From the development viewpoint 2014 was a very beneficial summer. However the contrast in results and performance between the two and one game was marked. The side won all four two day games on first innings but were thrashed in two of the one day games but, had the rain not interfered at Cornwood, could have won both games with our near neighbours – Cornwall. By the time we visited the Midlands in late August we had a very clear picture of the squad that was likely to represent Devon in 2015. However it is never as simple as that and, for at least the last five years, the side that takes the field in the first ECB competitive game has not been the one expected the previous autumn. It is however hoped that next summer reverses this unfortunate trend.

Up until less than a week before our first fixture against Cornwall our hosts had been uncertain where it would be played. Very much to our relief it was confirmed that Helston would be staging the game. Three miles from the ground it was dry at dawn but at 7.00am it was pouring and depressingly dark. So much for the forecasted isolated light showers up until 10.00am! The anxiety that forms a critical part of what decision should be taken was compounded by an intermittent phone signal. Fortunately neither the phone nor email sparked into life and, despite driving through puddles on entering Helston Cricket Club at 9.15am, the rain had ceased an hour beforehand and the club members were working very hard on the ground. More importantly they had advised our first arrivee, Matt Cooke, that they were optimistic of a prompt start and most encouragingly really wanted the game to go ahead. A wonderful attitude from a Club who had only recently taken on the fixture, they simply could not do too much for us all – they were outstanding hosts. The warm ups commenced, there was a small damp patch on the pitch which delayed the start by 30 minutes and the captain, Dan Pyle, won his first toss, at last one that calls tails, and Devon were in the field. Dan Goodey and Tallan Burns opened up. Goodey's first ball went for two but keeper, Josh Cann, did the business on the fifth ball catching Ben James. The pairing repeated the dismissal off the same ball of Goodey’s second over and Cornwall were 2-2. The third wicket pairing put on 39 when in the nineteenth over the second opener, Rob Leathley, was well caught in the gulley by Will Thompson off Bradley Causey. After a very difficult period recovering from a nasty injury, it was good to see Thompson back in Devon colours but he had obviously grown over the period he had been away from the game! He went on to become the side’s leading catcher, sharing the second best return at this level. Causey had replaced Goodey whilst Toby Codd had taken over from Burns. Codd bowled a tidy spell and finished with 0-23 off nine overs. From 41-3 it became 64-4 when Under 15 Matthew Petherbridge, fresh from his four wickets in the Isle of Wight, took his first under 16 wicket, when, with his ninth ball l he bowled Skewes for 27. At the other end Plymouth College’s Tom Dinnis was compiling the highest individual Cornwall contribution. Devon lost control for a short time as they conceded 48 runs off just five overs, with the majority coming from one end. Cornwall was now 126-4 but one run later Petherbridge took his second wicket bowling McKenna for 31. The fifth wicket had added 63 off 65 balls. Burns took his first wicket in the forty-fourth over with Goodey taking a neat catch in the deep to remove the dangerous Dinnis. The home side now had thirty-eight balls to post a defendable total. The remaining batsman added twenty-two and Cornwall reached 162. Goodey and Petherbridge completed their full quota of overs and both took three wickets, Goodey 3-20 and Petherbridge 3-27, and bowled themselves into the seventeens. The final wickets to fall were completed with Goodey bowling Walker, Sargent taking a catch off the Cornwood spin bowler and Burns taking his second wicket bowling Paul. Devon had taken nine wickets and would have to score at 3.24 an over. Overall this had been a reasonable performance in the field with Cann performing effectively behind the stumps and the captain setting a very good standard in a number of areas. Tea was excellent and the sun was now out providing the best batting conditions of the day.

Harvey Sargent and Toby Codd opened the batting with the coach predicting a partnership of at least seventy. The home opening bowlers looked useful but the openers weathered the new ball with only one mishap when Codd was dropped in the fourth over. They put on seventy-seven in 17.3 overs. Codd was the dominant partner passing his fifty and looking in good form. Sargent had a defined role in 2014 for both the sixteens and seventeens and on this occasion he nearly completed it perfectly. His only lapse was to run out his partner! They had discussed putting pressure on the fielders but to hit it direct to a player and then run was more akin to the Thurlestone School KWIK cricket team. Codd had no chance and there is a rumour his smile left his face for the first time in years! He had scored 57 off seventy-three balls, hitting nine fours. The pair looked in little difficulty after the effect of the new ball had worn off. The captain joined Sargent, he played some neat shots off his legs, played the shot of the day - a straight six into the sight screen - and then got out which was a great disappointment. The second wicket put on twenty-seven and this wicket, as often is the case, sparked a mini collapse. Pyle was bowled by Skewes for eighteen, Two wickets fell on 106 (no minimum ten partnerships there, in fact this was the first of twenty such occurrences in the season) when Wolf gave the solitary slip Dinnis catching practice and he took it. It was not a fairy tale return for Will Thompson as he was trapped in front by a quicker ball to be the second non contributor with the bat of the innings. When the openers were in full control it had looked as if Noah Wright, apart from fielding, would not be making a meaningful contribution to the game. How wrong had the last four quick wickets proved this thought to be! The Paignton batsman looked very comfortable at the crease with good shot selection off both the front and back feet. However, when he and Harvey Sargent had taken their side to within three runs of victory, Wright ran himself out! This was incredibly frustrating. It gave Josh Cann the opportunity to get on the scorecard and for Sargent to hit the winning run. The Sidmouth opener had batted through the innings, being undefeated seven short of what would have been successive fifties at this level. Job well done by him and the side, with sixty-five balls to spare. Seven members of this team went on to be involved in the under seventeen ECB programme along with two more under fifteens which bodes well for 2015. Their selection gave other players an opportunity to stake a claim for a permanent place this and next year. Having taken local advice on the best way home, we got stuck in an horrendous jam and eventually lost patience and went home the way we had originally intended! This had been a good day at the office with new coach Matt Cooke fitting in well.

