BY CONRAD SUTCLIFFE & PAUL BOLTON
Day One | Day Two
Scorecard
DEVON remain top of the table in Western Division One of the Cluberly Championship after their game against Berkshire ended in a high-scoring draw.
Berkshire, set an unlikely 369 in 56 overs on the Blundell’s School ground at Tiverton, were 284 for six when the game ended three balls early with no chance of Devon taking the four wickets needed to win.
The points split – 10-9 in Berkshire’s favour – leaves defending champions Devon top of the table by 22 points from Oxfordshire and 23 ahead of Berkshire. Both chasers have a game in hand worth a maximum of 24 points. Devon have one game left against Wiltshire. Berkshire and Oxfordshire still have two games to play.
Devon were unable to attempt obtaining maximum first-innings bowling bonus points by Berkshire’s unusual second-day declaration when they were eight down. The fourth point is gained for taking the ninth wicket.
Competition regulations imply first-innings declarations are only allowed under certain circumstances. Umpires Rhys Callicott and Steve Lavis double-checked by phone with the NCA before accepting the declaration. Devon officials are expected to ask for explicit details from NCA what is and isn’t allowed for future reference.
Had Devon left more time to bowl out Berkshire there may have been a different outcome. James Horler, the Devon captain, was quick to justify his decision to set Berkshire a stiff total.
“A draw is certainly not a negative result,” said Horler. “It was always going to be difficult to get a result on a bit of bowlers’ graveyard. The pitch hardly deteriorated and wickets were hard to come by.
“It was difficult to know how many runs was enough to keep us in control, and have the overs to bowl them out, and I felt we gave a very good account of ourselves.
“We knew our strength has always been applying pressure in the fourth innings, and we felt as a group it would be a shame if we didn’t give it a crack.
“In previous years, we would not have bothered to set-up a game against Berkshire, with a draw being a great result. I think it is testament to the group that we had them pretty much on the ropes at periods in that last hour.
“The draw keeps us top of the table, and we will keep fingers crossed other teams can make our job easier.”
Devon, 158 for one second time around going into the third and final day, declared mid-afternoon on 374 for five.
Seb Linnitt’s 78 not out was a career-best for the former Somerset Academy batter and his fourth half-century in eight Championship innings for Devon.
Sam Elstone (88) and Horler (59) also made half-centuries before Horler declared on 374 for five.
Berkshire got a flying start by acting-captain Rhys Lewis with 63 from 45 balls. They charged along at more than five runs an over when Euan Woods departed for a quickfire 39 having added 62 in 11 overs with Will Hamilton.
Losing three wickets for nine runs in 13 balls ended Berkshire’s interest in chasing. Sam Read (2-25) took two of the wickets; Callum Harvey (2-118) the third.
Ben Salter (29) and Toby Greatwood (29) rebuilt with a fifth-wicket stand of 57 but when they went in the space of three balls, Berkshire were 211 for six and Devon glimpsed victory.
Eddie Campion (52no) and Andrew MacEwen (17no) batted out the final hour in an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership which ensured the draw.
Batting highlights over the first two days for Devon were half-centuries for Linnitt (65) and Harvey (68), plus near misses from James Matravers (43) and Elstone (48).
Matravers and George Daldorph had three wickets each when Berkshire batted the first time. Daldorph’s three for 59 included Berkshire’s century maker Euan Woods.
Said Horler: “Elstone has been excellent at the top after his year-long hiatus due to an injury.
“Seb Linnitt continues to impress and James Matravers worked hard with the ball on a flat wicket and probably deserved more than he got.”
