It was two more broiling days at the ever welcoming Taunton Vale Sports Club. This was a most unusual game, one very much of three parts. For the first forty-three overs Devon were in dominant form, from the forty-fourth until the one hundredth and fifteenth on day two it was all Somerset. For the final eighty-eight it was a dogged performance from Devon that narrowly failed to bring the important ten first innings points. In view of the revival on the first day the Sound Of Music’s female fallow deer perhaps we should start at the very beginning. Somerset won, what is always an important element of any game, the toss as Mailling stuck with heads. They batted and were confronted with one of Devon’s most effective spells in seventeen’s cricket. The female deer and Popham opened up and with the last ball of Poham’s first over Brock, who had topped scored the previous day, was well held by Jack Dart at second slip. This was the first of a series of exceptional catches behind the wicket. Kerton replaced Heard and in his first over had Rouse again caught by Dart. Somerset were now 24-2. Sobczak and Vickery added another twenty when Kerton took his second wicket and Wyatt-Haines held his first catch. Godmon joined his captain Vickery and an aside by Somerset indicated that this would perhaps be a key partnership. It lasted just seven balls as yet another bowling change brought a wicket as with the final ball of his first over Jamie Stephens removed Vickery with the help of his former Tavistock colleague Rhys Davies. At lunch Somerset were 81-4. The first over after burger and chips brought Devon their fifth wicket as first slip Wyatt-Haines took his second smart catch off Hallam Kerton. Somerset then lost three more wickets in the eighties, keeper Davies held catches off Kerton and Popham and Jack Popham broke the sequence when he bowled Williams. The ninth wicket added fourteen when Dart took his third catch and his fifth of the summer off Heard. At twenty-five minutes past two thoughts turned to rollers and getting close to a first innings lead by close of play. What took place was typical of the game of cricket - a truly remarkable last wicket partnership. Godmon, who was on thirty-one, was joined by Harry Veal and you watched as their confidence in each other grew and nearly fours hours later on the second morning they were still together. Astonishing 231 were added for the last wicket. Until the second morning the pair did not offer a chance and Devon did not look like taking a wicket on a pitch that was undoubtedly becoming flatter and flatter. From Devon’s point of view the tea interval was fortunately not delayed the statuary thirty minutes giving Matt Wood a chance to regroup his team. At close of play Somerset were 284-9 and the pendulum, after a brilliant start by Devon, had started to swing. After a splash in the pool, a team discussion confirmed the sides approach for the second day and an offer on fines. Another convivial meal, this one without interviews was followed by a defective car alternator and the failure to turn off of the bus’s internal lights created some additional external problems. Fortunately it was only second slip who was disturbed by the hooting horn.

  The Coach took four more players for early morning assistance and a local garage removed the Passat for attention. The team looked in good shape in the warm up and a short leg appeared for the first time this summer. It took the introduction of Jamie Stephens in the thirteenth over of the morning to end this record breaking partnership. Veal who had been the dominant partner in the session, had passed his previous highest score the night before, scored his maiden county fifty and pulled Kerton for six to the obvious delight of perhaps the loudest voice in youth cricket, was at last dismissed. A sharp double chance to the keeper was followed by a successful leg before appeal. Veal was out for 73 and his partner had contributed an additional one hundred to be 173 not out. This was an exceptional performance by the pair under any circumstances.

   Set with under four an over for first innings points Devon reached lunch comfortably placed on 58-0 after sixteen overs. Mailling was batting with total distain and the omens looked good as Penrice was providing solid support. It was not to last as Penrice faced a maiden and after two dots Mailling slashed at Arney for Godmon to dive in front of his first slip. Ryan Rickard continued as he had left off the day before in fluent mode but all did not look well with his partner. Penrice looked as if he was unable to move and reported a migraine. He appeared in a sorry state and this must have been transmitted to his partner putting the Cornwood batsman under additional pressure. First ball after drinks he flashed at Easton deflected the ball to Crocker at slip and stood his ground. The umpire confirmed the catch. Devon were now two down one short of three figures. The first tick box of the day was not attained when only nine were added for the third wicket. The now very weary Penrice was bowled by Ashton. He had batted for over two hours but unsurprisingly after his nasty winter rugby injury his fitness in these conditions was questioned. He appeared to make a speedy recovery in the pavilion. Wyatt-Haines was joined by Rhys Davies and again confidence on the Devon balcony was growing when uncharacteristically Wyatt-Haines chanced his arm and was caught at mid on by Williams off the Somerset captain. Devon had reached 147. Dart came in to face with his partner one over before tea. Tea was reached with another 179 needed with six wickets in hand and 34 overs remaining in the day. The coach’s sensible approach to the chase was that at this ground all Devon needed to achieve was to bat their overs and he was confident that they would be there or there about. With a minimum of two hundred and four balls to score the one hundred and seventy-nine his approach was being completely vindicated. After tea Dart at least won his own personal battle against a long term Nemesis. For thirteen overs the pair batted at exactly the right tempo putting on the second highest partnership of the innings. Reece struck Williams for a huge six into the trees but next ball was held by Easton inside the rope at long on. Davies was the side’s top scorer with his forty-five which included five fours and two sixes. It was now critical the momentum sought by Matt Wood was not lost as Ollie Higgs joined Dart. Higgs has suffered more than most in 2012 with restricted batting opportunities but it was obvious from the start that he would be batting with his normal intent. The pair faced thirty balls putting on 32 but Dart was the third Devonian not to get past thirty-five as he squirted a catch to the keeper off another aggressive shot. Jack Cherrington entered the playing area with the scoreboard indicating 229-6 with one hundred and six balls to score the under a run a ball needed. Matt Wood was still quietly confident that a famous victory would be achieved. Higgs only bats in one style – positively and with Cherrington another vital forty-six were added when the new ball was taken. With eight overs remaining fifty-eight were needed with for the first time Devon behind the original rate. Street bowled Cherrington with the fourteenth delivery with the new ball. Kerton, who restored the faith in his batting supporters, batted as he too can only be - totally positive as Devon reached their fourth and final batting bonus point. Seven runs later Higgs fell for thirty-two. He had been a major contributor in keeping up the momentum. There were now eleven balls left in the day to score the outstanding twenty-six. Kerton hit another boundary and Heard scored three driving the last ball for two. As had been anticipated by the Coach extras had also made an important contribution as Somerset became tired and of the final product of 58 (the highest single contribution to Devon’s total) twenty were given away in the last nine overs.

   In reviewing the match many of the Matt Wood’s boxes were not ticked, more than for over a year. Yet their performance in reducing Somerset to 101-9 and getting to within nineteen runs after three days competitive cricket in the sun there were many positives to take out of this game. Unsurprisingly it is likely that work will be required on the negatives. Much will be learnt, how to break infuriating partnerships, how to chase large scores and not to play injudicial shots when well placed and time on your side. However this side might be just a hair breadths from being an exceptional team and provided the British climate is kind they still have two games to prove that they are an exceptional group. Devon reduced the gap in points on Somerset by two to just a difference of one with a game in hand.