From league champions in 2010 to holders of the wooden spoon in 2011, Devon were rooted at the bottom of the table and were due to play Essex in the play-off. It transpired that the previous winter Essex had declined to take part in this part of the season but no one had bothered to advise our group. So we were left with a mini-bus with nowhere to go! Buckinghamshire were in a similar situation so instead of travelling to Billericay we were off to Milton Keynes. Having advised the squad we would not be going anywhere, a couple of hours later they were relayed the good news we would be travelling. We had some selection posers, with Rhys Davis now meeting relatives from New Zealand, a wicket-keeper had to be found. Paul Heard had pulled up lame for the sixteens the previous week and Jack Popham had an appointment at the Oval. It was decided that Passi, who had done some glove work at Plymouth College, would be invited to contact his cricket master to get the appropriate kit and take up the role to fulfil his all rounder billing. The good news was that George Yates was feeling better and he was recalled and Alex Hunt and Ollie Higgs, who had both impressed with the sixteens, were drafted into the squad. Buckinghamshire had booked us into a pleasant Holiday Inn and the side were in good heart on a reasonable but long journey. The chosen Harvester was not up to scratch but we were looking forward to two good days’ cricket. Campbell Park was another first class facility, reminiscent of cricket complexes down under. A purpose built cricket facility owned and run by the local authority with a ground staff used to hosting minor and first class cricket. Matt Wood met up with James Hildreth’s father and the coach had decided to hold X Factor auditions for the keeper’s position. In hindsight this was perhaps not a wise move as the side’s leading batsman, Matt Golding, received three yes votes and then kept wicket for eighty-three tiring overs. It was very overcast and there was rain in the air when Devon won the toss and fielded. Their bowlers set about their hosts and reduced them to 57-6 off twenty-eight overs. Eaves was in his Welsh form, opening up he took two in two in his second over with two legs before. The umpires had recently handled our senior side and completed what had been a summer of officials of the highest quality. Nought for two became seventeen for three when Josh Mailling was awarded the third leg before of the session. Opener Russell was immoveable and was to win the game for his side with a vital stubborn innings. At the other end Alex Hunt bowled Gardner and the fifth wicket fell on fifty-five when Zaib was caught Pavi bowled Booker. A short rain break delayed the sixth wicket when Booker took his second wicket thanks to another neat catch from Wyatt-Haines and more rain brought lunch forward. Post interval the seventh wicket had put on forty-one when Pavi dummied and threw to keeper Golding to run out Sheil. Devon now lost their way and the game. From 98-7 Bucks proceeded to score another ninety-three runs off one hundred and fifty-four  balls. Russell was the anchor (he should have been run out on 25) and Maciver (dropped on one) his attacking foil. He hit eleven fours in his sixty-six but fell in the sixty-seventh over and the second after tea, caught Higgs bowled Hunt. The obstinate opener was now eight past his fifty which had come off one hundred and forty-nine balls. Forty runs were added for the last two wickets, Humphries was leg before to Booker (3-57) and last out was Russell caught Golding bowled Eaves (3-41). He had hit eight fours faced one hundred and seventy-six dot balls in the two hundred and thirty-three balls he faced and he had batted for four hours forty minutes. Not a pretty innings but one that won the game for his side.

Josh Mailling opened with Booker and they had nineteen overs to face. They reached the fourteenth over with no mishap when yet another run out turned the game – maddening. The leadership team then made an unwise call, whereas Passi had been the delegated night watchman by the coach, they invited George, who had been away from the game for three weeks, to pad up and join Booker. Whatever their motives this was the wrong decision and Yates’ involvement in the game lasted ten balls. Devon were now uncomfortably placed at 29-2. Close of play was reached without further loss and thirty-four runs on the board. Devon needed one hundred and ninety-seven runs the following day to achieve a solitary win in the summer. For the only time all summer the scorer and coach disagreed over the evening venue and remarkably the coach won the day. On arrival the on tap soft drinks system was not working and we had to accept the more expensive bottled liquid refreshment. This had been another disappointing day when pressure had not been exerted and opportunities were not taken.

Again the morning was overcast and, with no addition to the overnight score, Harry Booker was back in the modern pavilion before his father had arrived. What was considered to be he key partnership of the day between the senior pros of Curtis and Golding had only added another twenty when the previous day exertions caught up with Golding and Devon were four down still needing another one hundred and seventy-seven. Ollie Higgs was next to fall and half of the Devon side were now out for seventy-one. Devon did not lose another wicket before lunch as Jack Dart and Max Curtis gave the visitors some hope. Lunch came at 114-5 with two sessions to score another one hundred and eighteen. Unfortunately with another eight runs on the board the sixth wicket pairing was split when Max Curtis’s county season came to an end stumped for fifty-two. Dart was proving what an asset he had become and hopefully he will build on this in 2012. Unfortunately he received little assistance at the other end as the last four wickets put on sixty-three of which thirty-nine came off Dart’s bat. Wyatt-Haines chipped a caught and bowled, the captain lasted twenty-five minutes, Passi eighteen minutes when the home side took the new ball and he was out leg before off the last bowl of its first over. Pavi made his debut as a batsman to some confusion as he went to the wrong end, took guard when he was the non striker! He lasted another twenty minutes but Devon were back in the dressing room at twenty minutes past three. Tea was taken, Devon departed but not before the sixteens were taken aside and explained that although it was not their fault this was not the type of performance expected from a Devon side. It was not just the two in the back of the Passatt that left with their tails between their legs. This had been a really sad way to conclude the season and, as a group, their time together. We made our final Service Station stop and departed from Exeter Services with some real sorry and sad good byes to another fine group of young cricketers who had, due to circumstances partially outside their control, had an off summer.