Invariable the forecasters now get it right more often than not which has taken much of the expectancy out of cricket and we woke to wintry conditions. We travelled to Basingstoke the scene of Devon’s highest ever youth partnership against many of the current Hampshire first team, six of that side went on to play first class cricket. We returned for swims, the gym and coffee anticipating a call off at lunch time. We took lunch, the game was abandoned for the day and we then travelled to a leisure park with cinema. A show of hands selected the World’s End as the film. Sitting through it, it certainly felt it was nigh! We had a two Ronnie’s moment as a request for fourteen tickets resulted in four tickets for teens. The queue was rejoined. It was slightly dryer when we returned to the Basingstoke Country Hotel. The third day of our trip to Hampshire offered some hope of a play. Despite wet conditions play did start on time after Sam Wyatt-Haines called correctly on one of the more important tosses of the summer. The Devon seam attack and some outstanding catching behind the wicket then proceeded to demolish Hampshire to 67-9 at lunch. Bobby Parks, son of Jim, described Devon’s bowling as one of the best spells he had witnessed at this level. Indeed Green, Whitlock, Dawe and Searle were exceptional. The catching, although not perfect, was equally impressive with keeper Harrison-Hooton leading the way with four catches from routine to spectacular. Add in two good ones from Searle and Green, this was one of Devon’s most impressive performances in the field. Lunch was thoroughly enjoyed although  the side fully appreciated that the bowler friendly conditions prevalent at the start of play had not changed much in the two hours play. Soames, who had batted well on Monday was the one Hampshire batsman to get into double figures. After lunch the final pairing of Taylor and Murray put on another vital twenty-two runs off forty-seven balls before Dawe took his second wicket trapping Taylor for a top score of 21. Now it was over to the batsman.

  Ninety-four minutes later Devon were home winning by six wickets. The openers Hoddinott and Harrison-Hooton obeyed orders, batting very sensible for fifteen overs in still very difficult batting conditions. Marcus Hoddinott was leg before for a fifty-one ball eleven – a really important contribution. The openers had put on thirty-seven per cent of the target playing a vital part in reaching the target. It then slightly fell apart as twenty-one balls later Harrison-Hooton was bowled by Crane. Twelve were added by the captain and Lines before the latter was caught at short leg. Devon now was 50-3 and it was within two balls 50-3 as Higgs was Taylor’s second wicket falling in a similar manner to Lines. It was of benefit to those with an anxious disposition that Wyatt-Haines was batting with an air of total confidence and little concern. He was joined by Ben Green and it was soon apperent that those that were could stop worrying as they batted beautifully putting on thirty-five in twenty minutes off forty four balls. Wyatt-Haines was unbeaten on 34 off twenty-eight balls hitting four fours and in six at a strike rate of 121.43. The side enjoyed an early and reasonable return trip to Devon with another important fourteen points in the locker.