Devon Cricket Board - Good Win at Seaton

Seaton again provided two days of magnificent support as Devon Under 16s entertained the Somerset Development Squad. 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 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 second 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 of the Abbotskerswell off spinner. Devon bowled only thirty overs in the first session and had their opponents on 113-3 when Sybil Anderson and her team offered a choice of menu including some splendid deserts. These were all consumed with typical MasterChef pleasure and Gregg and John could only have been as complementary 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 sides 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. He completed a spell of six overs bowling two maidens conceding eleven runs and taking four wickets - caught Maunder, two catches at first slip by Pyle and his fourth was held by Fitzroy. 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 put on another annoying twenty-three taking them up to tea on 201-9. Another excellent spread was devoured. Hagan-Burt was re-introduced and second ball brought the Somerset innings to a conclusion bowling Knight. He finished with the excellent 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.

He then had to pad up and it was not to prove to be the dream debut as he watched his partner Codd fall for a duck and then felll himself contributing three of a partnership of six. Dan Wolf joined his captain and the pair 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 the captain and batted to close. Dan Pyle was proving he has the ability and concentration to bat time and was unbeaten on thirty-three as Devon left the ground three down on Nelson.

Another scorcher welcomed both sides, the coach concentrated on the batters having already put in an early 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. Incredible Pyle achieved his instructions to almost perfection. With fourteen added Wright was out, 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 were 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 hundred. The game plan was revised slightly but lthe home side lost two wickets before Pyle reached the 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 declared, Devon were still ten runs short of one of the sides 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 the game stopped with Somerset on 143-2. This had been a really useful exercise with much useful information gained.

Scorecard