Runs and wickets for Read (pictured) in Devon win over Herefordshire | Ninth-wicket stand with Penberthy proves crucial

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE AT BOVEY TRACEY
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SAM Read was Devon’s star man with bat and ball in the 53-run win over Herefordshire at Bovey Tracey that got the NV-Play Trophy campaign off the mark.

Read top scored with 73 in Devon’s 48-over total of 200, which owed plenty to a ninth-wicket stand of 42 between him and tail-ender Craig Penberthy.

Herefordshire were in run-chase no-man’s land at 110 for five in reply when Devon skipper James Horler ordered-up some off-spin from Read.

Read’s three for 13 blew away Herefordshire’s lower order as they were dismissed for 147 with more than 10 overs to go. All three wickets tumbled in six balls as 138 for six deteriorated to 140 for nine. Game over.

Read may have been the star man – hard to argue with his match stats – but it certainly wasn’t a one-man show.

Devon’s batting was anchored by skipper James Horler with 37 off 64 balls and jogged along with middle-order runs from Matt Thompson (19) then Read.

At 143 for eight with Matt Whalley just run out by a direct hit from Herefordshire skipper Luke Tulacz, Devon had more than 12 overs to go and white-ball debutant Penberthy in next. His stand with Read proved pivotal.

While Read played his shots – five fours and three sixes, including a direct hit on the beer cellar store behind the pavilion – Penberthy batted time for his ten. Ultimately, that stand was the difference between winning and losing.

Skipper James Horler was said Read’s knock was ‘match changing’, adding: “It was a mature innings under pressure, that put the game back in our hands. 

“Having someone like Sam batting at number seven is such a confidence booster for the team.

“Craig Penberthy, batting with Sam and Kazi Szymanski at the end, put on 56, which really helped us push for a tough total to chase on a slow wicket.”

Pick of the bowlers for Herefordshire were spinners George Rhodes (3-23) and Hasan Mahmood (2-33), which did not go un-noticed by the Devon management.

Mahmood (38), Rhodes (24) and Tulacz (36no) were making inroads into the deficit at their ends, Devon were spinning out wickets at the other in a running total of 108 for five shortly after halfway.

Kazi Szymanski, armed with the new ball, was the only seamer to take a Herefordshire wicket from start to finish. Spinners and a run-out accounted for the rest. Penberthy, picked as a seamer, didn’t even get a bowl!

Whalley’s left-arm spin included dangerman Rhodes for a less-than costly tally. The former Worcestershire and Leicestershire all-rounder was perceived as a dangerman in the Devon camp.

Callum Harvey (2-22 off nine) was cheap to run and finished what the impressive Whalley (2-29) and Read had started.

Horler said with 200 on the board he was quietly confident it was going to be Devon’s day.

“The pitch was slow and turned,” said Horler. “With 40 overs of quality spin, there was always going to be periods to attack in.”

Devon move on to a Bank Holiday double-header against Berkshire at Newbury on Sunday, followed by Wiltshire at Warminster 24 hours later.

“A tough weekend ahead physically, but did all we could do against Herefordshire to give us confidence to take into it,” said Horler.