Devon Cricket Board - DCBYA U14s 2015 Cornwall Match Report

Not the best of Father’s Days but thankfully no one was seriously injured! Thank you all, the parents, Jason and Javan for the lifts and Filleigh CC committee/ members for your kind words and help yesterday in getting the match on and on time. It was very much appreciated. Let’s concentrate on the cricket match, what I saw of it.

I understand heavy dew made pre match preparations difficult for John and Martin but they did an excellent job. Filleigh looked a picture and the pitch was excellent. Thank you everyone. In Nick’s absence the warm up was run by his understudy, excellently run I am told, by Fiona. Thank you Fiona. The lads decided to bat but lost the toss and Cornwall asked us to bat.

Deggy and Carps opened and took the score to 37 in the 7^th, good going lads (but did you take a few too many risks?), when Deggy cut once more and was caught behind. Two overs later Carps holed out, a good catch I am told. 44-2 off 9. I arrived about now to see Saps dropped and in the 13^th over he was then caught. We have all chatted about what happened and I do not propose mentioning it, other than saying this is not a school or clubT20 match. Think on. Tayls and James Doble then started to regroup and took the score to 97 in the 22nd over, fairly untroubled if I recall, when Dobles went back and played across the ball and was adjudged LBW. 4 overs later Gregors plays over a ball and was bowled. 107-5 in 26th over. Byron and Sam then took the game to Cornwall and put on 70 both playing some lovely shots and Byron rattling the boundary boards and scarring the pheasants, well he would if they were around, when on 49 he misses a straight one and was bowled - another great knock. 175-6 in the 35^th. George and Sam took it on running really well, some chancy singles too along the way though and Sam hitting a free hit into the old bridge field, big hit Sam! With the score on 201 Sam(60) then is caught and bowled. Kers and George add 22 in 4 overs when Kers is out and George(29) is run out last ball of our innings going for two. 233 -9 off 45 overs.

Could and should it have it been more? Yes the outfield was lush and so a little slow. If batters get in they need to value their wickets, hit the ball along the ground and capitalise. Too many of you are getting out playing loose expansive shots. We want you to play without fear but you do need to play shots suitable for the match circumstances and pitch conditions. As I said above have a think about it.

After a very nice tea, thank you Filleigh once more Kers opened the bowling with Gregors on the other end. The Cornish openers proceeded cautiously, we helped them with the odd extras until in the 10^th over Gregors got an edge and Tayls takes off and flies one handed and takes a brilliant catch- one of the best I have seen in my 16 years! Goldsworthy can’t believe it and trudges slowly off. The introduction of Woody see two wickets in two balls he bowls Wyatt and then Armstrong first ball. He’s on a hat trick but doesn't get it! Well bowled. Cornwall 45-3 in the 17^th over. All the time Karl Leathley is being watchful and then together with Will Trenoweth they start to repair the damage and get Cornwall into a good position. They gradually start to be more adventurous, helped by Devon bowlers feeding certain of their favourite shots and before long it is 159 when Gregors has Trenoweth LBW. Along the way Woody was unlucky not to have Leathley out LBW when the umpire chose to change his decision; Elliott’s first spell was really good and Deggy bowled and gave us some control. Saps after his disastrous first over then from the other end bowled Leathley for an excellent 81. 182-5 in the 40^th over. With his departure, it was a big ask anyway, Cornwall’s chances of chasing down Devon’s score had really gone but two more wickets fell, Kers and Gregors taking them and Cornwall finished on 208-8 in their 45 overs.

We have more lessons to learn about our fielding and bowling under pressure and again we have talked about it. When you practice your bowling, practice bowling different lengths at targets and at the stumps/ straight. You need to be able to do it to order and under pressure. Let’s see if we can bowl less extras too - 21.

Yesterday was an unusually day and it would have had an effect on the Team’s performance. Given that it was an a very good win. You have and are improving and we believe you know it. Part of the learning process, and this is important, is accepting responsibility, that you have made a mistake/ error, learning from it and then doing something about it.

Thank you the umpires, Wendy and Derek, Nick, Fiona, Jason, Javan and all the parents for helping; thank you Martin and John and everyone else connected with Filleigh CC for a splendid day. I hope everyone got home safely.

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