Devon Cricket Board - DCBYA Under 14s Gloucestershire Match Reports 2014

It was a long drive home and a disturbed night; our Geoffrey didn’t help on TMS as he got stuck into Dhoni about his decision to bat and I felt I had let the lads down even more; the local pitch knowledge, it was probably just too wet, was in hindsight wrong and we had the worst of the pitch, although to be frank we also did not help ourselves either and much credit goes to Gloucestershire, they bowled well to the conditions and there number 3 and 4 batted as we should have done, got well forward and played straight, taken singles and putting the bad ball away.

Nick warned me mid week we were on the edge of the square and the square had been under water but I was surprised on arrival to find the outfield so wet - heavy dew. The pitch was damp but the weather forecast was good and the sun was already out. It would dry and turn more and so with 4 spinners we should wear the batting conditions, get the runs on the board and then bowl them out.

On arrival players were in very jovial spirits and immediately questioned the short boundary. “It is no different to pitch 3 at the festival it is the same for both sides so forget it and concentrate on what you need to do”. Nick tells me the warm up reflected the players’ attitude, (were we over confident?) and there was talk about the parents’ match. Unusually we had three umpires which became two! We won the toss and batted..

It is suggested you will need to get well forward watch the ball, play straight and with soft hand and that singles and running between is important. Lammers and Ash open and we score 7 off the 1^st over and we move along with the odd alarm the ball keeping low and/or stopping/ seaming and the occasional risky run, when in the 7^th over Lammers is bowled- I’ll let you guess how. 37-1. Sam with the ball not coming on struggles and plays on 40-2 off 13. A trip to the balcony is called for to reinforce how we should approach things and I find the players laughing and joking deciding what shot they are to play first ball in the parents’ match and not watching the game or concentrating on the match. An attempt to restore order is made but damage has been done. Mikey given the chance at 4 and Ash take it on when Ash gets one that keeps low and neither forward nor back, is bowled too. 54-3 off 18. Kazi joins Mikey and they bat well together putting away the bad ball, both miss time the ball and are dropped trying to play shots, which should have been a warning. Mikey then holes out and Jami Khan gets stumped 106-5 off 31! 6 runs later Kazi is caught and bowled and Gibbsy is caught with the score on 123 and he should have been out the first ball he faced- one of a number of catches Gloucestershire dropped- thankfully! Leon is then run out, 133-8 and 4 runs later Willow is caught and Lathers is bowled and we are all out 139 with 8 balls of our innings left.

Okay Nick and I got it wrong and we apologise again but did we, when batting, really apply ourselves and take on board what we said about how to bat and play on such a pitch. Players also raised concerns about their left arm pace bowler but he was not quick and their leggie but he only bowled one over. Horrible phrase but “control the controllables” - don’t worry about anyone or anything but yourself! Unusually no one took responsibility and batted long. We only had two partnerships both of 37.

How did Gloucestershire bowl? Straight, their bowlers were not as quick as ours, so they effectively took the pace off the ball, they made us play and let the pitch and our technique do the rest! They bowled a few less extras and free hits and they set some excellent fields and so applied pressure. 160-175 would have been a good score and one we could defend but we did not get there.

So to tea after a chat, we re group and go out and bowl similarly to Gloucestershire and field out of our skins. Kazi and Yabbers open and we apply pressure 2 runs off the first 2 overs. Helmke then miss drives to Leon in the covers who takes a comfortable catch; a three balls later Sam brilliantly runs out Trainor. 2-2 - game on. Did we then relax? Wilson and Webb then show how to bat on such a track and also put the bad ball away. Yabbers comes off as his overs might be better bowled later in the innings and Lathes ought to have a bowl. Willow, who has not been overly well in the week and bowled 24 overs for the U16s has a go instead but he does not quiet get it right and the batsmen are not sufficiently challenged. Kazi bowls 5 overs 1-1, (what happened in this instance to the 6^th), most impressive and just what we needed. He is replaced by Lathers who really wanted to bowl the other end and he has trouble with his line and is replaced by Lammers and Leon replaces Willow. The drinks break comes 49-2 off 15 overs and we are not quite getting it right and the two batters are accumulating and not having to take risks. The players are quiet and almost resigned to things- come on be patient make it happen; one wicket will bring two… AB comes on, he bowls slower with loop and more spin and immediately bowls Wilson - partnership 81. 83-3 in the 26^th. Has a door been opened? Yabbers comes on the sea end and together dot ball start to apply pressure. More words at the drinks break believe, fight and don’t give up and suddenly we start to play as we have all season- but why has it taken so long? In the 35^th over Yabbers bowls Sharp and 4 balls later he bowls Webb. 104- 5. Nerves on the balcony and panic in the middle as AB does the rest, stumped Maunder and then bowled 104-7. We can win this! Yabbers is then bowled out and is replaced by Willow but it is not his day. Pierre and Higgins courageously go on the offensive and ABs 7^th and 8^th overs go for runs, including a 5 - four over throws.. and the winning score is now within sight. Lammers who bowled straight earlier comes back on and Pierre is caught behind, 134-8; Sam stood up to all the bowlers for the whole match until he hurts his thumb, a fantastic effort. Higgins continues on his mission to win the match and after consultation Ash says he will bowl but his direction lets him down and the winning total is reached with 12 balls to spare.

Whilst it hurts to lose a match, it should do, if we all learn from our mistakes and players’ thoughts at the post match debrief suggest they have learnt, then the experience will be worthwhile. It is not the end of the world. We must now move on and upwards; go to Hampshire, if the hurricane allows us, play to our potential and win and then finish the season on Monday against Berkshire on a high. Get your heads on lads, you can do it!

Thank youTorquay CC, especially Ken and Ian for all you did for us and Terry for the catering. Thank you the umpires Roger, Steve and Barry! Thank you as always Wendy and Derek for scoring for Gloucestershire. Thank you Nick it’s a pity you are going on holiday!! Thanks you parents and relatives for your support. It was good to see previous u14s players and parents at Torquay.

As I said it was a long drive reflecting home and our Geoffrey made it worse. Unusually I agree with him though - what a decision to bat first- sorry lads!

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