Our second fixture was our annual one against Haberdashers School. We have utilised this game as an opportunity to look at players with whom we have been working in the winter and also our under fifteens. Over recent years we have not been as competitive as we should have been and, without doubt, our performance in 2014 was our worst in twenty-two seasons. The target leave time was achieved but unfortunately South West Highways had decided to make an unannounced closure of our lane, with vehicles blocking both exits. This journey is not easiest trip of the summer, but  ten minutes later it was underway with the utmost certainty that the Honiton - Axminster section would produce a tractor or white van, potentially both. It was only a van and a crawler this year but a late arrival was annoying. Fortunately (or disappointingly) the players had not surfaced so contact was made. It has been a long-time theme that Devon sides should paint pictures the minute they arrive at grounds and the pre-match preparation is very much part of this process. So to write that this was a disappointing warm up is an understatement. The brushes, easel, palette and canvas were quickly put away. The coach, Matt Cooke, was one hundred percent right when he advised them that they looked a very average club side and although, after his thoughts had been expressed, there was an improvement, the overall performance throughout the day was not of the standard required at this level. The number of times a Devon fielder dived over or around the ball was in double figures and indeed, even when it went direct to a fielder, it still somehow got through. Without doubt the number of the vital Performance Records returned this summer from this group has been the lowest since their inception twenty years ago. Such paucity normally indicates either poor performance or a lack of cricket. Having taken the time to do some research, both appear to have been the case. Unfortunately in view of this and the actual performances, it was subsequently necessary to spread the net wider. Dan Pyle won the toss and batted. Devon Youth Cricket paid its respect to the very popular and much lamented, Ryan Walker who had grown up at Axminster. Devon's Under 15 captain, Billy Rudolph, opened with Charles Parkin and they put on eighty-nine in a minute under the hour. This was the highest opening partnership of the summer and those who open in 2015 must look to put on at least two in three figures. The Ottery all-rounder, Rudolph, was the dominant partner striking nine fours in scoring 45, seventy-five percent of the runs that came off the bat in the stand. Haberdashers had also been generous with twenty-nine extras. Rudolph had faced fifty-two balls in what was an outstanding debut and, although his availability restricted his appearances, he made an exceptional impression over the rest of the summer with both the sixteens and seventeens. Charles Parkin added the two runs that comprised the second wicket partnership before he was bowled by Mack for a sixty ball seventeen. He had batted for an hour and hit one four. Devon were now 91-2 in their twentieth over. Will Thompson joined Charles Fitzroy to complete a partnership totalling sixteen off twenty-eight balls which took their side into three figures. The total of dot balls was already becoming a major concern. Thompson departed in the twenty-fourth over, having contributed seven, and Fitzroy in the twenty-sixth over for thirteen off twenty-eight balls. Devon were now past the half way stage on 112-4 and the guess the final score had a highest from an optimistic captain who considered the side would reach 250. The next two partnerships made his optimism a real possibility. Noah Wright, another under 15, and Alfie Huxtable added 59 in forty-one minutes off 89 balls. Wright passed his personal fifty in the forty-first over but was dismissed two balls later, caught for a fifty-four ball 51. He had hit eight fours and a six in his second fine innings of the summer at this level. Huxtable was on seven off thirty-nine balls. Devon were on 171 with fifty-two balls remaining. Josh Cann, who had helped the seventeens out earlier in the week, proved what a potentially very useful finisher he could be in limited overs cricket. Displaying a typical Feniton flourish he smote a twenty-seven ball forty-two, including three sixes and two fours and only faced six dot balls. An outstanding knock was ended by an unlucky run out. The pair had put on 70 off forty-nine balls in twenty-five minutes, which was the highest sixth wicket partnership of the summer. Huxtable had now reached thirty-five and did not add to his score in the final pairing. At the demise of Cann Devon were on 241-with three balls left. The captain was now at the crease and the final score was in his own hands He did not do an Andrew Buzza (Perranporth 2006) as Devon ended on 243-6 assisted by thirty-two extras, a total predicted by Will Thompson. On paper this was a reasonable return but out of the 300 balls available to Devon 191 were dots, a staggering sixty-four percent. This would not have been acceptable even in the two day game. If ones had been taken off thirty percent of these balls Devon would have been approaching three hundred. As it transpired this total might well have been in the reach of the visitors but it would have put them under more pressure.

An excellent tea was provided by the new Cloakham Lawn catering franchise with some excellent baking. They had cruelly cooked some bacon baps earlier in the day and some had succumbed to the tempting aroma. Unfortunately it was necessary to edit the team photograph on Picture Publisher as hands and arms were crossed. This action was perhaps an indication in itself of overconfidence with regard their task. Haberdashers opened with Wright and Colverd who have been opening for the school for the past three seasons and this was their last game together as they were both in their final year. They had broken records before and they ended their time together breaking some more. They put on an unbeaten 249 at 5.64 runs an over, both completing personal centuries and making it all look very easy - in fact far too trouble-free. They batted exceptionally despite one of them having celebrated his eighteenth birthday the previous night! They did give chances, perhaps as many as four, but they rode their luck and their reaction to each others success was similar to Root and Anderson at Trent Bridge the next day. It really is a basic essential that when under such pressure every opportunity is taken. The standards set in the field by a county side have to be very high and, in truth from the moment when the fielding practice commenced before play and throughout the 275 balls bowled by Devon, that day they were well below the level required. Of the seven bowlers employed only two, Fitzroy and Petherbridge, conceded less than four an over. This was the under 16s heaviest defeat in their history and it was essential that lessons were learnt - two of the more important ones for the batters were not to give their wickets away and to try and rotate the strike. However the Under Fifteens took their opportunities well and became important members of the squad. It was really good to be back at Axminster where we were again treated royally, it was a pleasure to catch up with Les Haynes, Phil Spong and Mark Richards. Same time, same place next year was agreed but a review of the selection process will be undertaken before then as a much superior performance will be needed by the home side.

