Sussex devour the Devon cream

Cricket

ROUND-UP

The busiest day of the year is all too often the most predictable, and despite the early efforts of Devon's batsmen and the bowlers of Ireland and Cheshire, not much changed yesterday.

Devon, last year's Minor Counties double winners, led by a 158-minute, 158-ball century from the former Somerset player, Nick Folland, and an unbeaten 46 from Peter Roebuck raised an impressive 267 for 4 at Hove, but their bowling was not up to the same standard and Sussex eased home.

Ireland, now coached by Mike Hendrick, reduced Yorkshire to 31 for 3 before Craig White and Simon Kellett dashed their dreams by taking Yorkshire to 299 for 6, safely out of Ireland's reach. White smashed two sixes and 10 fours in his 137-ball 113.

With Essex at 156 for 7, Cheshire must have been crowing, but then Paul Prichard found an unlikely ally in Mark Illott, whose 54 took Essex to 265 for 8 - again too much for the minors to chase, especially with Graham Gooch taking 5 for 8 in 16 balls in a rare bowling stint.

Surrey raced to the quickest win of the day, taking just 24.2 overs to knock off the 151 they needed to beat Berkshire. Glamorgan were a close second, with Hugh Morris's unbeaten 105 securing a 10-wicket win after Dorset had reached 191 for 4.