DEVON go into the third and final day of the crunch game against Oxfordshire at Banbury with their Western Division One survival on a knife edge.
Any result apart from a win will put Devon in jeopardy of relegation from the division they won this time last year.
Cheshire and Cornwall, who are playing each other at Boughton Hall CC in Chester, are both in the relegation mix as well.
A Cornwall win is probably the least worst result for Devon, especially if they collect enough draw points from Oxfordshire to move ahead of Cheshire.
Devon dominated the first day’s play against Oxfordshire – Sam Elstone helped himself to 156 in a total of 403 for eight – and they had the best of the first session on day two as well.
Cheshire, 53 for two overnight, lost Freddie Smith in the first over of the day to a catch at fine-leg and were 152 for seven by lunch.
Not for the first time this season Devon’s bowling attack ran into problems flushing out the lower-order opposition.
Max Mannering and Tristan Rossouw, Oxfordshire’s eighth-wicket pair, added 106 that took the running total to 246 for eight – and there was more to come after Rossouw was caught by a juggling Lawrence Walker at square-leg.
Mannering went on to make 96 from 101 balls – a more-than-decent effort for a number-nine batter – before he was the last man to go in an Oxfordshire total of 301 all out.
Devon seamer Ben Privett took two wickets before lunch and finished with three for 58. Kazi Szymanski and Sam Read had two wickets each.
Devon got to bat for 35 overs at the end of day two and were 156 for six at the close – a lead of 251 with Matt Thompson and Ben Beaumont the not-outers. Both have scored three-day centuries for Devon this season and have the power to jack-up the total.
Devon got to 156 for six thanks to a rumbustious 54 from Lawrence Walker and a studious 49 by captain James Horler.
Horler admitted it was ‘frustrating’ to see Oxfordshire bat as long as they did from seven wickets down, but added: “However, we did so well to get them to that position and there was always going to be a partnership.
“We would've taken a 100 lead any day…”
The only way Devon can win the game is to bowl-out Oxfordshire in the fourth innings, which presents skipper Horler with some arithmetic to do, The equation is how many overs do his bowlers need to take 10 wickets, as opposed to what is a total that will encourage a chase, rather than blocking tactics for a draw?
Said Horler: “The wicket still has a bit in it for the seamers which is good.
“We are in a bit of limbo on what approach to take but, we are 250 ahead and in a good position regardless. I have been in many worse positions.
"Looking to give ourselves a good amount of time at them on the third day.
“Whatever the result it will be a fitting end to the season. Looking forward to it.”