Seaton Cricket Club again provided two days of magnificent cricket and support as Devon Under 16s entertained the Somerset Development Squad. On arrival at the ground the coach was concerned we were a spinner short and it transpired that Southampton had signed Torquay's promising goalkeeper, Neal Osborn, for a five figure fee the previous day. Devon were down to a bare eleven so Billy Rudolph was dragged from his bed by an unwilling sister and very kindly agreed to join us on the second day and his name was added to the team sheet. Somerset won an important toss and batted. Their openers, Brain and Clist, put on fifty-two but in the fifteenth over they lost their first wicket. Clist became Toby Codd's first victim when he had the opener caught by Noah Wright. Twenty-eight were added by the second wicket, when their remaining opener fell caught behind by debutant Under 14 Sam Maunder off Charles Fitzroy. In the twenty-fifth over Somerset lost their third wicket when Scrivens was caught by Wolf off the Abbotskerswell off spinner. Devon had bowled only thirty overs in the first session but had their opponents on 113-3. Sybil Anderson and her team offered a choice of menu including some splendid desserts. These were all consumed with typical MasterChef pleasure and Gregg and John could only have been as complimentary as were the recipients of the feast. Macgill, who had played against the seventeens earlier in the season, had taken a pre-lunch liking to Wolf's bowling, which might have been the result of the fact that the Paignton bowler had previously dismissed him. Codd took his third wicket, when in the thirty-ninth over of the innings he bowled Macgill for his side’s top score of thirty-five. Somerset were now four down for one hundred and thirty-five. At twenty past two Joe Hagan-Burt entered the attack and swung the game in favour of his side with an amazing spell. He only bowled six overs, of which two were maidens, conceding eleven runs and taking four wickets - caught Maunder, two catches at first slip by Pyle and his fourth was held by Fitzroy. Due to the bowling directives he then had to depart from the attack leaving Somerset on 157-8! Twenty-three were added by the eighth wicket, when their young keeper Wells fended off a short ball from Causey to give Fitzroy a second catch. The tenth wicket pair put on another annoying twenty-three, taking them up to tea on 201-9. Another excellent spread was devoured. Hagan-Burt was immediately re-introduced and his second ball brought the Somerset innings to a conclusion bowling Knight. He finished with the admirable figures of 5-13, bowling mainly dots with only six scoring shorts. He had demonstrated, with the help of some fine catches, an ability to take wickets. This had been the best bowling performance, on debut, by an under sixteen.

Hagan-Burt then had to pad up but it was not to prove to be the dream debut, as he first watched his partner Codd fall for a duck and then fell himself contributing three of a partnership of six. Dan Wolf joined his captain and the pair had put on eighty-four off twenty-two overs when Wolf fell. He was caught behind for a seventy-five ball forty-one. His Paignton colleague Noah Wright joined Pyle and batted to close. The captain proved he has the ability and concentration to bat time and was unbeaten on thirty-three as Devon left the ground three down on Nelson. The second day was another scorcher, the coach concentrated on the batters having already put in an early voluntary shift. Pyle, Wright and the other batters were set objectives. Brad Causey reported sick and wisely departed early to enjoy cooler temperatures at home but Devon retained a full complement with the arrival of the Under 15 captain. Incredibly Pyle accomplished all his instructions almost to perfection. With fourteen added Wright was out and Devon were still seventy-eight behind. Fortunately Will Thompson and Pyle added eighty-three, reaching the initial target of the notional first innings points in the twenty-fourth over of the morning. The pair was batting sensibly but Thompson was out before lunch for forty-two off forty-nine balls. Another special lunch was taken with Devon on 247-5, the captain six short of a deserved century. The game plan was slightly revised but the home side lost two wickets before Pyle reached his milestone. First Cann, after scoring nineteen, played the ball down to third man to be well caught by Harrison at slip and then Fitzroy fell seven runs later. This had not been very good cricket as Devon were now 271-7 with Pyle on 99. He then reached an outstanding hundred but Devon were still drifting and a drink was sent out to speed things up. This Pyle did with a big six and four but on his dismissal he declared, Devon were still ten runs short of one of the side’s targets - three hundred. Pyle had faced two hundred and twelve balls, hit sixteen fours and two sixes, batted for over four hours and played an impeccable two day innings. Devon had sixty overs to bowl out their opponents but took just two wickets - caught Maunder bowled Hagan-Burt and caught Thompson bowled Codd, as, on the commencement of the final hour, time was called with Somerset on 143-2. This had been a really useful exercise with much helpful information gained.

