AN excellent all-round performance by former Derbyshire star Peter Burgoyne guided Herefordshire to their second win in three MCCA championship matches.

Burgoyne twice topped 70 and also picked up seven wickets as Herefordshire sneaked home by 23 runs against Devon at Plymouth.

But the 24-year-old had solid support from his debutant spin-twin Ben Twohig who snared eight victims as well as compiling an important 64 in Herefordshire’s second innings.

Herefordshire failed to make best use of winning the toss and batting first, slipping to 80-5 before a good sixth-wicket partnership of 75 between Burgoyne, whose 76 included nine fours and two sixes, and Tom Hage (36) helped them reach 181.

The Devon reply was built around an excellent innings of 153 from opener Josh Mailling.

He held firm as wickets were falling to Twohig (4-87), Burgoyne (3-58) and skipper Matt Pardoe (1-15) before finally becoming the ninth wicket to fall when he was bowled by Dan Conway (1-36).

Devon’s first innings lead of 90 looked significant, however, especially when Herefordshire lost four wickets before gaining parity.

But Twohig (64) and Burgoyne (79) shared a century stand and with Hage again batting well, with nine fours and a six in his 60, Herefordshire reached a useful 290 to set the home side 200 to win.

Twohig (4-70) again made a key breakthrough on the second evening when he had the dangerous Mailling caught behind by keeper Ian Bullock and also picked up three other victims to leave the game in the balance with Devon on 91-4 at the close.

On the final morning, Burgoyne took over, taking wickets regularly to put the pressure on the home side.

Devon still looked as if they might edge to victory but seamer Jamie McIlroy (1-24) also picked up an important wicket before Burgoyne (4-58) returned to trap last man Max Hancock leg before to secure victory.

Fourth-placed Herefordshire next entertain third-placed Oxfordshire at Brockhampton on Sunday week.