RIVAL skippers Dan Lincoln and Jamie Stephens put both sides out of their misery by agreeing the stalled game between Berkshire and Devon should be written-off as a draw.
Devon, 45 for one and 48 ahead going into the third and final day at Newbury, had reached 291 for seven in their second innings when the captains decided enough was enough.
The point where Devon could declare and to bowl Berkshire out a second time to win the match, had been and gone … if it had ever existed in the first place.
Devon lost wickets at the wrong time after lunch – three in 25 minutes as they slowed from 142 for two to 158 for five – which ended realistic hopes of an everything-to-play-for fourth-innings decider.
Dave Tall, the Devon team manager, said: “The opportunity to set a fair chase was not there as we did not have enough to defend.
“Had we declared there would only have been one winner – and it would not have been us.
“Then you get to a point where 25-30 overs is not enough time to try bowling them out, so we batted on. It was not pretty but, not for the first time in the match, we showed resolve and determination.”
Devon could argue they had the best of the first day as they had made 272 all out in the 80th of the 90 overs available to them – Fin Hill hitting 90 on his Championship debut – and at close of play had reduced Berkshire to 85 for five in reply.
Berkshire would be entitled to claim day two belonged to them as they recovered to reach 269 all out, which would have been a far-fetched suggestion at 85 for five.
Lincoln, made a studious 41 at one end while Rhodri Lewis a half-century at the other.
When Lewis was ninth out on 192, last man Luke Beaven went out to join Toby Greatwood with the deficit still 80.
Greatwood made 52 off 97 balls – not what you would normally expect from a number-ten batsman – and Beaven reached 38 not out to get Berkshire within three runs of Devon.
Devon had a decent morning session on day three that featured a half-century for Matt Thompson, 23 for Hill and the start of what become 85 not out for Calum Hagget. Jamie Horler moved to 61 before he was the first man out.
Devon’s plans were disrupted by losing Thompson, Hill then Ben Beaumont, which meant the bottom half of the order had some work to do.
Tall said the limpet-like way Jamie Stephens (36) and Will Christophers (9no) stuck around for over after over in support of Haggett showed the durability of the current side.
“Four, or maybe five times, Berkshire had us on the back foot, but each time we stood-up to them and pushed back,” said Tall.
Devon’s next Championship outing is against Oxfordshire at Exeter on August 6-8.
Devon 272 (F J Hill 90, J S Moore 45, B A Beaumont 42; J M Lincoln 3-33) & 291-7 dec (J D Horler 61, M W Thompson 51, C J Haggett 85no; R J Lewis 3-67), Berkshire 269 (D J Lincoln 41, R J Lewis 53, T L Greatwood 52, L E Beaven 38no; J A Stephens 3-59, K B Szymanski 2-52, M B Shepherd 2-54). Berkshire (10pts) drew with Devon (10).