Despite the threat of the infamous Jet Stream moving south, Devon enjoyed two perfect summer days at Exmouth. Our visitors, Gloucestershire, called correctly and batted. Their side included four players who had represented the seventeens the previous week whereas Devon had six. One of the questions asked at the start of play was “Would it be another long day in the field for them in broiling conditions?”. It initially appeared unlikely as by two fifteen Devon had taken nine wickets conceding just one hundred and forty-five runs. Dan Goodey took the early wicket of Cooper-Llames when in the sixth over – his third – he trapped him leg before. Gloucestershire’s second wicket pairing had advanced the score to forty-eight, the second partnership of the day of twenty-four, when Codd, in the nineteenth over, bowled the second opener Hopkins. He had played against the seventeens the previous week. This brought Loud to the crease, a batsman and fielder who had made telling contributions against Devon at both Clifton College and Brislington. Matt Petherbridge took his first wicket when he had Lakhami out, as was to prove later most appropriately, leg before with Gloucestershire now on 62-3. Lunch was taken with the visitors having taken their score up to 107-3 with Loud again batting well, now in the company of Malone. Devon had bowled a respectable thirty-six overs in the two hours play. Chicken was enjoyed and a pudding - apple pie, with lashings of custard - unbeatable. The captain, Dan Pyle, then caught both the unbeaten batsmen off the Cornwood spinner. Loud had just passed his fifty but his side were now on 131-5 off forty-two overs. Gloucestershire fell further away with Sargent catching the visitor’s captain, keeper and batsman, Slade, who had also batted well the previous week scoring two thirties. Three balls later, off the same bowler, Maunder then completed a smart leg side stumping to remove Mech. The left armer had now entered the Greenbook with the impressive figures of 12-2-31-5. Petherbridge made a huge contribution all summer but he is one of the squad who has to work hard on their fielding. That ever reliable catcher, Billy Rudolph, held another one this time helping Toby Codd to a second wicket and sending Panchal back to the shade of the Exmouth balcony. Gloucestershire’s ninth wicket fell on 145 with Noah Wright helping Petherbridge to a sixth wicket. It was questioned if he had an opportunity of breaking a record. The answer was, alas, no as there were not enough wickets remaining and he had conceded more runs than the present record holders 7-27. What had been an outstanding spell in the field from the entire side was followed by a really, really poor one. Instead of ten minutes intensive cricket going for the jugular, a large crowd had to watch sixty-eight minutes of truly abysmal cricket. The side visibly wilted in the field as Probate and Gillet put on a one hundred and thirty-four ball partnership of eighty-four. This was not just second-rate cricket but it was also actually very naȉve . This is an area that still needs attention but this side are not the only culprits in Devon. Probert, who had scored six at Brislington before being stumped off Codd, smote a sixty-four ball fifty-seven, hitting forty in fours. Dan Goodey eventually had him caught by Wright but the number eleven’s side had passed a bonus point target. Petherbridge did not get away unscathed as his figures went from 6-37 to 6-56 off twenty overs with three maidens. This is the tenth best return in Under 16 cricket and he is the youngest player in this respected top ten group. Tea was taken and Devon were batting at 4.00pm. Debutant Tom Lammonby, fresh from his Bunbury Festival at Oakham as an underage player, was caught behind ninth ball off Probate. Devon then undesirably lost three more wickets before close of play. The captain, Dan Pyle, and Harvey Sargent put on one short of a hundred partnership, thus missing the second entry of the day into the Greenbook. It was the best second wicket partnership of 2014. Sargent had contributed forty of the partnership and the captain fifty. They had batted for eighty-six minutes and the pair had faced one hundred and seventy-five balls. Devon now needed to reach close of play, which was twenty minutes away, without further loss. Unfortunately they did not satisfactorily navigate this often critical part of a two day game. This was mainly due to Lakhami’s bowling. He was a wrist spinner with a googly! Sargent had been his first victim leg before, Wolf was his second leg before and Wright his third also…………Devon had fallen away from 105-1 to nelson for four off thirty-nine overs. An inadequate end to the day. The captain was however in control unbeaten on fifty-five and was supported for seven balls by the Under 15 captain, Billy Rudolph. The leg spinners overnight figures were 3-20 off nine with five maidens.

The coach once again made himself available for an early net and the batters utilised Exmouth’s excellent new practice facilities. The home side were in a similar position as they had been against Somerset and it was important that they showed that they had learnt from that game. The two captains took Devon up to a first batting point, putting on thirty-nine, when Dan Pyle called a very sharp single and was run out seeking his eighty-first run. Pyle had again demonstrated how to construct a two day innings. His dismissal was greeted with real disappointment from his side and their followers. The way he was playing with calm and serenity indicated that he would reach three figures in successive games. This had only been previously achieved by Tom Mitcham in 2009. Will Thompson joined Rudolph and it would now be up to the Heathcoat batsman to provide the momentum to pass his opponent’s score. He looked in good form but had to watch his younger partner depart as Rudolph was Lakhami’s fourth leg before. They had added fourteen and the next partnership contributed a similar total before Thompson decided to take on long on and failed. In the circumstances this was not the stroke required. The batsmen’s first objective should have been to pass the first innings target then accelerate to obtain full hypothetical bonus points. Devon was now in it up to their necks. They needed another fifty-two runs with three wickets in hand. It dropped to two wickets when Joe Hagan-Burt was Lakhami’s fifth leg before. His googly proving to be quite a weapon! Toby Codd was joined by the Under Fourteen wicket-keeper batsman, Sam Maunder, and they had put on thirty-seven most important runs when Codd was caught (again) for a vital twenty-three. Devon were now 219-9 with eleven still needed. Goodey and Maunder batted very sensibly, scoring the runs required in seven overs. Maunder’s maturity and shot selection was exceptional as was Goodey’s. Once they had taken the lead the long handle was brought out by the Plymouth all-rounder and Devon reached 250-9 at lunch. Negotiations had already started and it was agreed that Devon would declare then bowl thirty-seven to forty overs in the afternoon session and then chase a target. Lasagne with a pasta bake option went down well.

With some creative bowling options, the home side bowled out their opponents in 38.5 overs conceding one hundred and ninety-six runs. Goodey took one for thirty, Codd three for thirty-six, Petherbridge two for twenty-eight including a remarkable diving caught and bowled, Pyle one for forty-six and Wright, in his first bowl for the side, two for forty-two (including a caught and bowled). An exceptional direct hit from a distance by Rudolph ran out the dangerous Loud. This was the side’s only run out of the summer and an excellent barometer of the side’s fielding capabilities – which are simply not good enough. Much individual work will have to be completed over the winter. Thompson held three catches, Maunder and Wolf one apiece. Devon needed one hundred and seventy-five in two hours. Although seventeen overs were guaranteed in the last hour, our visitors would determine the number of balls the home side would ultimately face. In fact they received one hundred and ninety-two balls, of which the first innings destroyer could only bowl twenty-four because of the daily bowling quota. Devon lost Lammonby early but the promoted Will Thompson and Pyle put on eighty-five off eighty-one balls to put their side in the driving seat. They batted for fifty minutes but the captain was out at a critical stage as his side were about to enter the final hour. Pyle was well caught and bowled by Lakhami to give the leg spinner his final wicket of the game. Although Thompson was striking the ball crisply, often in the air, it was interesting to see how some of our younger batsman responded to a target of ninety off one hundred and eight balls. With decent running this should have been very achievable but unfortunately Devon ultimately fell three short of an outright win. Will Thompson and Dan Wolf took Devon up to three figures, The fourth wicket pair, Noah Wright who had joined Thompson, put on fifty-five in thirty-four minutes off fifty-five balls. Then Devon then lost Thompson for eighty-nine. His strike rate had been an impressive 109.88 and he had provided the impetus needed in such a chase. He had hit twelve fours and provided the one day innings the situation had needed. The fifth wicket failed to provide the minimum ten as Wright departed and Codd was a run out victim, not getting into the frame. Dan Goodey was invited to do a Dawe, failed to provide the boundary and skied a simple catch second ball. Devon were now on 171-7 with three balls remaining. They went dot, one, one and the match was drawn with Devon taking first innings. Exmouth were splendid, the sun shone and these were two more informative days cricket with some of the younger players now actually understanding the format!

