DEVON take on Bedfordshire at Exeter tomorrow (Sunday, 11am) looking for the win they need to keep their National Counties Cup campaign relevant.

Holders Berkshire trounced Devon by 10 wickets in last Sunday’s group game opener at Henley after skittling them out for 161.

Another defeat now would effectively end Devon’s chances of qualifying for the last-eight knockout stages, irrespective of how they perform against Hertfordshire or Cornwall in their last two games.

Dave Tall, Devon’s director of cricket, accepts there is plenty to do but remains upbeat about the team’s chances.

“It is worth remembering we lost our first game in this competition last season to Herefordshire, but won the next three and went through to the quarter-finals and if we can do it once we can do it again,” said Tall.

“It is also worth remembering we have a very young group of players who are committed to playing for Devon and keen to learn.

“Sometimes there will be bad days and we had one against a side that has dominated 50-over and three-day cricket in our competitions now for several years.

“For the game against Bedfordshire we have some experienced players back, as well as Adam Small, who was left out last week and responded by making 80 for Sandford in the league.”

Small, who spent the winter playing club cricket in South Africa, is restored to a 13-man squad as a straight replacement for the unavailable Jamie Baird.

Gone from the 12 initially named to face Berkshire at Henley are early-order batsman Baird, skipper Jamie Stephens and opening bowler Kazi Szymanski.

Szymanski never actually made it to Henley from his South Wales base. Instead, he opted to turn out for club side Swansea at Penzance in the ECB Clubs’ KO Cup.

Devon had hoped Sidmouth’s Zak Bess would be able to play, but he has been claimed by other commitments. Elliott Staddon is a late replacement. Also out is quick bowler Hugo Whitlock, whose long-standing foot problem has flared-up again.

With Stephens unable to play the captaincy passes to Calum Haggett, who led the side during the Twenty20 programme last month.

Devon v Bedfordshire (squad): M W Thompson (Congresbury), C J Haggett (Shapwick & Polden), J D Horler (Exmouth), E J Staddon (Cornwood), B A Beaumont (Bath), A J Small (Sandford), E H Hamilton (Plympton), E O Leonard (Bridgwater), S O Read (Exeter), J E B Walliker (Plympton), E W O Middleton (Taunton Deane), F Sabir (Ombersley).

Bedfordshire: C O Thurston, E C Ballard, Kashif Ali, A G Wakely, G R Thurstance , A D Thomason, M J Taylor, G M Darlow, J C Fuller, T Brett, S Jarvis. 12th man J Lowe.

Umpires: S E Lavis, G I Callaway.