Devon warm-up for County Championship double header with four-wicket win over Somerset

DEVON completed their pre-season fixtures with a four-wicket win over Somerset at Taunton School.

Asked to field first, Milly Squire clean bowled Emma Godman early in the piece before Nicole Richards was joined by skipper Sophie Luff and together they added 48, albeit at a sedate pace against disciplined bowling from the Devon attack.

Luff was caught at mid-wicket by Becca Halliday off the bowling of Emily Edgcombe with the score on 50 and when Richards was also caught, this time by Emily Edgcombe for a patient 28 from 97 balls Devon were in the ascendency.

A counter attack from Oliver Hamilton and India Owen briefly threatened as some positive running and cleans striking, particularly from Hamilton put Devon under some pressure.

A fine bouncer from Olivia Churcher removed Owen to a catch in the covers before Steph Hutchins bowled Hamilton to leave Somerset 100-5.

Sophie Florides then returned to claim four wickets in just eight balls, finishing with 4-11 from just over seven overs as Somerset capitulated to 106 all out.

Devon got off to a spluttering start with the early loss of both openers with just 20 on the board.

However solid partnerships between Milly Squire and Emily Edgcombe and then Olivia Churcher and Edgcombe got the visitors to within 15 runs of victory.

Youngster Daisy Jeanes entered the attack and bowled impressively to claim three wickets to threaten a Devon win but the calm head of Becca Silk saw Devon home with 15 overs to spare.

Scorecard is here: https://devoncb.play-cricket.com/website/results/4030098

Teams for this coming weekend are below, coach Alex Carr naming the same side with the exception of youngster Emma Corney coming into the side, making her senior debut to open the batting on Monday v Wales as a replacement for the unavailable Claire Varcoe.

Devon side to play Durham at Heathcoat CC on Sunday and Wales at North Devon CC on Monday. Both games get underway at 11am and supporters are very welcome.

Devon Amara Carr (c), Ellie Mitchell, Claire Varcoe (Sun), Emma Corney (Mon), Milly Squire, Emily Edgcombe, Georgia Hennessy, Olivia Churcher, Becca Silk, Stephanie Hutchins, Amy Weir, Charlie Phillips, Sophie Florides.