Devon Cricket Board - Dissapointing Conclusion to the Summer

This was a desperately disappointing end to the season as Warwickshire showcased all the objectives that had been Devon’s but disappointing in the main had not been achieved by the visitors. They took important 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 a toss most certainly to win. The Warwickshire coaches reported a disappointing season so immediately an alarm bell rang. Dan Pyle called correctly and Devon batted. The order altered to meet the requirements of a fifty over game and the captain opened with Harvey Sargent. They scored at fives over the first ten overs but off the fifth ball of this over, spinners Tirvedi first, Pyle was bowled. The second wicket partnership between Sargent and Dan Wolf lasted just six deliveries for the same number of runs as the second bowling change brought an identical dismissal as Sargent was bowled by Parnell’s penultimate ball of his first over, Devon 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. 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 complement from the Groundsman as not only has first class cricket been played at the Club; it is a regular second team venue for Warwickshire. It exceeded the best efforts of the Lashings 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 were added. He called a non existent single 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 of seventy-seven balls but Dan has so much natural talent and ability he has to start scoring hundreds and then big ones. From five down for one hundred and eighty-six the wheel nuts started to become loose 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 demonstrates 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 two one day home 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 providing them with an additional hundred runs. Devon actually scored at just over four and a half. Thompson was well caught at deed mid on, Codd the second batter to be run out by a direct hit by the keeper backing up,. Tom Lammonby was batting beautifully with sensible shoot 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 added twenty off twenty-seven delivers when completely out of the blue Tom brought his reverse sweep out 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 of 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 not 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 who had burst a wart on his spinning finger in the warm up burst it again when he bowled. Even with a plaster he found it impossible to provide control. The captain Harrison was eventually out in the twenty-eighth over well caught behind by Maunder off Harvey Sargent. The third wicket 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 targets had actually been realistic.

Devon set off home via Evesham with a rendezvous at Gordano Services, unfortunately the coach failed to arrive by around a mile as he had a nasty blow out within touching distance. He eventually was Relayed home arriving at 1.30am. The Kentucky automatic ordering was misbehaving so 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.

Scorecard

Scorecard