We were next due to play our return fixture with Cornwall. The forecast was not good and disappointingly very accurate. On arriving at Cornwood it was overcast and stayed that way until the rain arrived. Devon lost the toss and were invited to bat. They lost Harvey Sargent in the seventh over when Dinnis had him caught by James. The captain Pyle joined Toby Codd who was routinely tested after the game as he was batting in overdrive. He had contributed twenty-two of the opening partnership of thirty-eight and a further fourteen runs of the sixteen added for the second wicket. In the forty-one minutes play the home side had advanced to fifty-four off sixty-three balls when the covering was urgently needed. Codd was unbeaten on thirty-six and Pyle on two. The rain did not cease, lunch was taken, Roger Tolchard enjoyed the Commonwealth Games bowls and players departed to prepare for their league games the next day. Visits were made by Jonathan Mears and Gavin Lane and at least DACO’s training programme for the winter was agreed. As always Cornwood did their best in impossible circumstances, they fed us well and this delightful West Devon Club remains a very pleasant place to play cricket.

The annual trips up to the Midlands are intended to provide the players with a glimpse of what is required to play for the seventeens the following year. There are a number of objectives, which include providing the players with the experience of playing over two or three continuous days. Undoubtedly the trip up to Kidderminster ticked the majority of the boxes. One of which is to expose players to unexpected situations and adversities! The first unplanned move was the result of the side’s coach being severely under the weather and unable to travel. Under 14 Manager, Jonathan Mears, was already assisting on the trip and took over the responsibilities of preparing the players. As could be anticipated this he undertook in his normal conscientious manner. We hardly missed the coaching aids but were three days of energy drinks short, all with Matthew Cooke. Group travel is another experience to be shared as it really is important that the players appreciate what it all entails and that they travel to and leave a game together as one. This ensures they share each other's company and the highs and lows of the game. It did seem a long way up to the Hartlebury Travel Lodge but in reality this is unlikely to be the side’s longest time together in a mini-bus, Stonehenge is due a return visit in 2015! With the fifteens playing Yorkshire at the same time, this was an ideal opportunity to involve some of our outstanding Under Fourteen squad. Tom Williams and Kasi Szymanski joined Lammonby and Maunder, who had already made an excellent impression. This in itself is a record for Devon, as in the past representation from this group has been limited to a single or at most two players. The fact that they all fitted in so well and were absorbed by the others is a great credit to all the players. The Mitre Oak was revisited with the writer also displaying some of the symptoms experienced by Matt Cooke. The meat for Sam Maunders burger had to be separately butchered or at least that was thought to be the reason for the delay in it being served. Next day it was our first visit to a Morrison for breakfast. Kidderminster Cricket Club hosts first class cricket and is always a venue that provides facilities to match. The squad responded well to the warm up and were hoping that they would be given an opportunity to post a score. Pyle’s Heads did not work and Devon was in the field. The game started without the correct match balls which were in transit! From the first ball the Worcestershire openers seemed to be in complete control. Somewhat disconcertingly early in the process one of our opening bowlers was receiving a massage on the boundary. Was this another unexpected problem? Meanwhile the home side were scoring at over five. The introduction of Codd and Szymanski into the attack slowed down the tempo. Worcestershire lost their first wicket in the fifteenth over when Wolf caught Cox for twenty-five off the Under Fourteen all-rounder to give him his first wicket. The openers had put on seventy-seven. With the arrival of the correct balls Burns was reintroduced, this time at the pavilion end, and he bowled Patel, of the green hoody, with the first ball of his second spell’s third over. He repeated the feat ten balls later removing the captain, Kinder, and Devon were easing themselves back into the game. After twenty-three overs Worcestershire were ninety-six for three. Codd came back into the attack and took his first wicket with a neat stumping from Maunder. Devon bowled thirty-three overs before lunch and had taken four wickets whilst their opponents had scored one hundred and thirty-three runs – even stevens. Lasagne was on the menu with a ham salad option. Fifteen balls after the interval Devon took another important wicket when young Tom Williams took his first wicket at this level. He had worked out the right length and line and had Mackleworth caught by Josh Cann. The Sandford all rounder was another one making an impressive debut but should have also accepted a caught and bowled opportunity. Left arm spinners have a very important part to play in the two day game as they offer control. Codd and Williams were bowling well in tandem and it was the off spinner that took the next two wickets. In the fifty-fourth over, the captain held an exceptional catch at slip. Five overs later Codd trapped Bellamy reducing Worcestershire to 187-7. The visitors now lost control as forty runs were added for the eighth wicket before Goodey took his first wicket, with Maunder taking the catch. However 227-8 would have been acceptable at the start of the day provided the home side’s innings was quickly closed. It was not as another forty runs were added for the ninth wicket before Goodey struck again with a leg before. Worcestershire had batted for eighty overs and scored two hundred and sixty-seven. The captain had been put under some pressure having to manipulate his bowlers. He was one bowler short as he had an opening bowler out of action with a back problem and he had only been able to bowl half his quota of overs. Others had already bowled their full allocation and Devon was struggling to take the final wicket. He rang the changes but the home side were now preparing to declare with the objective of having a go at the Devon’s batters before close of play. Before they were called in Dan Wolf bowled Beadsworth for a top score of sixty-two. The last pair had added forty-nine annoying runs taking their side up to three hundred and sixteen. Codd and Lammonby advised the side that they did not need a night watchman and batted the seven overs in no difficulty, running exceptionally well and reducing the target by fifteen runs. Beadsworth bowled four overs but was not to reappear the next day as he joined their Seventeens. His innings might have been critical. We had been joined in the afternoon by a great friend of Devon Cricket – the ECB’s Head of Elite Coach Development. The manager was now struck down with Cookitis and opted for rest over food. A wise decision as the service was incredibly slow and desserts not even reached. The keeper was again the last to be served.

