v DEVON YOUNG CRICKETERS (Under 19's) at Bradninch C.C. won by 9 wickets D.Y.C.         205 for 4

DEVON                    207 for 1                                      (M.Gear 50, G.Andrews 50 ret, J.Fabian 52

not out, M.Hunt 32 not out)

v DORSET at Axminster C.C. - Devon won by 6 wickets

DORSET                      209 for 7                          (M.Hunt 3-27)

DEVON                         211 for 4                          (M.Gear 61, J.Fabian 92)

The Under 17 County Cricket Festival

v WILTSHIRE at Lords Ground, Winchester College - Devon won by 8 wickets.

WILTSHIRE                  166 all out                                (G.Andrews 6-38)

DEVON                         168 for 2                                  (J.Fabian 87 not out)

v WORCESTERSHIRE at Lords Ground, Winchester College -Devon won by 5 wickets WORCESTERSHIRE 318 for 5

DEVON                         319 for 5                              (M.Hunt 120 not out, K.Willcock 115.)

v OXFORDSHIRE at Kingsgate, Winchester College - Match Abandoned DEVON           198 for 9                                              (M.Gear 47, J.Fabian 33)
OXFORDSHIRE 84 for 1

Semi-Final

v HAMPSHIRE at Lords Ground, Winchester College - Devon won by 58 runs.

DEVON                    207 for 6                         (G.Andrews 82)

HAMPSHIRE                 149 all out                                    (M.Hunt 5-55, D.Herbert 4-65)

The Final

v SUSSEX at the Lords Ground, Winchester College - Devon won by 121 runs

DEVON                    257 all out                                     (G.Andrew 30, M.Gear 76, M.Hunt 61)

SUSSEX                       136 all out                                (C.Knapman 4-33)

The 1993 Squad

R.Belcher (captain), P.Lockyer (vice-captain), G.Andrew, G.Arbourne, J.Fabian, P.Garland, M.T.Gear, D.Herbert, M.Hunt, C.Knapman, M.Price, C.Read, I.Roberts, K.Willcock.

 It must be very rare for a County side to complete a season of limited over matches unbeaten, but then we are dealing with a very rare team, a side of winners. There were signs last season of the potential of this squad, who all seemed to bat, bowl and field well, but this year they seemed to have gelled as a TEAM and they really believed they were unbeatable, the importance of confidence must not be underrated. It is vital in any team game that the individuals combine together as a single unit and this is a maxim often preached to Devon squads. This year we not only had the most cohesive side, but we also had a team of very talented individuals.

 The season started with a nine wicket win against the County Under 19 side and it was at Bradninch that our great batting strength first surfaced. Chasing four and a half an over, the side cantered home, losing only one wicket and with our first three batsmen all scoring half centuries. Earlier we had fielded well and this aspect of the game was also to be a major part of the teams success.

We were again exceptionally well looked after at Axminster C.C. for an all day game against Dorset. Our visitors were quite simply demolished with another amazing batting performance. Dorset scored at 3.5 an over, with all rounder Matthew Hunt bowling well and the side fielding like tigers on a hot afternoon. With Martin Gear and Gareth Andrews putting on 91 runs in 110 minutes, Devon were in complete command. Gear played a wonderful innings playing classical shots with tremendous timing, hitting eight fours and three sixes and he was first out after a 67 minute stay at the wicket facing only 45 balls, his 50 coming of 34 balls. This innings set the tone for the season and totally demoralised Dorset. Jon Fabian came in and continued the slaughter, hitting the ball with great power including nine fours and three sixes and with Keith Willcock he put on 98 in 79 minutes for the fourth wicket. Devon scored at 5.7 an over, finishing their task in the thirty-seventh over of a sixty over match with great ease. An ideal confidence booster for the Under 17 Festival.

 We started the Under 17 festival at the famous Lords ground of Winchester College, which was to prove to be virtually our home ground throughout a memorable week. Batting first, Wiltshire were dismissed for 166 in 53 overs with Gareth Andrews taking 6-38 off ten overs. He was assisted by outstanding fielding, with Fabian taking three excellent catches. An unacceptable number of wides was bowled and an extra four overs would have been given to our opponents, the Dukes' ball was the bowlers' excuse!! Devon chased at over 5 an over, with Jon Fabian striking a brilliant undefeated 87 off 86 balls, hitting nine fours - a great start to the competition.

 Again on the Lords ground, we faced a Worcestershire side that had heavily beaten us the previous year at Under 16 level. The result clearly shows which team has made the greatest progress over the last year, when Devon proceeded to produce the most scintillating piece of cricket played during the week. On an excellent batting strip Devon, despite keen fielding, conceded too many runs and were faced with the exceptionally daunting task of scoring at over five an over. Faced with such a demanding proposition, many sides would have opted out or buckled under the pressure, but not this lot. The cause was not helped by the loss of three vital wickets for 31 runs off eleven overs, increasing the run rate to just under six an over. Word's cannot fairly describe what followed, for it was truly remarkable. Matthew Hunt and Keith Willcock proceeded to recover the situation and went on to put on an amazing 205 runs off 240 balls in 128 minutes. After 40 overs Devon were 142 for 3, needing nearly nine an over and they romped home with two overs to spare. The batting was full of brilliant shots, amazing running between the wickets and sheer brutality. Hunt completed his first century for the county in 137 balls, having scored only 6 runs off his first 33 balls, but taking his score from 43 to 120 in his last 49 deliveries, such was his command of the situation. He finished with 120 not out in 180 minutes and 149 balls, hitting 13 fours and 2 sixes. Willcock has been a regular century maker since his under 11 debut, but none can have been as important as his innings this day. He batted for 128minutes, facing only 124 balls, and hit 14 fours and 1 six in his innings of 115. It is unlikely that the quality of this partnership could have been bettered at this age group, with their cricket awareness outstanding and typified by their running between the wickets. When Willcock was eventually out, the side still needed 83 runs off just over 10 overs - a rate of still over 8 an over. Hunt, in the company of Paul Lockyer (16 off 13 balls) and Richard Belcher (25 off 15 balls), shot Devon home in one of those once in a lifetime performances, watched in awe by a number of sides who had completed their games earlier. Devon was now recognised as a force to be feared and suddenly became the side to beat. A typical comment from those fortunate enough to watch this performance was that of the experienced Hampshire scorer, who said that people would pay a great deal of money to watch a sixty over final at Lords in September and would not see such good and exciting cricket.

