Chagford CC – Sunday 19th June 2005

After two defeats from their opening two games in the Cup Competition this summer, it was a side containing two changes, including a debutant in Nick Rogers that travelled to Chagford for the game against Somerset.Devon skipper Julian Page won the toss yet again and after due consideration opted to have first use of the Memorial Field track.Compared with their start against Dorset in the previous group match, openers Page and Shepherd were much more watchful in their approach to the visitors attack early on, but were still going at nearly 5 runs an over when in only the 9th over of the innings Page got caught in his crease and was bowled by Coombes. The total had reached 51 by then and for the 2nd time in two games, the Page / Shepherd combination had given Devon a decent enough start. Bob Macey looked increasingly comfortable until he too was deceived and was bowled to leave the total on 93 for the loss of two wickets. Pete Shepherd was then joined by the third left hander of the innings in Bob Eames and the pair set off to increase Devon’s run tally and build an imposing total for the Cidermen to chase. The run rate was just gathering pace when Pete Shepherd started off looking for a single that was never really there and after being sent back by Eames was run out by a country mile. By then though, the pair had compiled a partnership of 76 in only 90 deliveries. Pete Shepherd had looked increasingly more likely to be the first centurian outside of the Eames / Macey twosome before his error in judgement, but his innings of 84 had given Devon the chance to set a reasonable total for their bowlers to defend. The only downside on the situation of the game at this stage was that any of the new batters going in didn’t really have any chance of playing themselves in, but had to look to chase the runs almost from the start. This certainly proved the case as ex-skipper Chris Theedom tried to increase the chase for quick runs  and was eventually bowled trying one hit too many after scoring 11 and was followed soon after by Richard Cavendish and Nick Rogers in successive deliveries to lave the total on 207 for 6 in the penultimate over. Bob Eames (51 not out) and Stuart Lott added a further 5 runs in the final over to leave Somerset needing 213 runs for victory in their allotment of 45 overs.After the start that the top 3 had given to the innings, it could have been said that this was not as many as Devon had expected to get, but nearly all of the batsmen said on their return to the pavilion that run scoring was very much harder then it looked as the ball was not coming on to the bat very quickly at all. But still, it was a damn sight improvement from the previous two batting displays this season and miracles don’t happen over night..

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