It was an overcast welcome to the second day with showers of various intensity the forecast. Warm ups were commenced with Devon mainly concentrating on a day chasing down three hundred when it started to drizzle. The covers were replaced and large sheets laid out. The ground team could not have been more helpful and an early lunch was taken. It was apparent the groundsman had access to some sophisticated equipment as shortly after lunch (fish in batter) in still dim light the umpires advised everyone that it was their intention to start play at two or as close as possible. The groundsmen had worked tirelessly mopping and brushing and could have not done more if this had been a first class fixture. We were exceptionally fortunate to get in any play however short. The radar still showed potential showers later in the day. Remarkably there was no further interference and Devon was given the chance of chasing down three hundred and two more runs in a minimum of eighty-nine overs. In fact they only needed another seventy overs. Toby Codd who had provided much needed confidence the previous evening was the first out - again caught. The openers had batted another seven overs taking their partnership up to forty-three. Amphlett was the new ball bowler having been drafted in overnight but it was Bellamy who removed the Abbot’s all-rounder. Tom Lammonby was next out with the score on seventy-four. He had contributed forty six percent of the runs scored. This had been an ideal opportunity to look at Devon’s latest regional player. The captain, who had not been demonstrating his recent fluency, was joined by Dan Wolf, who was off on holiday the next day. Dan Pyle's contribution ended at four minutes past three with his side drifting somewhat nineteen runs short of three figures but now three down. The whole impetus of the innings changed over the next ten overs as William Thompson’s positive intent and Wolf’s natural approach put on sixty runs in just over half an hour. This was a vital phase of the game but not without some alarms, the Heathcoat batsman could have gone early but rode his luck or perhaps more to the point succeeded with some sweet timing. He was out for a twenty-seven ball thirty-two which included five fours and a six. The sixty added was the highest fourth wicket partnership of the summer. Three figure partnerships should in fact be the order of the day all the way down the order. Next in was one of the Under Fourteens’ major batting talents, Kazi Szymanski, but unfortunately on his debut he did not get off the mark. On his ninth ball he was leg before. This was a setback and Devon were now one hundred and fifty-nine with half their side out. Dan Wolf was playing his best innings of the summer at this level, driving well and he was now nine short of a fifty. Josh Cann and Wolf had around six overs to face in forty minutes play before the tea interval. It was fortunate that the home side’s over rate was not putting Devon under additional pressure. Wolf reached his personal fifty and added another eighteen whilst the Feniton batsman obeyed instructions to the letter and batted for tea. Unfortunately with the proposed post tea game plan formulated, at least in the head, Wolf was out with four balls to go before the interval. He had batted beautifully but still received the wrath after close of play. He was tamely caught and bowled with a century easily in his sights. He had faced only seventy-seven balls, hitting thirteen beautiful fours. Dan had set his side up but he would not be around to complete the coup de grâce. The remaining batters and captain agreed a now somewhat modified game plan. Unusually the plan was completed to near perfection! The not-out batsmen, Josh Cann and Charles Fitzroy, took their time and then suddenly in the fiftieth over of the innings Cann hit four majestic cover drives all crossing the rope at speed. Apart from a period when Cann was on forty-nine, he and Fitzroy batted brilliantly dominating their opponents in a partnership of one hundred and eighteen off one hundred and seventy-two balls in sixteen minutes over an hour. This was a really exceptional contribution from the two batters. Although this was forty-five runs short of the highest seventh wicket partnership, it was undoubtedly a match winning one. This was only the third century partnership for the seventh wicket and now the second best! They took their side up to ten runs off a win which subsequent research proved was the highest run chase by an under sixteen side. It was not all plain sailing. First Cann’s memorable innings came to a conclusion. He had contributed seventy-eight off one hundred and fifteen balls and played an almost perfect two day innings. He set the hearts flickering on forty-nine, as he flirted with disaster, but quickly overcame the situation, typified by his straight six on to the railway line. In addition to his six he hit twelve fours. This had been the side’s only century partnership of the summer - an area that requires major attention at Seventeens. We could just about cope with Cann's demise but did not appreciate Fitzroy also getting out! Initially he had been the ideal foil but he took on an increasingly important role in the partnership, eventually scoring thirty-eight off eighty-seven balls with seven fours. He and fellow Blundellion, Sam Maunder, then took their side within three runs of victory when Fitzroy was out, much to his obvious annoyance. As in the previous game it was the unflappable Maunder who contributed the final runs. The captain tried immediately to declare but did not get a response; Maunder then gave the bowler the charge to be stumped by perhaps half a pitch. Fortunately this time the batsmen responded to the call and it then transpired that the ball that had dismissed him had been a no ball!

This had been an outstanding performance and an opportunity of explaining areas where we must improve was taken. Jonathan Mears had played a very important part, standing in for Matt Cooke, who had followed our progress on TCS. We were very grateful to the host club who pulled out all the stops to get the game completed. It was a long journey home but all should have been completely satisfied by this performance – particularly the Fourteens. Josh Cann had been whisked off to a family gathering at Stratford, then a subsequent unplanned holiday and sadly, and unexpectedly, was not to be seen again in 2014. His performance at Kidderminster had put him on the verge of a vital breakthrough.