 Away from Lords for the first and only time, Wednesday was the only day of this memorable season when all did not go to according to plan. With rain in the air and the festival rules not adequately covering the situation, all the previous efforts could have been wasted. Watched by the side's mentor Gordon Lord, they lost the toss, were inserted and had to face a possibility of a rain affected, overs reduced game. So it proved to be and, with the score at 137 - 4 off 37 overs, the side was suddenly faced with a game of only 45 overs. The camp was not happy with the situation. Earlier Gear had batted well for his 47, but the lower order was faced with increasing the tempo without losing wickets. They responded well although wickets were lost. Mark Price, who had been unavailable in 1993 due to an overseas rugby tour, led the charge with an excellent innings of clean hitting. Price was one of the finds of the year, blending superbly into the team, giving the team an option of off spin and he is another more than useful batsman and fielder. A target of 198 of 45 overs was set for Oxfordshire to score at just under four and a half an over. But this was not the real equation. With rain now a real problem and the prospect of not completing the full quota of overs more than likely, it was Oxfordshire's priority to get up to the required run rate and once twenty overs had been bowled the game would be decided on run rate. Devon continued their policy of bowling their overs as quickly as possible, but Oxfordshire responded by batting well and reaching the required rate with relative ease. It was then that perhaps we realised that Devon's name might be on the cup, for with 16.3 overs bowled the drizzle changed to heavy rain and the game was abandoned - divine help perhaps. Matthew Hunt bowled a very tight spell and saved the side from a possible disaster. Although we should have gone through as group winners being undefeated, because the other games had not been lost to the weather and there were no provisions in the rules for points to be awarded for abandoned games, we had to face the holders and festival favourites Hampshire, again playing at Lords.

 With a totally committed side with only one aim and that to succeed Devon comprehensively beat Hampshire. Batting first Gareth Andrews struck a splendid 82 (137 mins, 121 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) to complete his transformation to a most competent opening batsman. Fabian, Hunt, Price and Gear all chipped in with vital twenties and it was hoped that the final score was defendable. Not only did the side defend it, they bowled out the revered Hampshire batting in forty-two overs. Monumental spells from Hunt of 21.4-9-55-5 and David Herbert 14-1-65-4 took Devon through to the final. Herbert, a most competitive cricketer, who had shared the previous season between cricket and his thespian aspirations, was a most welcome regular addition to the team. Hunt's commitment to the side over my two years involvement has been immense and he received his just reward, when on the Friday he was selected as the 'Player of the Festival'. In all truth there was no contest, as his bowling and batting throughout the week had been exceptional, justifying his early nights!

 And so on the Friday to Lords and a final against Sussex, how would the team respond? The scores tell the true story, Devon batted first and scored at 4.28 an over and, if it had not been for a good post lunch spell from the Sussex spin bowlers it should have been a lot more. Those two stalwarts Gear and Hunt put on 86 for the third wicket and were batting exceptionally well when lunch arrived. Unfortunately after the break the momentum was lost and both were dropped before they fell in fairly quick succession, the tail wagged and Knapman had to bat for the second time this season. Again watched by Gordon Lord, Devon proceeded to produce a magnificent fielding performance with Philip Garland taking four superb catches in the outfield, his mobility and safe hands played a most important part in the sides performances. Where Sussex had dropped chances, Devon took all of theirs and Chris Knapman, fresh from his Under 16 Texaco Competition success, bowled a splendid, sustained spell returning the excellent figures of 15-5-33-4.

Much of the success of this side can be put down to unity and I will always remember the manner in which the side reacted to their success -they were as one. There are no egos in this squad and it was fitting that Richard Belcher, who has done so much for the side both on and off the field, collected the Cup. The mini-bus returned to Exeter to the sound of Queen and 'We are the Champions of the World'.

 This year the Devon County Cricket Club made available a most substantial sum towards the cost of the festival and, along with the financial assistance from the Devon Cricket Association greatly helped reduce the players' contributions and their help was very much appreciated by the squad. Our thanks must also go to Axminster C.C. for their excellent hospitality and finally to Gordon Lord, Percy Govier and Elizabeth Webb. Gordon fills a vital role in a 'minor county' of being a link to the first class game and his experience, guidance and help is invaluable. Percy is an outstanding Umpire and Gentleman, none of us envy him having to umpire for 120 overs a day for five days, particularly with his bad back, but he does so in his customary unassuming way. Our scorer, because of the Under 16 success, took on increased responsibilities this year and has a most successful track record! It is easy to write, but every word is meant, the side was a great credit to Devon. It is hoped to expand the friendly programme of fixtures in 1995.