JAMES Horler and Elliot Hamilton ripped-up Devon’s batting records as they put on 289 towards a 500-plus total on day one of the game against Shropshire at blistering Bridgnorth, writes Conrad Sutcliffe at Cricket Meadow.
First to go was Devon’s three-day, third wicket batting record, followed by the all-wicket high for any wicket during the three-day era.
A few more lusty blows would have broken Devon’s three-day innings high – and might have taken Calum Haggett to a rapid century at the same time!
Devon finished the day in the commanding position of being 423 runs ahead having scorched along to 503 for five in the maximum 90 overs then limiting Shropshire to 71 for two by close of play.
Shropshire have to pass 353 in their first innings to avoid following on, which must have looked a long way off looking out of the home dressing room window to the scorebox on the opposite side of the ground.
Horler opened up with Adam Small, who came and went for three, and the running total was 59 for two when Matt Thompson managed get himself out caught playing off his hip for 18.
That was when Hamilton joined Horler and the pair batted on to lunch and then on to tea with just one half-chance between them as they both accelerated towards hundreds.
Horler, owner of the half-chance, was first to three figures and went on to make 174 from 271 balls faced in a minute over five hours at the crease.
Hamilton made 137 during around three and a half hours batting time and only looked like getting out when he did. When you have just made your maiden county century perhaps you can be excused the impetuous urge to reverse slog-sweep the ball into the car park!
Hamilton’s demise brought to an end the 289-run stand that smashed the previous third-wicket best 244 set by Max Curtis and Peter Trego against Wales at Pontarddulais in 2019.
A quick scan through the records showed that Horler and Hamilton had also broken the all-wicket record of 286, which was set by Bob Dawson and David Lye against Herefordshire at Sidmouth in 2009.
Horler’s end came with the score on 355 when he aimed to hit Joe Stanley down the ground for a 23rd four and was caught two thirds of the way back to the boundary.
Shropshire’s fielders and bowlers, by now tramping around in the manner of Foreign Legionnaires with sun-stroke, probably hoped for some relief from leather chasing with Horler out of the way.
Hopes would have been raised when Matt Skeemer came and went for three: dismissed by what Haggett at the other end described as ‘a snorter’ of a ball.
That was as good as it got for Shropshire as Haggett and Ed Middleton set about the bowling with evident relish.
Haggett clattered the Shropshire bowling for 88 not out from just 43 balls faced. He hit five fours and eight sixes, most of which hurtled through an arch between deep-midwicket and long-on.
Middleton made 62 from 30 balls faced – for the stats addicts that was more quickly than Haggett got his runs – and hit eight fours and two sixes, the second of which was the final delivery of the innings.
It would only have taken a few more big hits during the Haggett and Middleton battering that added 129 in the final 10 overs for Devon to better their three-day best of 515 for nine that Herefordshire shipped against them at Torquay back in 2009.
On the off chance that Shropshire had not suffered enough already – and some of their bowlers were nursing figures of one for plenty – opener Andre Bradford was strangled down the leg-side by Hugo Whitlock’s first ball loosener.
Skipper Jamie Stephens claimed the second wicket to fall when he had Xavier Clarke also caught behind.
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