| With the seventeens spending the three days preceding the game with Surrey in Wales, selection was restricted to the under 16s and 18s but with the exception of the side being captained by Matt Thompson. The sun shone for the two days and Heathcoat were again special hosts. Devon won the toss and Matt Thompson opened with Barney Huxtable. Having had an exceptional year at twenty-ones in 2011, Barney experienced a simply horrible time with the nineteens in 2011, averaging just 6.67, which must be his most disappointing return ever for Devon. With twenty-five on the board he was caught behind for 10. Zach Bess and the captain added thirty-six when in the seventeenth over Bess fell for twenty. One Blundellion was replaced by another as Jack Dart replaced his school captain. Dart was to play the second exceptional innings of the summer by an under sixteen. Devon went into lunch on 98-2 off twenty-nine overs, virtually par for a two day game, with the partnership standing at thirty-seven. The third wicket fell at two minutes to three when Thompson was stumped for 73 off 157 balls. This was to be Matt Thompson’s final opportunity to post a youth hundred – something he had already achieved in 2010 for the senior side. The partnership was worth 111, the only century partnership of the summer at this level, with the captain contributing 46. Dart, now on 63, was joined by yet another pupil from Blundells School – Cameron Grainger. They took their side to within six of the two hundred when Chouan took his second wicket, bowling Grainger. Sandford’s Ryan Glass, who was making his debut for the county, demonstrated some real potential. He was unfortunate, later in the season, to be robbed by the weather of other opportunities but hopefully will be given another chance in 2012. The fifth wicket put on 69 with Jack Dart following in Elliott Rice’s footsteps in scoring a hundred on his under 19 debut. On 106, after facing one hundred and forty-two balls, hitting fifteen fours and a six, Chouhan bowled him. The wicket fell in the seventy-second over with Devon now on 263-5. At this stage Chouhan’s figures were an impressive 3-58 off twenty-two overs and he did not concede another run in the remaining three overs of his spell of twenty-five overs. Tom Dyer fell in the seventy-seventh over, trapped leg before by Cody, and Glass’s most useful contribution ended when a relative of the England academy lead batting coach caught him off Rollings. Glass had batted for ninety-seven minutes in helping to add ninety-four in his three partnerships, a valuable contribution. At this stage Devon were still twelve short of the three hundred but this was achieved in the eighty-fourth over with Popham and Kidd making their intentions clear. Jack Popham fell on 302 and Kidd twenty runs later. He was brilliantly caught by Devon old boy Michael Cousens at slip, charging opening bowler Rollings. Hallam Kerton and Alex Hunt batted sensibly until Thompson called his side in, the declaration came with the score on 340-9 with ten being taken off the ninety-first and final over. Surrey navigated safely the eleven overs before close of play without losing a wicket and putting on 14. Kidd bowled four maidens, Popham two and Glass bowled his first over for Devon. Heathcoat first and second teams then had their weekly practice on one of the best evenings of the summer.It took Devon eighty-three minutes into the second day before they broke a useful opening partnership when Graham Thorpe’s nephew was leg before to off spinner Tom Dyer. The partnership had yielded eighty-four runs off one hundred and ninety-four balls of which Thorpe had contributed 21. Scriven and Michael Cousens took the visitors up to 125 when, in the over before lunch, Cousens was the second leg before of the session, this time the bowler was Sidmouth’s Charlie Miles. Scriven went in undefeated on 69. He was brilliantly caught by Cameron Grainger off Matthew Kidd five runs later in the fourth over after the interval. Jack Popham then bowled Allen with the third ball of his third spell. Surrey were now four down and needed 93 to avoid a potential follow on invitation. In fact they lost their last six wickets in twenty-one point five overs, ending up one hundred and fifteen short of a first innings lead. Ryan Glass took his first county scalp in his fifth over when Jack Popham caught Dann. On one hundred and ninety-one Hallam Kerton bowled Lloyd and then had Stiddard caught behind. Alex Hunt removed the obstinate Winslade who had batted eighty-eight minutes for his forty-two. With some more fine glovework from Grainger, Hunt had Rollings stumped. Kerton took the final wicket when Cameron Grainger picked up his fourth victim of the innings when he caught Patel. Kerton’s excellent figures where 3-35 off eight, confirming that when he is in rhythm he is a real force. After some deliberation and discussion with Surrey, Thompson and Wood invited Surrey to bat again. At five minutes past five it was mutually agreed to call it a day, Surrey had reached 67-2 off sixteen overs. Ryan Glass showed he actually could catch, after earlier in the game missing a dolly, when he took an outstanding one to remove Thorpe off Kerton. Scirven was held by Huxtable to give the second under 16 seamer, Hunt, another wicket. The captain upset the coach when he decided he deserved an over, a message was quickly relayed. This was a good work out with a standout hundred but other useful contributions across the board. |
