MATT Thompson and Lawrence Walker both struck centuries as Devon seized the initiative from Cornwall on day two of the National Counties Championship game at Truro.
Will MacVicar ensured day one belonged to Cornwall with 10 wickets in total – eight in Devon’s first innings, two more in their second – to help his side into a 22-run lead overnight.
Devon were all out for 120 first time round. Cornwall made it as far as 171 to lead by 51 on first innings,
Devon, who resumed on 29 for two, were bowled in the final throes of the day for 335. Cornwall had to bat out the final four overs and were none for one when stumps were pulled. The man out to, a diving catch in front of the wicket by James Horler off Sam Read, was Max Tryfonos.
The arithmetic of Cornwall’s overnight position is they have to reach 285 to win on day three.
The men of the moment for Devon were fifth-wicket pair Thompson and Walker, who put on 175 during a marathon stint that began when lunch was being laid out and finished while the tea plates were being cleared away.
Cornwall, who ran through Devon’s batting with ease on day one, found wicket-taking a far more tricky business second time around.
Will Christophers, Devon’s night watchman, batted on and for 14 off 73 balls as part of the grinding-out-runs process.
Cornwall’s Ellis Whiteford obtained two breakthroughs before lunch – he had Christophers caught behind then bowled Sam Elstone – and at the break Devon were 108 for four.
Thompson, one of the overnight not-outers, and Walker were well dug in by then and frustrated Cornwall for over after over while quietly compiling runs.
Devon had advanced to 237 for four by tea, which arrived with Thompson on 106 not out. He reached the sixth century of his Devon career with a snicked four through the slips off Adam Snowdon. His end came on 115 when Whiteford took a sprawling catch in the covers to compensate Snowdon for the earlier snick
Walker, 88 not out at the interval, got bogged down in the 90s and there was relief all round when he thumped MacVicar through cover-point complete a century in only his second Championship game.
Bits and pieces – notably Calum Haggett’s bright and breezy 25 – helped Devon to 300 and beyond.
MacVicar picked-up two more wickets in the final session to finish with four for 85 in the innings and 12 for 131 in the match. Having bowled almost 55 overs in the game, he has earned his corn as the Cornwall professional
Cornwall’s other significant wicket-taker was off-spinner Whiteford, who claimed four for 88 from 32 overs bowled.
Dave Tall, Devon’s director of cricket, said praise for the way Thompson and Walker batted should not obscure other aspects of the fightback.
“We were prepared for a day of attritional cricket and executed our plans perfectly,” said Tall.
“The level of concentration and application shown by Matt Thompson and Lawrence Walker was exceptional. To bat through an entire session and both score hundreds is a real achievement.
“It was just a pity Matt was no longer out there when Lawrence got his ton as that would have been the icing on the cake.
“Both of them offered chances – Lawrence was dropped on 48 – but I felt we earned the right to a bit of luck and good fortune by the way we played.
“And let’s not forget the role played by Will Christophers as night watchman. He batted for nearly two hours for his 10 runs, which was integral to us consolidating our position and not throwing away wickets.”
Devon’s challenge on day three will be to bowl out Cornwall to win the match. If day two is anything to go by, it will be hard work.
“Put it this way,” said Tall. “We will have to bowl better than Cornwall did today, but II would rather be in our position than theirs on the final day.”
