FRIENDLY FIXTURES

v HABARDASHERS’ ASKE’S at Axminster C.C. – Match Abandoned

DEVON 31-5

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

v CORNWALL at Sidmouth C.C. - Devon won by 64 runs

DEVON 149 all out (A.Boyd 32*, M.Galliford 35)

CORNWALL 85 all out (M.Galliford 3-12, L.Loveridge 3-9, A.Boyd 3-10)

v ISLE OF WIGHT at Seaton C.C. – Devon won by 8 wickets

ISLE OF WIGHT 94 all out (L.Loveridge 4-19, C.Jenn 3-21)

DEVON 96-2 (N.Watkin 35, A.Williams 35*)

v DORSET at Seaton C.C. – Devon won by 6 wickets

DORSET 178 all out (A.Boyd 4-52)

DEVON 179-4 (W.Grainger 66*, S.Rowe 66)

Semi-final

v NORFOLK at Haileybury – Devon lost by 61 runs

NORFOLK 230-8 (M.Galliford 4-48)

Devon 202-9 (I.Sutton 62, J.Lamswood 44)

Third / Fourth Place Play off

v STAFFORDSHIRE at Haileybury – Devon lost by 38 runs

STAFFORDSHIRE 183 all out (A.Boyd 5-30)

Devon 145 all out (N.Watkin 31, W.Grainger 45)

THE ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL

v LINCOLNSHIRE UNDER 17s at Ventnor C.C. - Devon won by 44 runs

DEVON 175-9 (N.Watkin 36, M.Galliford 31)

LINCOLNSHIRE 131 all out (S.Rowe 3-20, L.Loveridge 5-27)

v ISLE OF WIGHT at Newport C.C. – Devon won by 106 runs

DEVON 217-6 (A.Williams 75, N.Walkin 61)

ISLE OF WIGHT 111-9 (C.Jenn 3-18)

v BERKSHIRE at Brading C.C – Devon won by 30 runs

DEVON 151 all out (I.Sutton 60)

BERKSHIRE 121 (C.Jenn 5-26, L.Loveridge 3-21)

v GLOUCESTERSHIRE at Ryde C.C. - Devon lost by 7 wickets

DEVON 113 all out

GLOUCESTERSHIRE 114-3

v HERTFORDSHIRE at GKN C.C. - Devon lost by 26 runs

HERTFORDSHIRE 172 all out (A.Boyd 3-41, S.Rowe 4-29, L.Loveridge 3-42)

DEVON 146 all out

THE 2001 SQUAD

A.Williams (Captain), S.Rowe (Vice Captain), A.Boyd, M.Bettiss, M.Galliford, W.Grainger, S.Harding, D.Harris, J.Hine, C.Jenn, J.Lamswood, L.Loveridge, I.Sutton, N.Watkin, S.Wright

The fact that this squad reached the finals of the Inter County competition and won its first three games in the Isle of Wight is a tremendous tribute to its attitude and approach to the game. It was evident from its 2000 results that some fine tuning was required and the addition of four members of the under 15 squad greatly strengthened their all round ability. The season started at Sidmouth with a moral boosting win against Cornwall. The way the squad responded to a typical David Gibson warm up spoke volumes, as the attitude was really outstanding. Just from this 60-minute session the omens were good for the season, the players’ keenness was wonderful. After spending the two previous two days at Exmouth where the 17s did not see a ball bowled, our hosts did a superb job of getting the game played on yet another damp, overcast day. On winning the toss Cornwall invited Devon to bat, which seemed the right decision as Devon was reduced to 69-7 after 33 overs. Only Nick Watkin and Aaron Williams had been able to reach double figures. There are often little turning points in a season and without doubt Devon’s eighth wicket partnership was the first and possibly the most important one of 2001. With nothing to lose Alex Boyd and Mark Galliford, who had been promoted, put on a remarkable 72 in 15 overs. Galliford was particularly severe on the opposition captain, the acclaimed leg spinner Michael Mundy, whom Neil Bettiss has destroyed the previous season. This time Galliford hit him out of the attack. At 141 for 8 with seven balls left Devon was back in the game. Galliford scored a forty-one ball 35 hitting 4 fours and a six whilst Alex Boyd scored an equally effective undefeated 32. Taking into account the conditions, Devon’s final score was a more than respectable 149. Galliford then struck in his first over and Cornwall, despite some resistance from the ninth wicket pairing, were never in the hunt as they were bowled out for 85 in forty overs. Under age off spinner Leon Loveridge had a dream debut as he took 3 wickets for 9 runs off his ten overs, a truly auspicious start to his under 16 career. The batting heroes also got amongst the wickets with Galliford taking 3-12 off seven and Boyd 3-10 also off seven. A remarkable performance from the whole side with a fine fielding performance. The warm down was as exuberant as the warm up!

