Got there in the End
The Isle of Wight under 21s brought forward their annual trip to play Cornwall and Devon by two weeks and were confronted with above average selection problems; the fact that they raised a side is a credit to their academy system. At Axminster the Island won the toss and batted and at 41-4 their worries about which ferry to catch appeared insignificant. However their later batsmen applied themselves and with some generous extras from the home side they were finally all out in the forty-fifth over for 160. With the captain, Jack Porter, dancing the light fantastic at his graduation ball it was vice captain Justin Yau who led his side by example with four catches behind the stumps and a run out. Eliot Acton, who had replaced his injured cousin, Ross, and sent his loyal supporters to Seaton, took the first wicket giving the keeper his first catch with the score on six. Four runs later a fine piece of fielding by the senior Smith –Joe and good glove work ran out Barton. The Isle of Wight dug in until the thirteenth over when Acton's replacement, the elder Thompson- Joe, gave his club captain his second catch. The under 15s might have had three twins in a match but this must have been the first time that two sets of non twin brothers have played in the same Devon youth side – the Thompson’s and Smith’s with the parents showing more originality when naming their second born. Chris Metters, fresh from his eight wicket haul with the minor county side, removed Miller, who will be playing for Hampshire against the Devon under 17s, in July, giving the captain his third catch. The Island’s captain Pongolo, who has been playing for Ventnor for the last three summers and had always made us most welcome steadied his ship with the highest partnership of the innings. The 54 he put on with Mitchell took the visitors five short of the hundred. Last year’s under 17 captain and Blundell’s monitor Sam Smith was now in the attack and found the edge of Pongolo’s bat to give Yau his final involment in dismissals, he was obviously satisfied with the top five. Smith was in generous extras mood, although he more than made up for it later. Mitchell was batting sensible but had to watch Cheek being bowled by Chappell on 115 and Turpin following in identical fashion on 122. Twenty-nine were added for the eighth wicket when Mitchell sacrificed a ton and decided to go after Devon’s third left arm spinner Bowser. He bought the important wicket of Mitchell dot, four, six, wicket when Mitchell failed to clear the lanky Chappell at long off. He had batted for 101 balls scoring an outstanding 63 in 80 minutes. From 151- 8 the Island accumulated another nine runs for their last two wickets when Bowser took his second with another catch from long off and the returning Acton took his second wicket thanks to a fine diving catch from Joe Smith. Devon’s over rate had been exceptional 44 in130 minutes and they had also beaten the preparation of the tea. They therefore had to bat with a split innings with fifty minutes available before tea.
They were confronted by one of the quicker attacks seen at Axminster and indeed by Devon at this level, Ventnor’s former overseas import Pongolo and under 17 Barton. Barton’s initial balls sparked some mirth from the home side but he later gave all of the batsman a wake up call as there was real hostility and bounce at both ends. Whereas Hardy had seen off Somerset’s Turner, Jones, Caddick he found Barton’s final ball of his first over too quick for him as Devon were reduced to 14-1. It was then the Island’s generosity that enabled Devon to keep up a reasonable run rate as at tea after 11 overs they were 44-1 with only ten runs coming from the bat. The two left handers Matt Thompson and Dan Bowser were in contrition mode. The wait for tea was worthwhile as it was devoured, as a local put it if you cannot eat at twenty-one…………. Post tea another 35 were added in eight overs when North Devon’s Dan Bowser was leg before for 21 in 76 minutes off 57 balls. It was leg spin at both ends as the in form Andy Kingdom came to terms with the track. After 89 minutes at the crease Miller kept one lower and Thompson departed leg before for a 65 ball -19 to a bowler who will be bowling at him again later in the summer at Totton and Eling. The two left handers had seen off the menacing openers but had not capitalised on the change bowlers. Devon were now just over half way at 81-3 when Sam Smith entered the arena. He simply batted at a different level to anyone else in the game. He was imperious giving Barton the charge, although narrowly failing to follow Mark Gilmour's last years effort by being dropped slashing, at third man. His timing and shot selection this year is up another level and 2009 may well be the summer when he finally comes fully of age. He faced just 29 balls hitting 8 fours and a six in his undefeated 52. He saw Kingdom caught at cover off Barton for 16 with the score on 119. This was a shock as he had been striking seamers all season with consummate ease and had seen off one of the leggies. It was the Smith brothers for 26 runs when as could have been anticipated the running was telepathic. Barton took his third as Joe Smith played a textbook forward defensive to miss the ball and be leg before. Gary Chappell who had contributed two wickets and two catches watched Sam Smith finish it off with three fours. It had taken thirty-one overs and one hundred and thirty-four minutes to pick up the two points. The captain will be back from his Strictly audition to take his side to Dorset, the Isle of Wight and his favourite McDonalds. His stand in demonstrated how fortunate his club, Torquay, are to have him in charge. This game was played on Axminster’s quickly maturing new ground and their subsequent colt’s night was a demonstration of what an ambitious ClubMarked Focus club can achieve.
