Devon back in the hunt for a place in the quarter-finals

DEVON are back in the hunt for a place in the last-eight of the National Counties Trophy after routing Cornwall by 96 runs to shoot up to second in their qualifying pool.

- By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

Anything other than a win at Redruth would have left Devon relying on helpful results elsewhere to make it into one of top-two knockout stage qualifying spots.

Beating Cornwall, for the first time in three white-ball meetings, lifted Devon from second bottom to second top in their pool.

A win over pool leaders Berkshire at Blundell's School, Tiverton this Sunday will cement Devon's place in the quarter-finals. A defeat will bring net run rate into play in a three-way equation with either Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, who meet at Tring Park.

Fin Hill top scored for Devon with 82 in a 34-over total of 214 for eight. Next best on 56 was Sam Elstone. Bad weather meant 16 overs a side were lost from the game.