PREVIEW | FIRST DAY | CARD DAY ONE | CARD DAY TWO

DEVON’S batting frailties surfaced again as they tumbled to a seven-wicket defeat inside two days against Wales at Pontarddulais.

There was a feel-good factor in the Devon camp at the end of day one after debutant Dan Pyle with 86 had top scored in a total of 261 all out, then Wales had dipped to 105 for five at the close.

And when Wales were struggling at 118 for seven before lunch, it seemed Devon were making a fresh start after the trials and tribulations of a winless 2015.

Wales were under the cosh, Dom Bess (3-96) largely responsible, but Devon couldn’t finish them off.

Eighth-wicket pair Ruaidrhi Smith – he is a Scotland international attached to Glamorgan – and Aneurin Norman got Wales off the hook with a stand of 113.

Norman was first to go for 49, lbw to Matt Golding on 231.

Smith kept going all the way to 93 and with former Glamorgan all-rounder Darren Thomas for company racked up 40 for the ninth wicket.

Last man Nick Davies hung around long enough to put on 24 more with Thomas, who was last to go for 41 in a total of 295 all out.

A quick look over the scorer’s shoulder revealed Wales had put on 177 for the last three wickets, changing the complexion of the game completely.

Devon, 34 behind on first innings, struggled badly against the new ball and nosedived to 17 for four before the maker’s name had been rubbed off. Norman and Lukas Carey with two wickets each did the damage.

Josh Bess (16) and Jack Dart started a revival with a 40-run stand, but once Bess was lbw to Davies the slide started again.

Devon’s 57 for four became 71 for eight as left-armer Davies dismantled what remained of the batting with a five-wicket haul. The odd one out was Zak Bess, run-out backing up when Norman deflected a Dart straight drive on to the stumps.

Six wickets went for 30 runs as Devon imploded to 87 all out. Dart, who faced 102 balls for 37, was ninth out, followed immediately by Charlie Miles for a duck.

Wales needed 54 to win and got them in the 13^th over

Keith Donohue, Devon’s director of cricket, said he could see the writing on the wall at 17 for four.

“When you are four down batting second time around and still behind you know you could be in trouble,” said Donohue.

“Going into this game we always knew the batting was a bit thin, but that was masked in the first innings by our last two wickets putting on 80.

“Second time round, Wales just blew us away, showing what a strong side they have.

“Having battled so hard on the first day, it was disappointing to lose the way we did.

“We are picking the best players available, but you have to accept there are some young ones in there and they don’t become three-day Minor Counties players overnight.”

Devon 261 (D R Pyle 86, J F S Dart 33, D M Bess 38, C L Miles 47; A O Morgan 4-75) & 87 (J F S Dart 37; N H Davies 5-26), Wales 295 (R A J Smith 93, A J Norman 39, S D Thomas 41; D M Bess 3-96) & 54-3 (G A Ansell 23no, G C Holmes 21no). Wales (23pts) bt Devon (6) by 7 wkts