Devon Cricket Board - 2013 U13 v Somerset report

Chilly Neil?

The Good The Bad And The Ugly.... Catch Me If You Can....... The Great Escape..

Add your own film title to describe the U13 performance against Somerset. The above all seem appropriate. No doubt those of you who were there can think up plenty more.

The manager should have realised that the day was never going to be straight forward. He had lost his coach to the senior Devon side for their Minor Counties three day game against Wales. A great honour for Callum, and a minor irritant for the U13's. Matt Parker had pulled out ill on the morning of the game, the weather forecast was "iffy" to say the least, and the ever genial scorer had been up since 3 am having taken his son to the airport for an early morning flight to the sun.

Still on the plus side, only one player late this week, it wasn't raining, and the warm up went really well with a lot of energy from the boys. The toss was lost and Devon were inserted. Not a problem we would have batted anyway................... and it was Monty's birthday!

With the pitch providing some bounce short of a length the openers, Mikey Cooper and Jamie Khan found scoring difficult. After 10 overs we had 21 on the board, with Mikey just out for 1 run. His first low score of the season. Ash Causey joined Jamie and took the score to 33 before Ash pushed to short mid off and was caught. At 20 overs we were 52-2, with Tom Lammonby having announced his presence with four 4's in his first five balls.

When it is tough at the crease it is important to rotate the strike. Somerset bowled well, and without the loose ball to hit for four, some of our batters can get stuck. A skill to learn is what your "getting up the other end shot" is. All batters need a go to shot to get a single, whether it is the glance to fine leg, steer through gully or push to mid on or mid off (or any other preferred area). It is becoming clear that it is an area we need to improve on.

With the drinks break came the opportunity to discuss a target, and how we approach the last twenty overs. Tom Lammonby is convinced 175 is possible. The manager, without the optimism of youth, suggests 150 is a good target, feeling that is achievable , whereas trying to get to 175 might result in injudicious batting, and being all out for 130.

Jamie and Tom set off with positive intent until Jamie is run out for 20 in the 23rd over. This brings Kazi Szymanski to the crease, who is probably the key to a really big score. He will score quickly if he stays at the crease for any length of time. He has assured us all that he likes batting at Taunton. Sadly not today. He is LBW for 5 to the leggie and trudges disconsolately off. Skipper Sam Maunder is next in and he will take on the role of getting Tom on strike wherever possible, as it is clear Tom is in imperious mood treating the bowling with disdain. What follows is another of those fine partnerships which are a pleasure to watch for all concerned. They showed how to run between the wickets, hit the gaps and punish the bad ball. These two put on 91 runs in 12 overs, taking the score up to 165 before Tom is caught for a splendid 93. His innings lasted 70 balls and he hit 16 fours. A second near miss for a hundred from an U13 player this season, and again no one would have begrudged him another 7 runs. OK Tom and Sam 150 was a bit conservative!!

Sam took over the hitters role and cleared the boundary for a six on his way to 28 from 39 balls. A final total of 180-6 from 40 overs is becoming a typical U13 score, and one that we have defended successfully and comfortably in previous games. The plan is straightforward, do what we have done against Glos and Wales, bowl tightly in the first 10 overs, pressurise the batters with our fielding and hold our catches. Simples!!!

What happened? We bowled poorly at the beginning, sat back in the field and developed a disease - whatever it was it wasn't catching! (The old ones are the best). Compare our start with theirs. 10 overs Devon 21-1, Somerset 45-1. 20 overs Devon 52-2, Somerset 90-3. Devon catches held 0; catches dropped - the manager stopped counting when he ran out of fingers. At least three of these come in the Geoff Boycott category of "my granny could have caught that in her apron".

The Sir Alex Ferguson Hair Dryer Treatment from the coach/manager at the drinks break, with the plea for some energy, enthusiasm and intent from the team. At least go down fighting. Make something happen. The Maunder plan,get the spinners on, met with general approval around the ground, especially from older brother and expert analyst Jack. "Something always happens when the leggie bowls" was his comment. It certainly does. With a mixture of wides, four balls and unplayable deliveries Leon takes two wickets in his second over and the score is 104 -5. Game on!!!

With Chris Yabsley as frugal as ever at the other end the pressure starts to mount on the Somerset boys, and the difference in the Devon body language is palpable. Leon manages to persuade two more batters to get out and it is 139-7 with 10 overs to go. Just about 4 an over to win. Tricky decision time for the captain coming up. Who bowls the final overs?

He bowls Yabbers out, and Chris gets a vital wicket with his penultimate delivery, final figures 8-1-27-1, another fine spell. Leon has 4-41 from 6 overs but is getting expensive. Sam gives the ball to Dan Bullock for some leggies. He only bowls one over, but this goes for only two runs. In the context of the game this is a significant contribution, as it slows the Somerset recovery plan. We won't mention the caught and bowled chance, Dan!

So six overs to go and Sam brings back the opening bowlers, Szymanski and Gibbs to try and bowl the opposition out. A brave decision. Two from Kazi's first over, and one from Jack's vindicate the decision.

Kazi goes for six in his next, but Jack finds the straight one to bowl the number 10. 168-9 with two overs left.

Even on a freezing cold day, with a biting wind, everyone is now beginning to sweat. Kazi holds his nerve and three come from his last over. 10 to win and one wicket left.

Sam pushes the field back. Two singles in three balls, but then a four, leaving four to win. A single off the penultimate delivery and it is down to this: Three to win, one ball, one wicket. A slog to mid on, one taken and a throw back to the captain who jubilantly takes off the bails as the number 11 tries to scramble a second for the tie. Out! Devon win by one run.

An understandably excited Devon side leave the pitch, have provided the crowd with some real excitement. Somerset have played their part in making it a day to remember.

However........ by the time the boys have settled down for a post match debrief they are fully aware thay they have got away with this result. The performance was well below par in many areas, and they were the first to acknowledge this.

In the end they have won despite having a bad day at the office. Just think what they are capable of when they play to their potential. That is the message they go away with, and they are already looking forward to the opportunity to put it all together next week against Hampshire.

So Happy Birthday Monty, the present of a victory against Somerset delivered as promised, and the memory of one of the top batting performances at U13 level from Tom Lammonby.

And finally... many thanks to Neil Lochead who has hopefully thawed out by now, and thanks to the Maunder Family for sacrificing their coffee to keep him conscious.