Double-date wins over Herefordshire speed Devon into Dojo T20 Cup Super12s | 'Two very professional chases, with two different batting orders' – coach Sandy Allen
SCORECARDS
DEVON are guaranteed a place in the Dojo T20 Cup Super12s round after registering back-to-back wins over Herefordshire at Blundell’s School.
Ben Privett top scored for Devon with 53 as they chased down 124 to win with five wickets down in the opening fixture of the day at the Tiverton school. Sandford’s Lawrence Walker playing his first Devon game of the season after breaking a thumb, was 22 not out when Matt Whalley hit the winning runs with two over to go.
Four wickets for spinner Harry Passenger helped keep Herefordshire’s batting line-up in check.
Callum Harvey, the Devon captain, took the wicket of former Worcestershire batter George Rhodes in his stats one for seven, which included a Twenty20 rarity: a maiden over!
Devon had to travel further in game two as Herefordshire set them 152 to win, which they reached with two overs to go and four wickets in hand.
Rhodes (46) and Callum Bennett (46) amassed 78 for the third wicket before Cameron Kidd took a diving catch in the deep off Passenger (2-26) to remove the latter. Harvey at full stretch did something similar to send back Rhodes off Privett (2-26).
Although Walker missed out second time around – he was bowled first ball – Passenger (42), Seb Linnitt (33) and Cam Kidd (39) took care of the heavy lifting required.
Kidd was particularly brutal towards the Herefordshire bowling during his 19-ball stay. One of his four sixes, smashed off Bennett, came back with bits missing after a hard landing on the nearby road to Halberton.
Rhys Davies was 21 not out at the end when a leg-bye took Devon past their target.
Sandy Allen, the Devon coach and a former capped player, said showed their adaptability to win two contrasting games.
“Two very professional chases, with two different batting orders,” said Allen.
“Credit to the players for adapting and being open to order changes at different stages depending on what’s needed.
“It definitely helped us having that right-and-left-hand option (Kidd and Linnett/Davies) and in the middle, That allowed us to target the shorter boundary from both ends, which was vital in the chase.”
Allen praised Kidd for his contribution – ‘brilliant in the field and hits the well’ – and added a few more pats on the back.
“We bowled well overall – well enough to keep Herefordshire below par in the second game on a drying wicket – and our fielding was our best for a while,” said Allen.
Devon’s next target is to defeat Cornwall at least once in the final round of fixtures on July 5, and hope Wiltshire drop points against Dorset, which will secure home advantage at Exeter in the Super12s.
Favourable results elsewhere in this Sunday’s round of games – Devon are on a bye week – could affect the win-lose equation in the last batch of matches.
