Barlow haul halts Shropshire charge

SCOTT Barlow turned in career best bowling figures of five for 58 as Devon stopped Shropshire running away with the first day of the game against Shropshire at Shifnal yesterday.

Shropshire appeared to be in the driving seat after cruising along to 346 for four – opener Ed Foster making 145.

With a score of 400-plus looking likely, the Sidmouth seamer came back for a final spell having only taken one wicket in the match up to then.

Jonno Whitney, who had made a bright and breezy 57, deployed the reverse sweep against Barlow and was bowled round his legs.

Whitney was the first man to go as Shropshire went from 346 for four to 364 all out – six wickets going for 18 runs with Barlow taking four for 20 in his final spell.

By last night's close, which was five minutes earlier than planned due to a sudden shower, Devon had made an 82-run hole in the deficit for the loss of opener Seb Benton.

Benton, whose father also played for Devon, made 27 on his Minor Counties debut before being caught at mid wicket.

Shropshire skipper Jamie Ralph had no hesitation opting to bat first and was rewarded with an opening stand of 84 between Foster and Andy Gray (33).

Grey went for 33 – run out by a direct-hit from Chris Metters – which brought Rob Foster in to join his brother. That stand was a modest 37 which ended when Barlow bowled the new arrival for 15.

Richard Oliver played the supporting role to the surviving Foster with 38 as Shropshire nudged the score up to 221 for three. Metters got him some reward for the harsh treatment being handed out at the other end by Ed Foster.

Foster launched into Metters and Lye to claim a couple of sixes – one a mighty blow that cleared the boundary fence at long-on.

Having hit 15 fours and four sixes, Foster had a thrash at Devon opening bowler Ian Bishop, who had switched to off-spin at the time, and was caught five yards inside the boundary by Josh Bess.

Whitney and Atiq-ur-Rehman carried on in a similar big-hitting fashion to reach 346 for five. Then Barlow stuck.

Whitney paid for his cheek with his wicket then Ralph was lbw first ball, leaving Laeeq -ur-Rehman to keep out the hat-trick.

His stay proved short though as Lye had him caught at cover –point by Barlow soon after for seven.

Two lbw decisions in favour of Barlow accounted for Ted Bayliss and Alex Blofeld.

Devon started positively with Benton and Bowser putting on 75 without loss.

North Devon's Bowser, fresh from a century against Sandford in the league the day before, finished on 40 not out with Rob Holman (5) the other undefeated batsman.

LATEST SCORE

Shropshire 364 (E G Foster 145, J D Whitney 57, Atiq-ur-Rehman 47, R K Oliver 38; S Barlow 5-58, D Lye 2-39), Devon 82-1 (D J Bowser 40no). Bonus points: Devon 4, Shrophshire 4.