Devon Cricket Board - Hagan-Burt Rescues Devon

The sixteens sampled the travel difficulties previously experienced this year by the seventeens on their trip up to Bromsgrove and it was necessary, due to long queues, to leave the M5 to utilise the old road network that was virtually empty as another long hold up was avoided. A refurbished Travelodge with next door pub for breakfast proved reasonable and the Marstons menu was revisited. It was an easy drive to the excellent Barnt Green ground where we had enjoyed two days in 2012. Barnt Green remains one of the more sought after commuter belts and the gated driveways seem to have increased over the past thirty-six months. For the casual uninitiated observer let alone the keen two day follower this must have been a extremely difficult game to follow as its format seemed to change every hour. Devon's woeful first innings batting did not help their own cause but the intended attacking four innings game turned into one of those bore draws that will not assist the loss of the sixteen plus cricketer. In overcast conditions with rain in the air the pre match preparations were concluded and Harvey Sargent called incorrectly and his side were in the field. They were batting at one minute past five as the home side scored two hundred and ninety before they, as agreed albeit later than believed, came in at nine minutes to five. They had lost eight wickets with Harry Ward leading the attack picking up four wickets off seventeen and a half overs. Play started on time but rain interrupted play after twenty-eight minutes with the home side on twenty-six off seven overs. Joe Hagan-Burt and Ed Bragg had opened up and continued after the break. Olie Reed took over from Hagan-Burt to bowl the thirteenth over and with his fourth ball had Turner well caught by his predecessor in the slip cordon. Hagan-Burt confirmed what an asset he is to the side as a close to the wicket fielder when he held another stunning catch this time of Cabburns third ball to remove Hayes. Worcestershire were now 43-2 in the sixteenth over. Devon had bowled twenty-four overs in the reduced morning session and Worcestershire had scored eighty runs without further loss. Rudolph had employed five bowlers introducing Matt Petherbridge for the penultimate one before the interval. Lunch, a mixture of hot and cold went down well and Cabburn and the captain opened up after the break. Devon took their third wicket in the thirty-eighth over when Billy Rudolph had Ahmed caught behind for a fifty-three ball twenty-two. Kinder then came to the crease and he was to play an important part in setting a decent first innings total. The home side had reached one hundred and eight off the first ball of their thirty-seventh over with the third wicket pairing completing the highest partnership of the home sides innings. The fourth wicket added the joint second highest contribution - fifty-three in forty minutes off eighty-four balls when Ben Phillips did it again this time catching the opener Bullock for seventy-three off the bowling of Oli Reed. Kinder had contributed twenty-three. Devon struck again seventeen balls later with Harry Ward taking his first wicket trapping Smith in front. Worcestershire were 170-5 off fifty-four overs. Kinder and Craner equalled the fourth wicket partnership when Ward struck again with Phillips stumping Craner. Kinder was past his fifty and a declaration had been expected at tea giving Devon a session to start their chase. Tea came with Worcestershire on 200 and Craner was out with sixty-six overs gone and another twenty-three added. Kinder was approaching his hundred, being twenty-one short, when the seventh wicket fell off the last ball of the seventieth over. Christian Cabburn taking the catch to give Ward his third wicket. His fourth and Worcestershires eighth fell in the seventy-second with Phillips taking his third but only catch off the Paignton leg spinner. The believed format of the game had changed to allow Kinder to get three figures which he did in the seventy-fourth over and the home side on 290. Devon would now have an uncomfortable twenty-eight overs to gain some ECB Championship two Day experience of not loosing wickets. Devon closed on 86-4 Sargent falling in the seventh over, Andrew in the eighteenth, Bragg in the twenty-second and Hagan Burt in the twenty-sixth over. Harry Ward and Owen Gannon batted out the remaining twelve balls. Sargent scored eighteen - caught, Andrew eleven - leg before, Bragg - thirty-five - stumped and Hagan-Burt six - the second leg before. This had been a interesting day, the goal posts seemed to have moved a couple of times but with Devon having lost four top order batsmen they would have to show some real resilience and resistance on the second day to chase down a more typical score for an orthodox two day game than the exciting two innings one that had been initially proposed. We returned to the Crown where some interesting discussions were held on fitness and the way forward into 2016.

The difficulties of playing cricket without sight were demonstrated in the warm up and a greater respect for those who play the game with a disability. The captain was at the crease after eight balls as Gannon was bowled by Ahmed. Half of Devon had departed with two hundred and two needed for a first innings lead. In fact they did not pass the one hundred and ninety to avoid the follow on. Ward again demonstrating his ability with the bat and with the captain added the highest partnership of the innings - forty-five - when he was totally unnecessarily run out for an excellent thirty-four. The winter will be spent ensuring, as he proved against Somerset, that he knows he has a lot to offer the side with the bat. Devon were after forty-five overs one hundred and thirty-three for six. The captain departed eight balls later and although Ben Phillips also reached double figures was last out as Devon were all out thirty-five minutes before lunch. The home side did not take the opportunity to add quick runs to their lead of one thirty-two which under the original agreement we would have been duty bound to chase to provide the exciting conclusion! They put us back in and seemed strangely frustrated towards the end of the day when they could not bowl us out! Devon got off to the worst possible start losing Bragg off the twenty-first ball with just four on the board. Devon reached lunch, after six overs, on 8-1. They were two down at eleven minutes past two when Worcestershire took the key wicket of Sargent. Devon were still one hundred behind with plenty of overs left in the day. Joe Hagan-Burt replaced the Sidmouth batsman and was to remain undefeated over the remaining fifty-five overs. He with Andrews put on fifty-eight taking Devon to ninety off thirty-one overs. Tom Andrew's valiant innings then ended ten short of a personal fifty. Andrew's has played an important part in 2015 but he will have to be able to build on this summer and in his new batting position be able to bat for longer periods and look to score at least three figures. The captain joined Hagan-Burt and they added sixty with the captain contributing seventeen. Devon were now eighteen ahead when the Rudolph was stumped. Hagan-Burt was thirty short of a second hundred of the summer. Ben Phillips lasted eleven balls before becoming Smith's fourth wicket. Hagan-Burt was on Australia's unlucky eighty-seven and Devon were on 165 with five wickets down. Harry Ward then again batted sensibly adding fifty-nine with Hagan-Burt reaching three figures in the sixty-fourth over. Next over Ward targeted the advertising hoardings hit the mid wicket one with an echo and then, unnecessarily, tried to repeat it and was caught. His thirty had been an excellent cameo, vital for the situation but he could and should have batted on to beat his Somerset score. Hagan-Burt's hundred had come off one hundred and sixty-two balls and had been absolutely perfect for the circumstances. His one hundred and six contained eight fours he batted for nearly three hours and in all faced one hundred and seventy-three balls. Whilst at the crease he saw his sides score rise from 32-2 to the final declared 240-7. Poor Owen Gannon completed a milestone no batsman wishes to achieve being run out and Ed Doble finished undefeated on ten off fourteen balls. Common sense prevailed at half past five with eight overs still to be bowled and Devon were shortly on their way home. Because of the change in format the game was drawn and continued Devon's unbeaten season. It was a moist return to Devon again via Evesham with Cabburn off to join the Dumplings and the Pizzas proved increasingly popular at Bristol.
Scorecard

Worcestershire Two Day