Our next game was our annual friendly against Haberdashers Askes’ at Axminster when for the second year running the fixture was washed out by rain but not before our possible batting frailties were exposed as Devon was reduced to 31-5 before the heavens opened.

The first of our two visits to Seaton provided a proper summer’s day, as the weather started to turn, and a comfortable 8 wicket win. The Island won the toss and batted and were bowled out six runs short of a hundred. Our two under 15 bowlers did the damage with Loveridge taking 4-19 off nine and Chris Jenn 3-21 off seven. Indeed seven of the dismissals were bowled. Simon Wright bowled a miserly spell of leg spin as Alex Boyd picked up two more wickets. A second wicket partnership of 84 in twenty-seven overs between Nick Watkin and Aaron Williams virtually took the team home. Another satisfying team performance.

A week later again at Seaton, it was Dorset’s turn to be confronted by the now confident Devon Under 16 squad. At last Aaron Williams won the toss and he invited his visitors to bat. After 37 overs the game was interestingly poised at 131-5 but a key second spell from Boyd, when he took 4 wickets for 26 runs off his second five overs, swung the game in Devon’s favour. Galliford took the last wicket in the fiftieth over and Devon was faced with a chase of 179. Loveridge took 2-33 off ten, Steven Rowe also bowled well taking 2-27. After 15 overs we were 30-1, Watkin went at 39 and the skipper fell in the twenty-fifth over when Devon was scoring at less than two an over! Twenty-three overs later the game was won as William Grainger and Steven Rowe put on 129 runs for the fourth wicket in a splendidly timed partnership. Grainger took 65 balls and 73 minutes to score his second county fifty and Rowe his maiden one off 70 balls in 64 minutes. A remarkable turn about created by positive batting and running from Grainger and Rowe. Rowe was dismissed for 66 and Grainger hit the next ball for 3 to finish on an identical sore and win the game. Devon had reached the National finals for the second successive season.

Again the trip to Haileybury coincided with the under 19 semi-finals, so, after warming up the older age group, David Gibson took the side to Hertfordshire for the semi-final against Norfolk. Williams invited Norfolk to bat, Galliford removed an opener in his first over but the East Anglia side had a strong batting line up and despite three wickets in Galliford’s second spell the canaries batting dominated and they reached 263-8 off their 50 overs. Over five an over chasing is always a difficult proposition and so it proved as we were reduced to 78-6 off 25 overs. Ian Sutton and James Lamswood staged a brave recovery but it was always a lost cause. Sutton score his maiden county 50 ending up on 62 in 102 minutes off 88 balls. Lamswood fell six short of his fifty in a 53 ball innings that took seventy minutes. Chris Jenn and Leon Loveridge swung lustily with Loveridge hitting a six and a four in his undefeated four-ball stay. The side’s final score of 202-9 was decidedly flattering.

The next day it was evident that Staffordshire fancied their chances and after being invited to bat were very well placed at 160-3 off 39 overs. Another fine spell from Boyd reduced them to 183 all out after 45 overs as Boyd took 5-30 off 9 overs. At the meal break our opponents, who were used to posting scores in the mid to late two hundreds were very depressed and thought they were dead and buried. Unfortunately only Williams, Watkin and Grainger batted with any authority and all, sin of sins, got out when well set. Had one of them batted on, Devon might have stood a chance but the game swung to our opponents with a sub-standard batting performance and Devon finished a disappointing 38 runs short. But fourth in the country is better than nothing! And so to the Isle of Wight.

A record was broken when there was a cry off at 6.40 p.m. the night before departure at 10.00 a.m. the next morning – an injury in a football kick around with his brother in the wet!!! It was too late to bring anyone else into the squad and our sincere thanks to Marc Bettiss for agreeing to come for three days round his trip with the 19’s to the national semi-finals in Stratford. However, with only eleven players available for the other two days, the squad was bound to be stretched.

The Monday brought a game against the Lincolnshire Under 17s (don’t ask!!) and Devon batted first and thanks to 36 (129 minutes, 99 balls) from Watkin, 23 from Harding and 31(18 minutes, 24 balls) from Galliford we scored 175 at the interestingly contoured Ventnor ground. Lincolnshire’s opener Harnies certainly looked seventeen as he batted with great power but as soon as Rowe bowled him for 58 Lincolnshire capitulated from 113-4 to 131 all out with Chris Jenn taking 5-27 and Rowe 3-20. To say that the Lincolnshire players were slightly miffed to be beaten by the Devon pups is putting it mildly. A tremendous performance.

