EXMOUTH (final day of three): Devon drew with Bedfordshire
ACRIMONY marred the Minor Counties Championship final in which the Western and Eastern Division winners shared the title.
Three Bedfordshire batsmen were struck by errant throws, prompting Andy Trott, the third victim who was hit on the helmet, to stride towards Arul Suppiah, the fielder at mid-on, before the umpires and Bobby Dawson, the Devon captain, intervened. Trott was later named man-of-the-match.
The batsman regained his composure and made a match-saving innings of 83 not out, alongside a halfcentury from Jon Walford, his second while batting with a runner in the game. They shared an unbroken partnership of 140 after Bedfordshire were 30 for four, still 44 behind with Andy Roberts, the captain, unable to bat because of a broken right thumb.
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In the two other incidents, Walford suffered damaged ankle ligaments when Arwyn Jones shied at the stumps in the first innings. Marcus Steed was struck on the left bicep by a wild throw from Neil Hancock, the bowler.
Philip August, the Bedfordshire secretary said: “Marcus was so annoyed that he left the ground immediately after being caught next ball. The umpires should have put their heads around the Devon dressing-room door and told them to calm it down.”
Dawson responded: “We always return the ball to the wicketkeeper and it is the batsman’s responsibility to watch out for the throw. Three players being hit is highly unusual.”
But David Mercer, 42, the full-time Bedfordshire development officer, former England Amateur XI batsman and the leading championship run-maker with 9,572 in 24 seasons disagreed.
“At a time when the ECB and MCC are looking to improve the standards of behaviour in the game, it is sad that in a showpiece match, an act like the one involving Steed can be allowed with no action taken,” he said.
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“It is worrying that the traditions and etiquette of cricket are being eroded under the guise of wanting to win. It is a growing trend that fielders throw the ball as close to the batsman as possible. We want to teach people to win, but surely not by pushing things to such a limit.”
SCOREBOARD
BEDFORDSHIRE: First Innings 214 (J E P Walford 52; N D Hancock 7 for 80)
Second Innings
A Shankar b Bishop 0
J A Knott lbw b Bishop 0
D J M Mercer b Procter 16
M H Steed c Anning b Hancock 0
A J Trott not out 83
J E P Walford not out 55
Extras (lb 2, nb 14)16
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Total (4 wkts, 53 overs) 170
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-3, 3-12, 4-30.
BOWLING: Bishop 15-4-50-2; Hancock 15-2-70-1; Procter 13-2-33-1; Jones 9-5-11-0; Anning 1-0-4-0.
DEVON: First Innings
M P Hunt run out 45
A V Suppiah b Watts 97
*R I Dawson b Watts 22
A J Pugh c Mercer b Watts 32
C M Mole lbw b Trott 5
N D Hancock lbw b Trott 0
D F Lye lbw b Trott 7
T S Anning not out 27
A J Procter c Watts b Trott 19
I E Bishop b Watts 1
A Jones not out 0
Extras (b 8, lb 10, w 3, nb 12) 33
Total (9 wkts, 70 overs) 288
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-162, 2-187, 3-196, 4-209, 5-209, 6-221, 7-249, 8-274, 9-277.
BOWLING: Rashid 11-2-44-0; Patterson 13-0-56-0; Sneath 6-2-15-0; Watts 24-3-104-4; Trott 16-2-51-4.
Umpires: K Coburn and M P Moran.