Cornwall exited from this year's MCCA Trophy at St Just on Sunday when they went down to an 85-run defeat to old rivals Devon, writes Michael Weeks.
On the day the Duchy could have no complaints as the men from over the Tamar produced the goods to gain a deserved victory. It is Devon therefore that go forward to the quarter finals, along with group winners Berkshire, with Cornwall finishing third.
At a pleasantly warm and sunny Cape Road Devon opted to bat and posted the more than useful total of 229 for 9 in their 50 overs.
Rob Harrison picked up a couple of early wickets, including that of Devon skipper Bobby Dawson. At 75 for 4 in 19 overs Cornwall had hopes of a target of less than 200 to chase. However David Court made 44 and David Lye 52, adding 59 for the fifth wicket.
With useful contributions from the lower order of Sandy Allen (16), Trevor Anning (22no) and Ian Bishop (23) the visitors had something to defend.
Harrison, recovering from an ankle injury, took two for 19 from 10 overs. Mark George, who came into the team after Matt Robins's withdrawal, took three for 35 from 10 overs. The rest of the seven man home attack leaked runs however.
The Cornish reply could hardly had got off to a worse start. David Roberts, on his return to the team after two seasons, was lbw to Anning for 1 in the fifth over. Then in the next over fellow former first-class player, match professional Mike Burns was caught behind for five to make it 8-2.
Gary Thomas and Tom Sharp combined to get the f50 up in the 20th over before Thomas went for 29 that included four boundaries.
Centurion last time out Chris Hunkin was bowled first ball by Hancock and Alex Smeeth lofted to Dawson at cover. The dramatic collapse continued as Tom Sharp was lbw to Hancock for 18 before Hancock held onto a stunning one-handed, diving return catch from a disbelieving Antony Angove.
Five wickets had gone for 12 runs and that was effectively that.
Gavin Edwards, once again, struck some telling blows down the order, including a couple of sixes, to make 34 before being last man out. Cornwall's tailenders added some respectability to the total to make 144 all out in the 44th over.
Hancock took four for 24 but the Devon bowlers all performed well on a dry pitch with Cornwall never at ease.
Cornwall now start their six match three-day championship campaign away to Berkshire at Newbury next Sunday. No easy task as the Royal County have won all the last six championship clashes since the nine wicket win at Werrington in 1999.
DEVON
RI Dawson c Roberts b Harrison 19
NC Bettis c Thomas b Hunkin 9
AV Suppiah b Smeeth 22
ND Hancock c Edwards b Harrison 7
DG Court lbw b George 44
DF Lye c Harrison b George 52
APW Allen c Edwards b George 16
TS Anning not out 22
IE Bishop c & b Sharp 23
AJ Procter run out 1
Extras (b 2, lb4, nb2, w6) 14
Total (9 wkts, 50 overs) 229
Fall: 1-28, 2-29, 3-44, 4-75, 5-134, 6-177, 7-91, 8-228, 9-229.
Bowling: Harrison 10-4-19-2, Ellison 5-0-34-2, Hunkin 4-0-21-1, Smeeth 10-0-44-1, Angove 2-0-14-0, George 10-1-35-3, Sharp 9-0-56-1.
CORNWALL
DJ Roberts lbw b Anning 1
GM Thomas b Barlow 29
M Burns c Allen b Bishop 5
TG Sharp lbw b Hancock 18
CA Hunkin b Hancock 0
AG Smeeth c Dawson b Hancock 7
GD Edwards c & b Suppiah 34
AD Angove c & b Hancock 0
RJ Harrison c Allen b Procter 12
WM George b Suppiah 13
SJ Ellison not out 5
Extras (b1, lb4, w15) 20
Total (all out, 43.4 overs) 144
Fall: 1-1, 2-8, 3-51, 4-52, 5-63, 6-63, 7-63, 8-100, 9-124, 10-144.
Bowling: Bishop 10-5-16-1, Anning 7-3-25-1, Barlow 10-1-26-1, Hancock 6-0-24-4, Procter 6-0-30-1, Suppiah 4.4-0-18-2.
Umpires: S Bishopp and P Ratcliffe.
Devon (2pts) beat Cornwall by 85 runs.
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