The second game was the return fixture with the Island and Williams decided it was time to bat first. He obviously made the right decision as he and Nick Watkin promptly put on 144 for the first wicket in 37 overs. Watkin was first out for a fine ninety-one ball 61. The captain followed at 159 being caught and bowled for 75, which took 78 minutes, and he faced 120 balls. Mark Galliford was promoted to five to help take the score out of our hosts reach and he struck 23 off 18 balls. The final score of 217-6 was not as high as had at one time looked possible. It did not matter as the Isle of Wight were 111-9 at the end of their allocation of overs. The wickets were shared around with three for Chris Jenn and a brace apiece for Loveridge and Ian Sutton and even Nick Watkin chipped in with one. A satisfactory start to the week.

On Wednesday Devon was indebted to another 60 from Ian Sutton and scored 151 all out against Berkshire. On winning the toss Devon batted and the captain batted 108 minutes for what was to prove to be a vital 12. The remainder of the top order struggled to 18 for 3 after 10 overs. Suttons knock was crucial he also batted 108 minutes faced 75 balls and featured in a key fourth wicket partnership with Williams which took the score to 79 after twenty-eight overs. Sutton and John Lamswood took the score to 96 and Sutton was out at 124 having put on a further 28 runs with Boyd. The last wicket pairing of Chris Jenn and Leon Loveridge put a critical 18. Berkshire appeared to be pacing their reply well. They needed 51 runs off twelve overs with five wickets remaining but the character of the Devon side again shone through as they were dismissed for 121 in 44 overs with Jenn picking up 5-26 off eight. Berkshires key batsman was run out when well set by Ian Sutton. Three wins on the trot an excellent start to the Festival.

The next day the under 19 contingent was welcomed back and our luck changed! On being invited to bat by a strong, young, Gloucestershire side, Devon was dismissed for a season’s low of 113, which was never going to be competitive. Will Grainger reached 22 but the rest were disappointing. Gloucester took 35 overs to reach their target with Loveridge picking up a couple of wickets. Not a good performance and the season and small Festival squad was catching up with us as Galliford had given his all and through injury had become a passenger.

The final game of the season was also to prove to be a disappointment. Hertfordshire chose to bat and was all out in the last over for 172. Steven Rowe was the most successful bowler taking 4-29, Alex Boyd 3-40 and Leon Loveridge 3-42. For the second year running a Devon off spinner had been the most successful bowler at the Festival with Leon picking up 15 wickets at 9.27 off 69 overs. He not surprisingly ended up as the sides leading bowler. He was supported by keen fielding and good keeping by John Lamswood and Marc Bettiss. The remaining bowlers provided the side with a very balanced attack throughout the season. In practice a score under 180 should always be gettable but perhaps not on the last day of a tiring festival played again for the second year running in excellent hot weather. Even so the final product of 146 was far from satisfactory and revolved around 19 from Bettiss and another useful knock of 28 from John Lamswood. To fail by 26 runs is always disappointing and the 18 wides and the 3 no balls conceded by us were crucial. Despite this the side put on a very good performance over the week and if we had won the last fixture it would not have been Hertfordshire picking up the Festival title!

The 2001 season has to be considered a success; the side regained the habit of winning, played to its full potential and was a very happy hard working group of players. The strength of the side is certainly in its bowling and fielding, so it is critical that the batting is sorted out for the two day game in 2002. It is crucial that everyone contributes with the bat and the top order go on and score hundreds. The potential is there; all that is needed now is self-belief. Aaron Williams was an excellent leader, both on and off the field. He leads from the front, took some unbelievable catches and was an inspiration. His batting potential is not in question, all he needs now is confidence and he will be one of the 2002 centurions. Steve Rowe was an excellent vice captain and his innings against Dorset should have shown him that he is truly an all rounder.

There are not enough adjectives to describe the contribution of David Gibson. His warm up at Sidmouth set the tone for the season and his is the most vital involvement in the squad he is now the most important member of all. He is just an outstanding, coach, man manager, mentor and crutch! Tim Williams was also vital this year as he unassumingly slipped into the key role of scorer when Elizabeth was called away with the 19s. He must have travelled hundreds of miles to help us out at Haileybury and on the Island. We had a new umpire this season, Percy Govier, and we were all sorry to hear that Monty Thorns had been so unwell this winter. Not totally unknown to us as he had officiated at the under 17 festivals in Winchester and Malvern. His standards have not diminished he proved to be an excellent umpire and key member of the Festival Party. Elizabeth Webb’s involvement is very wide ranging and does not just stop when the scoring is completed. My thanks to them all. Without the amazing hospitality of the host grounds in Devon there would be no programme, so thank you Sidmouth, Axminster and Seaton Cricket Clubs for your outstanding contribution. Finally our thanks to John Gauler and his umpires. Devon must have one of the best Umpires Societies in the country and we really do appreciate what they do for us.

The Cecil Wensley Player of the Year Cup was awarded to Leon Loveridge for his outstanding contribution with the ball. Leon is the first underage player to receive this award.