It was a mixed three days in Staffordshire and Warwickshire. We deliberately stopped at the new Gloucester Services to see what was on offer, much to the irritation of the squad as its eco philosophy did not fit in totally with their snack culture. After another long and tiring journey up to Oldbury, we soon set off to our first Harvester of the summer - The Foxhunt in Halesowen. There seemed general contentment, although the Fourteens leaving the drinks order form at reception delayed matters somewhat as we started to prepare for our annual two day game against Staffordshire. We took breakfast at the Dudley Tesco Extra, that most certainly has a larger square footage than Kingsbridge Fore Street. Breakfast was better received than our previous superstore in Worcestershire and it was raining heavily. An old Kingsbridge colt was also taking breakfast, resulting in some reminiscing. The forecast for our three days kept changing but at no time was totally reassuring. Indeed all three days suffered some interference from rain. Staffordshire Under Seventeens were playing Lancashire later in the week in a two day semi final so our opponents were not at full strength nor were Devon due to hockey, expected and unexpected holidays. The mini-bus then enjoyed a circular tour of a roundabout and a twenty-six minute drive took double the estimated time. Moist conditions delayed the start until 2.00pm and the sides tucked into their final Lasagne of the summer. Time would be made up on both days, playing until seven both days and starting at 10.30am on the second day. The umpires worked hard to ensure our trip was worthwhile which was very much appreciated. Pyle again called correctly and inserted his hosts. Dan Goodey struck in the seventh over when Dan Wolf held another good catch. The second wicket pairing added sixty-five, taking Staffordshire up to seventy-one. Toby Codd then bowled Raza for twenty-three. The batsman is currently involved with Derbyshire and did not appear the next day. He was replaced at the crease by the tall and talented Staffordshire captain, Sandhu. Five balls later, on the same score, the second opener Glanville was bowed by Petherbridge. He had contributed fifty percent of the runs on the board – thirty-six. Over the next twenty-two overs, which took in tea, Sandhu and John put on the second highest partnership of the innings – fifty-six. Charles Fitzroy held an important return catch to get rid of John. Seventeen was added for the fifth wicket when Staffordshire lost three wickets for the addition of one run off ten balls. Sam Maunder held a splendid catch off Goodey to remove the home side captain five short of a fifty, Fitzroy trapped Zaroof in front and Goodey took his third wicket bowling Pokors. Staffordshire’s three remaining wickets added forty-one runs. Keeper Hodson was Matt Petherbridge’s second bowled victim – 163-8. Toby Codd completed his twenty-fifth over, his side’s seventy-sixth and was replaced by Harvey Sargent. The Sidmouth all-rounder then took the remaining two wickets in his sixteen balls. He bowled Rudge, who had batted for four minutes under an hour for his six, and had Slater leg before. Staffordshire were all out in their eightieth over having scored at 2.2 an over. Close of play was five past seven and Sargent and Codd faced eighteen balls scoring five runs. The Harvester was out of half split chickens and banoffee pots but their replacements were deemed to be satisfactory.

The twenty-six minutes to the ground was more realistic on the second day as the volume of traffic had substantially reduced. The openers negotiated almost ninety-minutes facing another twenty-two overs and taking Devon up to sixty-four before Codd was bowled by T.Hodson. He had scored thirty-nine off sixty-eight balls. In the company of his captain, Sargent had added fifty-four when Dan Pyle was out twenty-four balls before lunch. Fortunately, and unusually, Wolf was not out in this time, hitting ten off his fourth, fifth and six balls. He had survived to the interval and his partner, Sargent, was two short of his fifty. Harvey completed his second successive fifty against the Midland side on his third ball after the interval and Wolf was out on the fourth. They had put on twenty-six, taking Devon up to within thirty-two runs of their opponents. Within ten balls Devon had lost their fifth wicket as on the same score – 144 - Sargent was out for fifty-one, one less than in 2013. Losing wickets in clusters has been a theme discussed all summer and the message has still not been absorbed as Devon lost a third in the hundred and forties. Wright was caught behind and Devon was still twenty-seven runs adrift. Will Thompson and Tom Lammonby scored the necessary runs putting on forty-two. Nine short of two hundred, Thompson was caught behind. Charles Fitzroy and Lammonby added another sixty-two off sixty one balls and on the loss of Fitzroy, Pyle gave the home side some batting practice. Lammonby had scored an unbeaten fifty-four off fifty-eight balls, hitting six fours. His fifty came off fifty-four balls and he had demonstrated great technique, awareness and temperament. Fitzroy had contributed twenty-three. Despite being August, the temperature at Wolverhampton over the two days had been in single figures, mainly due to a biting wind. Devon bowled a further twenty-eight overs at their opponents taking three wickets; two to Goodey and one to Codd, with catches from the keeper Maunder and Will Thompson. It was then agreed to allow Glanville and the home captain to try and reach their fifties Glanville failed by three but Sandhu reached his. The game was called off with the final hour about to start and Devon would be on their way to Coventry early. Staffordshire, the umpires and Wolverhampton had all been brilliant in allowing such a full game to be played. The journey to the Stonebridge Island was virtually event free until we missed the actual turn off that resulted in an unplanned twenty-five minutes in/out drive into Coventry, The Carvery went down well and we had our first Eton Mess opportunity of the summer. The Ibis was old school but provided all that was needed, despite the skipper’s room being occupied! We were settled in good time and within a short distance of Binley Road.

