Read top scores in benefit match

DEVON Cricket Board chief Jim Wood said Friday night's joint benefit game at Exmouth against the Nottinghamshire Outlaws was a success — even if it didn't rake in as much money as expected.

Former Paignton and Devon player Chris Read, now captain of Notts, took a star-studded side down to the Maer Ground as part of his benefit season programme.

Read has never forgotten the debt he owes to the youth set-up in Devon, which helped him on his way to earning 15 Test caps as well as 35 appearances in one-day internationals.

Friday night's miserable weather kept the crowd down to around 400, but Wood said there was more to the game than making money.

"We didn't make as much as we would have liked, but the game wasn't just about making money," said DCB chairman Wood, whose son Matt is on the staff with Read at Notts.

"Chris wanted to bring a side back to Devon to say 'thanks for everything' and spread the cricketing gospel a bit wider.

"Notts had a strong side and all the pros mucked in signing autographs, posing for pictures and chatting to the kids who came along to watch. That sort of exposure to the game for youngsters is something you can't put a price on.

"The match itself was enjoyable as the pros played it the right way and made sure we got a game out of it.

"It wasn't just a cricket match but a cricket event and from that viewpoint it was an overwhelming success."

Notts, as is customary on these occasions, batted first and made a total of 187 for five.

Paul Franks hit 37 — he was one of two scalps claimed by South Devon's Chris Metters — and Samit Patel made a quick 46 in a running total of 106 for three.

Read and New Zealand one-day star Andre Adams then put on 81 for the fifth wicket. Read finished not out on 58, which came from 40 balls and included five sixes and two fours, while Adams was dismissed by Sidmouth's Will Murray for 36 from the last ball of the innings.

Devon found out-of-favour England pacer Ryan Sidebottom hard to get away — he bowled two overs for two runs at the start — and did not get much change out of former Cornwall paceman Charlie Shreck either. But once the change bowlers came on it was a different story, with Bradninch's Richard Foan (45) and Paignton's Seb Benton (20) hitting out.

Although Plympton's Lewis Gregory went cheaply for three to ex-England one-day regular Mark Ealham, fourth-wicket pair David Court and Dave Lye really went for it.

Home-club favourite Lye clubbed 50 off just 21 balls with five fours and four sixes and Court made 22 off 10 balls as Devon reached 144 for three with four overs to go. But then Patel claimed Court and Lye in successive balls and the chase began to falter.

Darren Pattinson picked up three wickets and, despite some power hitting by Trevor Anning, who had five fours in 23 not out off 10 balls, it was game over.

Devon finished on 173 for eight to give Notts victory by 14 runs.

SCOREBOARD

Notts Outlaws 187-5 (C M W Read 58no, S R Patel 40, P J Franks 37, A R Adams 36; C L Metters 2-35), Devon Board XI 173-8 (R J Foan 45; D F Lye 50, T S Anning 23no; D J Pattinson 3-1, S R Patel 3-17). Outlaws bt Devon by 14 runs.