DEVON stand accused of an "air of arrogance" and "lack of respect" displayed before and after their Minor Counties Knock-out Cup tie against Suffolk.After rain forced Sunday's second-round match at Torquay to be abandoned following Suffolk's innings, the visitors won a bowl-out 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals for the second year running.

DEVON stand accused of an "air of arrogance" and "lack of respect" displayed before and after their Minor Counties Knock-out Cup tie against Suffolk.

After rain forced Sunday's second-round match at Torquay to be abandoned following Suffolk's innings, the visitors won a bowl-out 2-0 to reach the quarter-finals for the second year running.

But comments made in the Herald Express about Suffolk both before and after the match by Devon captain Bobby Dawson left a sour taste in the mouth.

Devon trounced Suffolk by 88 runs in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy at the end of last season, when Suffolk included South African one-day internationals Martin van Jaarsveld and Pierre Joubert as overseas players.

Ahead of Sunday's match Dawson said: "They had their two South African superstars Martin van Jaarsveld and Pierre Joubert in for that one and it did not do them any good.

"They will have a long way to come on Saturday night and won't be looking forward to playing us again.

"Devon (Malcolm) will still be running in to bowl. He will be trying hard, you can bet on that, but we have the batting to cope with it."

In the event, former England fast bowler Malcolm was a late withdrawal due to a groin strain sustained in the three-day drawn match against Northumberland earlier in the week.

Suffolk batted first and made 288 in their 50 overs before rain prior to the Devon innings led to the match being abandoned and a bowl-out, with five nominated bowlers on each side having two attempts each at hitting the stumps.

Ben France and Chris Swallow were successful for Suffolk as they won 2-0 to earn a quarter-final tie at home to Bedfordshire, to be played at the Victory Ground, Bury St Edmunds on Sunday, July 4.

Dawson was quoted as saying after the match: "I was happy to be chasing 289 to win as I thought it was a below-par score. We had a good side and I was more than confident we could have got the runs."

"Kevin Brooks, Suffolk's director of cricket, responded: "The nature of his (Dawson's) comments before the game hinted at a lack of respect for our side and only really served to fire up our team.

"As I said, we will never know whether our score would have been sufficient and obviously we would have liked to have won the match fair and square by defending that total. However, given their air of arrogance in many respects it was a sweet victory for us nonetheless."