Devon Cricket Board - Sixteens Start Well

The sixteens have been down to a bare eleven before a game started through a variety of reasons but their trip to Brislington was the first time in memory that they actually travelled with eleven, An activities weekend volleyball sprained ankle plus confusion on availability brought about this far from ideal situation. It says much for the eleven, one jetted in from London, that they overcame this real disadvantage and although they finished with one player limping and another far from well is a tribute to them all. Sandy Allen started his first adventure as the Coach Driver by getting his side safely housed at the Arnos Manor Hotel in good time. Noah Wright joined the group from the sights of London but two missed the first team discussion of the summer so did not hear the warning of door cards and mobiles. It was therefore no surprise to see one of them at Reception having their card recharged. The first mistake of the summer was to walk over the road to a Flaming Grill with a staff of less than half a dozen and a lot more punters. The scorers research ignored something that will not be forgotten. Next day the side left on time and after the experience of the previous year the ground found first time and we received a very warm welcome from Brislington. The Club were again perfect hosts over the two days and in every way looked after us splendidly. It is anticipated that Jack Popham will have a good time there provided he gets the pavilion end! With a new group there are always some reservations but Sandy Allen soon had everyone working together and pulling in the right direction. With sunshine the forecast for both days it was important that Rudolph called correctly. The captain passed on his knowledge of the two day regulations in one of the longest tosses but ultimately called heads and Devon were batting. The openers Harvey-Sargent and Joe Hagen-Burt, fresh from a hundred the previous Saturday, batted beautifully looking in complete command of the situation particularly against the seamers. They put on eighty-eight when in the twenty-third over Hagan-Burt was run out. Left arm spinner Haynes was bowling a length that required a cordon of four fielders on the off side from backward point to wide extra cover. It may have become slightly frustrating for the batsmen and repetitive for the spectators as the ball was regularly played off the back foot to one of the fielders. Hagan-Burt hit the ball to fielder two, called, set off, only to see Sargent unmoved at the non strikers end - Devon one down after really cruising. The Plymouth opener had scored thirty-five off eighty balls with five fours. Noah Wright joined the captain but fifteen minutes before lunch was back in the pavilion. He struck Drissell, not of the lemon cake variety, for four and then was completely confused by his quicker ball. Devon not so well placed on 109-2 after 26.5 overs with Harvey past his fifty. Devon reached lunch on a most acceptable 123-2 off thirty-two overs. Petherbridge was right - Lasagne, crumble/custard and trifle. It seemed to have gone down with the opener who supremely stroked the first ball after lunch across the floor through the covers to reach seventy-five, next ball he was back asking for seconds caught. Devon were now 127-3 very much a par lunch score with honours even. Under 15 Michael Cooper seemed to be totally relaxed at the crease with a see ball hit ball technique. His four and six were the runs of the fourth wicket partnership when the skipper, Billy Rudolph, was out. He had not played on Saturday having a hockey commitment and his dismissal started to change the balance of the game as Devon were now not so well placed on 137-4 after thirty-five overs. Ben Phillips joined Cooper and flirted with mid on and off and could have been dismissed four times before getting set. He however made the most of the homes sides generosity and it was Cooper who was next out as he slashed a cross batted back foot shot to the waiting cover. Devon were now in real trouble on 158-5. Cooper had contributed twenty-one which was also the size of the fifth wicket partnership. However Phillips and new batsman Tom Andrew dug deep and took their side on to the road to recovery putting on the second highest partnership of the innings - sixty-four in fifty-three minutes off one hundred and sixteen balls. They batted really sensible and to the situation. The two hundred came up in the fifty-sixth over but double Nelson struck in the sixty-second over when Phillips was caught and bowled by Wormwall nine short of his fifty. He had batted for seventy-one minutes, faced eighty-three balls and hit seven fours and a six. Debutant Ed Bragg joined his Proms partner and took Devon eight overs later to an excellent tea on 250-6 with Andrews on 39. Post tea the two batted well together with a new ball approaching although Andrews was flagging showing signs of fatigue and had developed a limp, ominous for the second day. He lasted until the seventy-sixth over when he was caught off Panchai. He had batted nearly an hour and three quarters facing one hundred balls and had seen his sides score rise by one hundred and nine runs. Andrews had scored 43 with five fours. The new ball was taken and disposed of Ward for 12 - Devon 288--8. Tom Williams and Bragg achieved a hypothetical fourth and final bonus point and the innings started to meander. Williams was clearly unwell and when a drink was taken with a message that the tempo needed to change unfortunately with the demise of the Sandford spinner. He was leg before for four. The instructions with the drink were four more overs. Cometh the hour cometh number twelve Matthew Petherbridge. His first four balls did not give a clue what was about to take place. On his first ball the ball was on the way back to the bowler when he played his shot, he got better as the next three were in the keeper gloves. However a change of ends to face Hooper whose figures were 10-3-26-0 showed everyone what a rare talent Petherbridge is. His first four was a classical flick through mid wicket, for the next three balls he was like a rampant bull as he charged the bowler and hit three more fours - all straight. He took a single off the next, took his gloves off and led Bragg off to a fully justified round of applause with a strike rate of 188.89. Devon declared on 336-9, helped by forty-eight extras. New boy Ed Bragg was unbeaten on thirty-six. He had batted for one hundred and two minutes faced seventy-seven balls and hit three fours in an impressive first appearance and it was going to get better for the all rounder. Devon had thirteen overs to make inroads and opened with Hagan-Burt from the pavilion end and Petherbridge up the hill. Williams only lasted a few balls and Devon fielded with ten. This would have been an interesting experience for the players as Sandy Allen later pointed out they were striving too hard for wickets and the captain will learn not to be afraid to make changes trying to make something happen. The home sides batters mind set was not to get out and they achieved this scoring thirty-seven. This had been a really good recovery showing the importance of depth of batting as only the middle order could have been disappointed on their return. Harvey Sargents Facebook address had been in demand during the day. A change of venue with a Hungry Horse being the choice but not all plain sailing as their card machines were not working and that defunct currency cash was required. Thanks to Sainsbury's ATM's the cash arrived and then the service was excellent.

