LATE defiance from wicketkeeper Tom Morton and youngster Owen Alsop with a partnership of 171 was not enough to save Wiltshire from a 118-run defeat to Devon at Corsham today.

The home side started day three of their Minor Counties Championship Western Division clash needing an unlikely 494 to win.

More pertinently, their task was to bat out 104 overs, having resumed from an unpromising overnight position of 51-3 in their second innings.

Wiltshire reached 70 without further loss but seamer Trevor Anning finally forced Chris Benham to nick one behind.

Henry Langford and skipper Joe Breet moved the score on to 101-4 and the Devon bowlers toiled before Langford departed for 41.

Morton joined Breet and the pair batted cautiously until Breet was trapped leg before to leave Wiltshire 146-6 before lunch.

Then Morton and Alsop took over, taking the score to 184 before the interval, then up to 269 as Morton brought up his century.

Alsop helped the home side pass the 300 mark, before he was finally caught for 44 with the score on 317.

Morton remained at the crease until tea, having amassed 154, with his side 344-7, needing 150 win while Devon required three more wickets.

His prized wicket eventually fell as he nicked a delivery from Scott Barlow to keeper Matt Thompson, departing after three and a half hours at the crease and 27 fours and three sixes.

Tom Bowler followed shortly afterwards, leaving teh final pair of Paul Robbins and Simon Warner at the crease and needing to survive for 25 overs.

However, when Chris Bradley 2-69 bowled Robbins with the score on 375, Devon secured their victory.

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