and Middleton 54 not out in a stand of 105 for the sixth wicket. For both it was their second half-century in the match.

Shropshire were 17 for one after six overs when bad light stopped play on day two.

Day two largely belonged to Devon in general (but not exclusively) and Szymanski in particular.

Shropshire, 71 for two overnight, lost Sam Ellis on 113 and until Szymanski got into is stride were in no real trouble.

Stephens kept faith in the former Glamorgan seamer after a particularly heavy over that saw George Hargrave slap him around the ground for 22 runs. It proved a percipient decision.

Szymanski was fired up when he ran in at the start of his next over and three balls in had Hargrave caught behind for 64.

Ryan Wheldon only lasted two balls before being rapped on a pad and dispatched by the umpire’s raised finger. Szymanksi was cooking on gas now and ran through the Shropshire middle order on his own.

In his next five overs Szymanski took four more wickets to give him six for 10 in that period and six for 32 since starting his spell.

"It was a spell of bowling that changed the game," said Dave Tall, Devon's director of cricket. "A catch had been dropped in the previous over in the covers and that seemed to fire Kazi up."

Among the casualties was Graham Wagg whom Devon bowlers still have sleepless nights about after he tanned them all around Sidmouth 12 months ago for 109 off 69-odd balls.

Wagg, who had already belted Haggett over the ropes for six, was caught behind for 10.

Wagg was ninth out on 187 and custom and practise is for the tail-enders not to hang around for long. No one told Shropshire skipper Sam Whitney, or tail-end Charlie Ben Roberts.

Whitney (32) and Roberts (34no) added 68 either side of lunch to take Shropshire to 255 all out. In the grand scheme of things it was a reminder to Devon that they can’t expect Shropshire to roll over compliantly on day three.

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