Next day there were some concern whether the players were up for it but Sandy Allen's most confusing warm up got them all using their brains to great effect and the fielding practice was actually of a reasonable standard. Ed Bragg started up the hill and fourth ball bowled the better opener Morris for 24. Gloucestershire - 38-1. The second wicket put on fourteen when Bragg took his second wicket safely pouched by Harry Ward. Five balls later Ward who had opened up from the pavilion end took out keeper Burnstone leg before. Ward had not finished as he got a touch on a drive from Hooper to run out non striker Wormwell. In thirteen overs Devon had taken four wickets for twenty-two runs. This had been an excellent piece of cricket. Hooper and Canagarajah stabilised the situation taking their team to lunch on Nelson for four. An outstanding session with Rudolph employing six bowlers. Following the success of the crumble and custard the outstanding caterer repeated the dessert with three types of pasta and another trifle. Second over after lunch Bragg struck again with Hagan-Burt taking the catch to remove Hooper for 38 -122-5. Devon had been 158-5 in their innings. The home side reached their 150 in the fifty-ninth over so it was well balanced. Rudolph employed Harvey Sargent to bowl the sixty-second over and he completed his spell of one over bowling seventeen balls - four wides and seven no balls, most certainly a new under 16 record. The captain who had bowled a very tight spell up the hill (7-5-6-0) was now being exceptionally imaginative with his bowling changes and now had Petherbridge, who despite bowling up the hill for the seventeens in 2014 had struggled, now bowling down and Hagan-Burt with Phillips standing up bowling from the bottom end. As predicted Canagarajah reached his fifty and got out bowled by Petherbridge - 193-6. This is also a key lesson for the Devon batters - fifty is just your first target. The home side now lost their last four wickets without addition - an amazing turnaround. The captain took his first wicket Smith leg before, Next ball the finger went up for a second leg before - double wicket maiden. Next over Petherbridge bowled Dent, another maiden from the captain now 2-6 off nine and then Petherbridge (3-34) wound up the innings trapping Groves in front. With forty-one overs left in the day and a desire to leave before seven Devon agreed to bat again to the chagrin of the home team captain who did not understand the reasoning on that we required to experience chasing second innings bonus points and he wanted a T20. Devon faced six overs before tea losing Wright in the third over. Tea - as before - home captain then lets Rudolph have his views and still did not understand the concept of the two day game - he wanted a T20 which could have gone on to seven plus. This really was a shame as the home side had been excellent but felt they should let Devon should know their views now at every opportunity. Having now grasped what Devon were trying to achieve they put most of their fielders close to the wicket behind the bat leaving open spaces for Devon to hit through. Phillips and Hagan-Burt took the opportunity and achieved red inkers as Gloucester removed Sargent, Rudolph and Cooper for 46. Phillips and Hagan-Burt put on fifty-four off sixty-four in thirty-two minutes. In a competitive match both sides would have picked up a bonus point. No football, quick review and Devon after expressing real thanks to Brislington, were back on the road. Last year the three Devon vehicles had taken different routes out of the city and this year we both travelled via the M4. A really successful two days with the ethos of under 16/17 cricket relayed to the new players. The coach had again made a huge impact.

Scorecard