The game with Warwickshire was a desperately disappointing end to the season as the Midlanders showcased all the objectives that had been Devon’s but in the main had disappointingly not been achieved by them in the one day game. The home side took important well timed wickets in the field - good catches and two direct run outs, they ran well, rotated the strike and put pressure on the fielders and two batsman batted on putting on one hundred and sixty. The day started in bright sunshine, the ground was a short drive from the Ibis, which had met all requirements and the Coventry and North Warwick Cricket Club returned to after nearly thirty-years. The track was still a road and, despite some showers forecasted, the toss most certainly one to win. The Warwickshire coaches reported a disappointing season, so immediately an alarm bell rang. Dan Pyle again called correctly (overall a fifty per cent record) and Devon batted. The order was altered to meet the requirements of a fifty over game and the captain opened with Harvey Sargent. Over the first ten overs they scored at fives but off the fifth ball of the tenth, spinner Tirvedi’s first, Pyle was bowled. The second wicket partnership between Sargent and Dan Wolf lasted just six deliveries for the same number of runs, when the second bowling change brought an identical dismissal as Sargent was bowled by Parnell’s penultimate ball of his first over, Devon were now fifty-six for two. The Paignton pairing of Dan Wolf and Noah Wright started to take the game, albeit for a short time, away from the home side as they put on ninety, off one hundred and sixty-seven balls in sixty-seven minutes. This was by six runs the highest third wicket partnership of the summer but still ten runs short of three figures. Wright contributed twenty-nine off sixty-two balls and Wolf fifty-six off fifty nine. His fifty had come off fifty-six balls. Wolf’s innings included one of the biggest sixes witnessed at the ground. This was some compliment from the Groundsman as not only has first class cricket been played at the club; it is a regular second team venue for Warwickshire, but it exceeded the best efforts of the Lashings international eleven that had played Coventry & NW three days earlier. Wright was the first batsman out in the thirty-second over with Devon on one hundred and forty-six. Thompson, who only knows, whatever the circumstances, one way to bat joined Wolf only to watch his partner run himself out twenty-six balls later after another fifteen runs had been added. Wolf called for a non-existent single only to watch a direct hit run him out by a quarter of a pitch length! This had been another useful contribution, this time sixty-nine runs off seventy-seven balls but Dan has so much natural talent and ability that he has to start scoring hundreds and then big ones. From 186-5 the wheel nuts started to loosen and eventually the wheels came off. Devon had been setting batting goals all morning, some were realistic and some not. The fact that their final score was only two hundred and twenty-seven for eight really demonstrated how they failed to achieve even their most realistic objective on a perfect batting wicket and fast outfield. The situation needed a reliable finisher or preferably two, something that will be absolutely essential for the four ECB one day games in 2015. At the fall of Wolf Devon had eighty-six balls to utilise, at fives they should have scored another seventy-two runs which would still have been a long way short of par. Sevens was the minimum which would have provided an additional hundred runs. Devon actually scored at just over four and a half. Thompson was well caught at deep mid on, Codd was the second batter to be run out by a direct hit by the keeper backing up. Tom Lammonby was batting beautifully with sensible shot selection and looking what he is - an outstanding prospect. Charles Fitzroy was adding common sense to the batting and, despite a ten minute rain break, the pair had added twenty off twenty-seven deliveries when, completely out of the blue, Tom brought out his reverse sweep and gently lobbed the ball to one of the two covers waiting for a more orthodox shot. He had scored twenty-five off thirty but there were still twenty-four balls remaining. Fitzroy decided against ones and went for big shots and thirteen balls and five runs later was caught. The Under Fourteens, Sam Maunder and Kazi Szymanski, sensibly tried the single approach and added eleven off thirteen. This was going to be an extremely difficult total to defend. The final lunch brought sausages for the first time with Yorkshire pudding, potatoes and onion gravy.

Devon took an early wicket when Maunder and Goodey combined in the fifth over but Moberley and Harrison, two very accomplished left handers, set about taking their side to within fifty-one runs of victory. Both worked the ball through the on side with great skill and, although they had both had disappointing seasons, that was rapidly changing. They put on one hundred and sixty off one hundred and fifty-one balls in eighty seven minutes. Goodey, who was outstanding in the field, was the only front line bowler to concede less than four an over. Poor Matt Petherbridge had burst a wart on his spinning finger in the warm up and burst it again when he bowled. Even with a plaster he found it impossible to provide the control he brings to the side. The captain Harrison was eventually out in the twenty-eighth over well caught behind by Maunder off Harvey Sargent. The third wicket had added forty-six of the required runs in half an hour off fifty-one balls when the captain put himself on to complete the game but with his second ball he had a disgruntled Moberley well caught by Thompson at slip for one hundred and eight. In the next over Lammonby conceded the final two runs with a wide. Warwickshire had seventy-one balls to spare so perhaps the more optimistic earlier targets had actually been realistic.

Devon set off home via Evesham with a rendezvous at Gordano Services, unfortunately our coach failed to arrive by approximately a mile as he had a nasty blow out within touching distance. He eventually was Relayed home arriving at Riverside at 1.30am! The Kentucky automatic ordering system was misbehaving so this delayed proceedings but all were nourished, despite the left arm spinners complaint about the size of the pizza. Arrangements were made with regard the kit being carried by Matt Cooke and the season that had started with general uncertainty at Helston was now over.

This was generally a very satisfactory year with a number of players giving a clear indication that they would have much to offer the Devon Under Seventeens, some for potentially three summers. If there was a disappointment, it was that some golden opportunities were not taken to experience situations which the players would not previously have had the chance to come across. Although the captain passed three figures for the first time in the county colours, at least four others should have grasped the nettle. In turn big partnerships are fundamental to two day success. On seventeen occasions a fifty partnership was recorded but only three times did the partnership progress into the nineties and only one pairing passed three figures. To their credit Devon averaged 33 a partnership as opposed to their opponents 30 and scored at just over four an over against three and a half. Devon took sixty-seven wickets, the fourteenth best return but twenty-seven less than in 2013. Dan Pyle contribution with the bat was vital. Having been under some pressure to convert quick fire thirties into something more substantial, he scored a ton and, had it not been for an awful call, should have scored another. He has raised the bar not only for his own performances but the entire team, who should aspire to score big hundreds. Other batsmen made important contributions but consistency is something all our batsmen must provide next year. They also need an ability to adapt to the situation with which they are confronted. Potentially our top order all have the ability to do this but must also master that little voice in their heads! The fielding was not good enough which is always a frustration. A good guide to the pressure a side exerts on their opponents is the annual total of run outs. It could not have been much worse as Devon only dismissed one batsman in this way. Will Thompson and Dan Wolf both entered the Greenbook catching records, as did keeper Sam Maunder who entered the charts at number six with eleven dismissals. He now has two summers to get close to David Manning's record that has stood since 1997. The fielding, and particularly its intensity, will have to radically improve in 2015 and many of our senior players will have to substantially improve this element of their game as it an essential ingredient in any county player. As always in the two day game a captain has to enter a game with a balanced attack and at least seventy-five overs of spin. It is hoped that the 2015 captain will have such an attack with one or two bowlers stepping up to supply the vital cutting edge that provides early wickets.

Dan Goodey had an exceptional summer, being the Bowler of the Year and providing some common sense and exceptional fielding displays. In 2015 he will play an important part in all respects including his batting. Dan Pyle took over as captain and undertook his duties thoughtfully and well. He still has much to learn but was the deserved winner of both the Batsman and Player of the Year Awards. DACO provided officials for all our home matches and they confirmed the high quality provided by our local association. Axminster, Seaton, Exmouth and Cornwood looked after the side exceedingly well and we are most fortunate to be able to play at clubs who want us to utilise their outstanding grounds. Our coach Matt Cooke had a very difficult void to fill but did so splendidly. We are grateful to the DCB for allowing Matt to undertake this vital role in 2014. Our scorer maintained the standard she has set for the past twenty-three summers and ensured our away trips, off the field, were in the main problem free.