Devon spinner Sam Read – three wickets in nine balls to put Oxfordshire on the back foot<br>credit: Conrad Sutcliffe - no re-use without copyright owner's consent

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING
Play-cricket day one scorecard

THREE wickets for Sam Read, two more for George Greenway and some gobsmacking catching in the cordon sped Devon into a commanding position against Oxfordshire at the end of an abbreviated first day at Sidmouth.

Early morning rain, a mid-morning deluge and lunchtime drizzle meant five hours’ playing time was lost on the Fortfield.

Oxfordshire, Devon’s primary rivals for the Western Division title, were 107 for six at the close of play, and probably wished it had rained a little harder for a lot longer!

James Horler, the Devon captain, said: "Pleased to get on in a tricky day of weather. Glad to bowl first in what was a difficult period to bat on a wet wicket. 

"We bowled well and kept it tight, which was pleasing, with some good spells from the seamers."Devon seamer George Greenway – two wickets with the new ball

Devon will claim the Western Division title if they defeat Oxfordshire in what is the final round off fixtures. A draw might be enough. A defeat opens the door for either Oxfordshire or Herefordshire to go past Devon.

Paceman Greenway (2-27) posed the early problems by removing Oxfordshire opener Amogh Karpe then next man in Arjun Ramkumar. Karpe was scooped-up low down at first slip by Lawrence Walker; Ramkumar fell to a full-stretch grab in the gully by Elliot Hamilton.

Oxfordshire saw off the new-ball threat from Greenway and Craig Penberthy to progress from 14 for two to 55 without further mishaps. Then the mishaps just would not stop.

Change bowler Read needed just three balls to halt Oxfordshire’s progress by having Luke Maslen caught by Walker in the slips.Devon's Ben Privett slings down a delivery in the gathering gloom at Sidmouth

Two balls later next man in Ayush Patel was the next man out: caught by Walker in the slips. Five balls into spinner Read’s second over George Tait was, you guessed it, caught by Walker in the slips.

By the end of the over Oxfordshire were 59 for five and Read had taken three wickerts for four runs in the space of nine balls. Horler said this was a pivotal spell in the game.

"Sam Read's ‘3fer’ in a couple of overs changed the momentum and. once again, showed his quality," said Horler.

"And Lawrence has secured himself in the slips for a year at least!"

Oxfordshire now had another rebuilding job to do. Surviving opener Luke Hayes and Ahmed Khan set about it and had moved on to 93 before Devon struck again. The man out was Hayes (32), who was lbw to the sixth ball bowled by left-arm spinner Callum Harvey.

Khan survived until bad light brought a premature halt to an already truncated day.

Horler's day-two targets are straight forward. 

"Irt is not going to be easy to bat on, but we will be looking to clean them up early and bat our 90 overs," he said.

Cornwall v Herefordshire at Redruth – click here Craig Penberthy operating from the Belmont Hotel End under the keen eye of umpire Dean Daniels