Devon Cricket Board - A loss by ten wickets

The target leave time was achieved but unfortunately South West Highways had decided to make an unannounced closure of the lane with vehicles blocking each exit route. Ten minutes later the not easiest trip of the summer was underway with upmost certainty that the Honiton - Axminster section would produce a tractor or white van, potentially both. It was only a van and a crawler 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 paint pictures the minute they arrive at grounds and the pre match preparation is very much part of this process. So to write 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 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 when it came direct it still somehow got through. Without doubt the number of the vital Performance Records returned this summer from this group has been the lowest in twenty plus years. Such a paucity normally indicates either poor performance or a lack of cricket. Having taken the time to do some research this summer both appear to be the case. Unfortunately in view of this and actual performances it will therefore now be 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. The Ottery all-rounder 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 an outstanding debut. Charles Parkin added the two runs (eight short of the sides minimum requirement) that comprised the second wicket partnership before he was to be bowled by Mack for a sixty ball seventeen. He had batted 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 concern. Thompson departed in the twenty-fourth over having contributed seven and Fitzroy in the twenty-sixth over. for thirteen off twenty-eight. Devon were nor 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 seventeen's out earlier in the week proved what a potentially very useful finisher he can 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. A brilliant knock ended by an unlucky run out. The pair had put on 70 off forty-nine balls in twenty-five minutes. 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 Devon ended on 243-6 assisted by thirty-two extras, a total predicted by Will Thompson. On paper this was reasonable return but of the 300 balls available to Devon 191 were dots a stagering sixty-four percent. This would not be acceptable in the two day game. If ones had had been taken off thirty percent off these balls Devon would have been approacing 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 eariler in the day and the aroma was too tempting for some who succumbed.Unfortunately it will be necessary to edit the team photographs on Picture Publisher.

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. They batted exceptionally despite one of them celebrating 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 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 the fielding practice was commenced before play and throughout the 275 balls bowled by Devon they were well below the level required. Of the bowlers only two - FitzRoy and Peterbridge conceeded less than four an over. Initial research indicates this was probably the under 16s heaviest defeat in their history and it is hoped lessons will be learnt - two of the more important ones for the batters are not to give wickets away and try and rotate the strike. However the fifteens took their opportunities well and this bodes well for the future.

It was really good to be back at Axminster where we were again treated royally, it was a pleasure to see their President, Les Haynes, and hope he will reconsider his decision. Same time, same place next year was agreed but a much superior performance will be needed by the home side.

Scorecard