Devon team chief Dave Tall, who is looking forward to a 'fresh start' in the Unicorns 50-over cup<br>credit: https://www.ppauk.com/photo/2110024/

DEVON are in dire danger of claiming the wooden spoon in their Unicorns T20 Cup pool after a double dose of defeats by leaders Dorset left them propping up the pool four table.

Devon have not won any of their six games so far. The best they have managed is a tie against Wiltshire.

Dorset were comfortable seven-wicket winners in game one at North Perrott yesterday, chasing down 138 to win with 10 balls to spare.

Devon made Dorset work harder on the chase in game two – three scalps in four balls for leg-spinner Ed Middleton (3-25) made it interesting – but a three-wicket win was sealed two balls into the final over when Luke Webb smacked Dan Goodey back over his head for six.

Matt Thompson - top  scored in game twoDevon have two games against Cornwall to play in the pool on June 16 and it is possible by then they will be too far adrift to get off the bottom as all the teams above them have games to play on June 9.

Dave Tall, Devon’s director of cricket, said Dorset were superior in too many units of the game.

Tall added: “They made us work harder for our runs than we made them work for theirs.

“We had a plan for the game but were not able to execute it and for periods in the field we just seemed to drift.

“When the big moments come along – like Ed taking three wickets in an over – they are potentially game changing and you have to press them home ruthlessly. At the moment we are not doing that.

“Our ‘fun’ is over in this competition now. We can make a fresh start on Sunday in the 50-over cup against Wiltshire.”

One ray of sunshine on a damp and dank day for Devon at North Perrott was a first appearance of the season by James Burke.

The ex-Somerset and Surrey staffman, a Devon youth system graduate, top scored with 68 in game one. Zac Bess made 22 and new skipper Alex Barrow 24 in Devon’s total of 137 for three.

Felix Organ, the Hants and England U19s all-rounder, led the Dorset chase with an unbeaten 65

Devon were put in again second time around and made 138 for six with Matt Thompson striking 40 and Matt Golding 31. Jigar Naik, the ex-Leicester off-spinner, kept things tight with three for 13 from his four overs.

Dorset were 74 for two and cruising before Middleton’s intervention left them 74 for five. Webb, 28 not out at the end of the over, survived the carnage and did most of the scoring on the way to victory.

Game one: Devon 137-3 (J E Burke 68no, A W R Barrow 24, Z G G Bess 22), Dorset 138-3 (F S Organ 65no, M J Porter 38, E J Ellis 28).  Dorset bt Devon by 7 wkts.

Game two: Devon 138-6 (M W Thompson 40, M C Golding 31, A W R Barrow 29; J H K Naik 3-13, B J Currie 2-20), Dorset 140-7 (L A Webb 65no; E W O Middleton 3-25). Dorset (2pts) bt Devon (0) by 3 wkts.