Devon Cricket Board - DCBYA U14s 2015 Hampshire Match Report

Hampshire 12^th August 2015 Exmouth CC

At Last!

The night before I did some research, looked at the League Table, and for the first time for ages wrote some notes for the pre match chat. Theme – ATTITUDE - the tougher the opposition the harder and better we/ you play. You might be the underdogs but Nick and I believe and trust in you and so start to believe in yourself. Come on SMALL Margins - you can do it - make it happen - go out and show each other you CAN.

We were as usual warmly greeted at Exmouth, tea and bickies. Thank you. Unusually for the time of year Exmouth was looking green not brown. The sun was shining and it looked as if it was going to be a beautiful day. Sandy gave us the option of pitches and we chose the drier used strip. We wanted to bat, back ourselves, as we felt it would turn and if anything get slower and lower and having won the toss we batted.

Deggy and Dobs opened and thanks to a couple of 4 balls, it was a wicket that if you didn't pitch the ball up it would sit up, we were away. We ticked along to 48 in the 13^th when Deggy cut straight into the keeper’s hands. Good catch. Jonty joined Dobs who was enjoying the pace on the ball and Hampshire brought on the first of their spinners, who soon had Jonty LBW. 56-2. Tayls and Dobs took the score onto 86 when slightly bogged down, something to work on this winter, playing spin me thinks, Dobs is stumped for a very good 35 - but we must, once in, learn to go on and score big! 74-3 in the 23^rd. Locky and Tayls take the score to 86 when Tayls finds another way of getting out, leaving the leggie and being bowled behind his legs! Locky is then caught 90-5 in the 28^th and “here we go again”, it’s a song isn’t it for those of you old enough to remember it! Saps doesn’t really trouble the scorers stumped and Bryon is caught and bowled. Yep here we go again. 112-7 off 35. That becomes 116-8 when Carps is bowled playing across the line! Ho hum will we get 135 Nick’s prediction; unusually I’m more positive, I just had a feeling all day it might be our day but.., could we still get 150; 225-240 par? Gregers and Ice Man then put on 34 - as it turned out the match winning partnership. They showed that grit, that determination to stick in there, select the right ball to hit and pick up the ones and two is vital and after that Gregers then played some lovely drives in the last few overs. Ice man's luck eventually ran out but Kers joined Gregers and they took us to 161 a score that was just a dream, actually beyond a dream, when we were 116-8 in the 37^th. Brilliant and the impetus was with us? Honestly - probably not as I say 225-240 was what we should have scored - but early wickets/ pressure is a funny old thing.

Great tea thank you Lucy et al. Quick chat and some fun/ a warm up then..

You have bowled and fielded well this season. The job is only half done go out and do the business. It’s the last match for 3 of you so let’s go out on a high. Fight to the end – for each other. Let’s open with a spinner as taking pace off the ball has made it difficult and it is turning.

Kers starts with a maiden and Deggy has three singles off his first over. Kers then slips in that 4 ball but Deggy only has one run off his second over and then after a wide Kers strikes with the 7^th ball and bowls Dahariwal. 10-1 in the 5^th. Fantastic! That becomes 11-2 in the 10^th, Hampshire being perhaps too cautious, when Deggy has Brown LBW. Lewis, batting well and Kantolina recover the situation before the introduction of Jonty does the trick when he has Kantolina caught down the leg side by Tayls, smart catch. 51-3 off 20. 7 overs later, Hampshire loose their next wicket when Woody bowls Ayres, hitting the top of off stump. 66-4. Jonty takes a catch off his own bowling to remove Pardoe and then has Lewis, who batted really well, LBW. 75-6 in the 28^th. Carps comes on and has Cox stumped by Tayls 100-7 in the 36^th. With the pressure mounting Hampshire need runs and Joe Kooner-Evans is in and giving Hampshire every chance but the introduction of the “Ice man” does the trick when he hits a catch to Dobs at mid on who takes a good catch above his head. Els does it again with Woody this time taking a good catch at shin height running in from mid off 140-9. There is pressure/ nerves all round the ground as well as on the pitch and there are some buzzers on the pitch, not just seagulls! - hold the ball lads – think! The “Ice man” then strikes and bowls Vaughan, Hampshire 149 all out in the 44^th over Devon winning by 12 runs. Ice cream time!

It’s been a long season and it’s not all over yet- well it is for three of you! Let’s hope that this is a turning point. Yes we need to work on the batting particularly against spin and middle overs (there’s a lot of hard work necessary this winter- one2ones would be best) but let’s hope that player’s now have that self belief in themselves and each other and that together they the TEAM, “CAN DO IT”.

I know I repeat myself, it has been a season of small margins and “What ifs” and if you look at the League Table, its not complete, “What could have been”. We have made progress and hopefully enjoyed it on the way which is important. It gives Nick and I enormous pleasure seeing you develop as individuals and as a Team but I have to admit at times the journey this year has been very frustrating. Let’s hope, with our help, you can develop further and have more success in 2016!

Thank you for our pressies, I’ll write long hand from now on and you will not be able to read it! Thank you Exmouth CC, Sandy, Lucy et all; the umpires and especially Wendy and Derek for driving back from Oxford and the Dumplings Tour to be with us, you are an important part of the TEAM. Thank you the parents/ guardian(s), relatives et al for your kind words and support. Nearly there! See you Wednesday!

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