NEWCOMER Sam Elstone fired his maiden National Counties century to help Devon get on the front foot on day one of the crunch game against Oxfordshire at Banbury.
Elstone, playing in only his third game for Devon, went into the Western Division One match fresh from hammering 148 not out for club side Sidmouth against Paignton.
And he clearly picked-up where he left off barely 24 hours earlier by nailing the Oxfordshire attack for 156 as Devon piled-up 402 for eight in their first innings.
Oxfordshire had chipped 53 off the deficit by last night’s close for the loss of opener Luke Hayes – out to the first ball he faced – and Hayden Rossouw in the last over of the day.
As Devon could be in relegation jeopardy if they lose to Oxfordshire – they are embroiled in a three-way scramble with Cheshire and Cornwall to avoid going down – there is a lot riding on the game.
Devon’s batters performed as if their lives depending on it, which was reflected in the first innings total.
Openers Ben Privett (75) and James Horler (32) put on 104 for starters. At 204 for four when Lawrence Walker got out for 22, Devon were well placed.
Elstone was already settled in by then and was about to embark on a record-setting stand of 169 for the sixth wicket with Ben Beaumont.
Beaumont, who made a century for Devon last time out in the drawn game with Cheshire at Sidmouth, compiled 73 during a partnership that lasted 33 overs. It was a Devon’s greatest sixth wicket stand against Cheshire –the previous was a modest 82 in 2013 between Zach Bess and Sandy Allen in 2013 at Sidmouth – and the fourth-best against all opposition.
The stand ended when Beaumont was bowled by Henry Welsh in the penultimate of the 90 overs allowed for the first innings.
Elstone went in the next and final over from seamer Prav Chahal: caught in the covers having a flail at a delivery with some inviting width! He batted for six minutes short of four hours, faced 195 balls and put away 18 fours and three sixes.
Skipper Horler said of Elstone: “He looked like a million dollars – he was superb!”
Horler said Elstone’s knock was just one of the first-day highlights.
“It was great to see some big partnerships all the way across the order. Beaumont and Privett both played really crucial innings.”
Devon’s fate is tied in with the outcome of the game between Cheshire and Cornwall at Chester Boughton Hall. Cornwall and Cheshire are both in relegation danger themselves if they lose and Devon win. The arithmetic gets complex if Devon win or draw and the game in Chester is drawn.
All Horler and Devon are focused on are the things they can control.
“We are not focusing on the other game: just on the best way to win this one,” said Horler.
