Devonshire Rec. endured the first defeat of their England tour as they lost a nailbitter to a Lancashire/Cheshire XI in Manchester on Sunday.

The match went down to the wire as the boys from the Rec. produced a spirited fight-back after an early collapse but in the end fell one run short of the target of 211 set by the hosts.

On a day when weather conditions were rainy and cold, the frontline batsmen failed to make the adjustment chasing a very attainable total.

Lloyd Morrison (9), Roger Trott (18), James Pace (10) and even Albert Steede (1), who had been on a run-scoring tear, all went cheaply. Steede, with scores of 67, 34 and 96 not out in the previous three matches -- all victories for Devonshire -- faced only two balls before presenting a chance to Steve Hanson off the bowling of Andrew Dyson.

Reeling at 62 for five, skipper Anthony Amory (32) and Leon (Cubba) Place (58) set about resurrecting the innings, carrying the total to 127 before Amory became a Richard Sutcliffe victim.

Place, who hit nine fours and a six during his 90-minute stay at the crease, then soldiered on with new partner Terry Fray (25) -- batting with a runner after twisting knee earlier while fielding -- adding 59 for the seventh wicket when Place had his stumps shattered by Dyson.

This beckoned the end of the local team's challenge with Fray following him to the pavilion five runs later and the rest of the tail unable to hold on.

In addition to Dyson, who took three wickets, three run outs helped dismantle Rec. and paceman Mark Butty also chipped in with two for 31.

Earlier, Devonshire found wickets hard to come by once Mark Trott had dismissed Lancashire/Cheshire's Jay Carnegie with no runs on the scoreboard.

But fellow opener Colin Rowe (56) and number three bat Mas Saeed (25) reset the teams course and plundered the bowling attack in putting on 66 for the second wicket.

Sutcliffe, with 58 off just 51 balls, and John Wilmin (33) only added to the destruction as the northerners eased to a modest total.

Erskine Smith enjoyed marginal success with the ball taking two for 39, while Trott, Pace and Morrison each claimed one apiece.

Bermuda's Shawn Goater, who plays for English Second Division team Rotherham United, travelled to Manchester to support the Devonshire effort.

Devonshire's final match sees them taking on Coventry and North Warwickshire County Club in a 45 overs match today.

LEON PLACE -- Top-scored for Devonshire Rec. with 58 but could do nothing to prevent his side's one-run defeat at the hands of a Lancashire and Chestershire XI.