CONRAD SUTCLIFFE AT INSTOW
LAWRENCE Walker’s debut half-century was Devon’s highlight on a cut-down first day against Berkshire at Instow.
Wet weather in the morning delayed the start for four hours, although 30 minutes was clawed back at the end of the day by tacking-on an extra half hour.
Devon, who won the toss and chose to bat, were 177 for six at the close with uber-cautious Walker not long out for 51. He faced 133 balls during 147 minutes in the middle and dispatched seven boundaries.
“He never looked in any trouble until he got out,” said Dave Tall, Devon’s director of cricket.
All-in-all it was a pretty productive weekend for burly batter Walker as he made 136 not out on Saturday for Sandford in their Devon League game against Exmouth.
Devon as a collective found runs hard to come by, especially in the post-tea session. They only hit six boundaries and at one point went 13 overs between fours!
Tall said after a promising start the batting ‘lacked a bit of intent’.
“I think we had the best of the first session, but allowed Berkshire to gain the upper hand after tea,” said Tall.
“We scored just over a hundred runs in 50 overs, which tells its own story.
“Yes, Berkshire bowled well. But we allowed them to bowl at us. They did not not bowl as well as the score suggests.”
James Horler (17) and Ben Privett (35) put on 60 for Devon’s first wicket before a change of bowling slowed the scoring rate.
Devon found the spinners harder to get away and during a seven-over spell before tea lost three wickets advancing the score by six runs in seven overs.
Privett went first – caught at mid-off – followed by Horler to a catch square of the wicket. Matt Thompson nicked to slip.
Elliot Hamilton, in at 66 for two, embarked on a rebuilding project with Walker that got the score up to 127 for four.
Ball continued to rule over bat – especially when the spinners were twirling away – but it was a seamer that parted Walker and Hamilton when Toby Greatwood (2-27) had the latter caught behind.
Walker and Calum Haggett added a further 39 for the sixth wicket, during which Walker reached his maiden Devon half-century in his first three-day outing for the county. He added one more to his half-century before mistiming a pull shot and getting caught off the top-edge.
Devon’s last man out was Charlie Sharland, another three-day debutant. He came and went for an eight-ball duck. He took a swipe at seamer Tommy Sturgess (2-45) and looped a catch to mid-on.
The challenge for Devon before lunch on day two is to bat out their remaining 21 overs and aim to get the score up in the region of 300. Calum Haggett will resume on 31 not out in the morning.
