THE 1996 SQUAD
I.Gamble (Captain), R.Hutchings (Captain), T.Alldis, L.Beeson, S.Bellamy, D.Court, J.Cruft, S.Edwards, P.Fraser, D.Giles, S.Hards, M.Hedden, A.Hodges, J.Horgan, A.Green, R.Knapman, D.Manning, M.Palmer, C.Stead, A.Theedom, A.Wallace, D.Wayland, R.Wendover, M.Wood.

The 1996 Under 16 season sparked into life in the Isle of Wight. Until this festival much of the cricket had been disappointing and had lacked the passion, high quality fielding and enthusiasm which is normally associated with under 16 cricket in the county. Due to a number of circumstances including the success of the under 17's, holidays and players withdrawing, a young and very inexperienced side represented Devon on the Island and played some splendid cricket which augers well for the future.

 Following the completion of GCSE examinations the side undertook the fourth tour of the midland counties and started in most promising fashion by defeating Gloucestershire. Having travelled up in torrential rain, the team were fortunate to be playing on a ground with good pitch covering and, although rain affected Gloucestershire's innings and reduced the number of overs in our innings, the side performed well. On winning the toss Ian Gamble elected to field and, although the Gloucester openers put on 64, wickets were then taken at vital intervals and, after 42 overs when the heavens opened, Gloucestershire were 142 for six with all of the bowlers making useful contributions. The dismissal of Simon Bellamy and John Cruft allowed Gamble and Matthew Wood to share in a superb undefeated third wicket partnership of 85 in sixty minutes off 108 balls. They both batted well and were to prove to be the backbone of the batting for much of the season with some innings of the highest class.

For the fourth time the fixture against Herefordshire was played at the picturesque Eastnor ground and after an excellent game of cricket each side had won twice. Devon batted well down the order with Matthew Wood scoring 54 off 83 balls. He was well supported at the other end and created the position where Andrew Theedom could come in for a quick fire 21 off ten balls, losing one of the match balls in the nearby castle grounds! The side was justifiably more than satisfied with their final total of 237 but the home side batted very well and kept up a good run rate throughout their innings and in a very exciting finish they won with three balls to spare. Devon Under 15 all rounder David Court bowled well to take three wickets and as the season progressed he was to prove to be an allrounder with tremendous potential. The game also included the champagne moment of the tour when Wood threw down a single stump from a good 50 metres, having told the players the previous evening that, as part of his preparation for the World Cup, he practised this art - seeing was believing.

 Heavy rain ruled out our Wednesday game with Worcestershire and a tour of Villa Park was followed by an opportunity for the squad to display their indoor cricket talents at the Birmingham Stumps centre. The next day started with a guided tour of Edgbaston where heavy rain stopped play in the Championship match against Nottinghamshire. The side travelled to Solihull in rain where magically it was dry. Our opponents Warwickshire, who we have still to beat on their home ground, presented the penultimate opposition of the tour and, with the exception of John Cruft and Ian Gamble, the side batted poorly. The bowlers and fielders tried hard to make life as difficult as possible and it took Warwickshire 45.5 avers to pass the touring side's inadequate total. Andrew Green bowled well and wicket keeper David Manning kept up his fine form behind the stumps with another three catches.

 
On the final day the side ventured into new territory. After Tim Alldis, who had unfortunately been unwell all week and had not been able to play a game, had been dropped off at the Severn bridge, we entered Wales for the first time to be confronted by a combined Under 17/16 Gwent side. The difference in age showed in some hard hitting batting by the home side, with David Court being despatched for the second biggest six seen at the ground, the longest being by Glamorgan's England player Matthew Maynard. Court's response was three more wickets. To chase over 200 on the final day of a tiring tour is always going to be taxing and the tourists were bowled out for 150 in forty avers with only the captain Ian Gamble, leading from the front, making any real headway with the bat. Two under age players David Court and David Manning showed the right intent with Manning demonstrating his 'shovel' shot for the first time which was to become a useful source of runs for this promising batsman keeper. Unfortunately five players did not trouble the scorers. The tour had been somewhat jinxed with the unwell Alldis unable to play and the inability, again through illness, of Charlie Stead to join the tour party. We were very grateful to Dillon Giles and his mother who kindly helped the side out by joining up with us in mid week. Tour tankards were awarded to Ian Gamble and Matthew Wood.

 
We defeated Dorset, in a friendly at Tiverton Heathcoat, by two wickets when asked to chase over 200. Matthew Wood had an outstanding game bowling his off spinners astutely and then, after getting hit on the helmet, he took it out on the pavilion and peppered it with seven fours and three sixes one cracking the home dressing room window. He scored his 52 off only 27 balls in an outstanding innings. Luke Beeson, who was gaining confidence with each innings, gave him excellent support. David Court saw the side home again underlining all round promise. The side followed up this victory with our first win in three attempts over the touring Haberdashers Ask School. Another useful batting performance resulted in the side scoring 226 and the School were in difficulty for much of their innings requiring 115 runs off their last 15 overs with 5 wickets in hand. The visitors bravely kept to their task and were finally dismissed on the penultimate ball still needing 18 runs. Ian Gamble taking five wickets with his off spin.

 
The side did not win any of the three new Under 16 competition matches, although there were some good individual performances the side did not 'bond' as a unit. In the first match against Cornwall it appeared that all of the hard work had been done when last year's Army Careers Cup group winners were bowled out 159 in forty-seven overs with Andrew Theedom bowling a marathon spell of 19.4 overs taking six wickets for 49. However Cornwall had other ideas and, setting attacking fields and supporting each other magnificently in the field, they bowled Devon out for only a 100 in thirty six overs. At one stage it looked unlikely that three figures would be reached although Charlie Stead, now happily fully fit, played an outstanding innings batting for 88 minutes, facing 76 balls and hitting six fours and one six in his 50. He was well supported by Simon Hards as the pair put on 43 runs for the ninth wicket. Overall a most disappointing batting performance.

 
In the one group game played away the side came within five runs of beating Wiltshire after letting the home side off the hook in the field. Wiltshire were 118 for 6 after thirty-seven overs but the last four wickets put on another 84 valuable runs. Devon lost their first three wickets for 53, although David Manning was also back in the pavilion having suffered a nasty knock on the lip. Luke Beeson, who was now becoming one of the senior batsmen in the side, and Simon Bellamy shared in a good fourth wicket partnership of 49 with Simon Edwards, Simon Hards and the brave David Manning all batting sensibly. Hards was run out off the first hall of the last over needing five runs - a very exciting conclusion.

 
Wales visited Devon for the first time and amassed 260 for 4 off their fifty overs with some dominating batting of the highest quality. Faced with a target of over 5 an over Gamble and Stead started brightly and Matthew Wood, Russell Knapman, Andrew Theedom and Simon Edwards all batted with enterprise but the target was beyond them and the side fell one run short of 200 with seven balls unused.

 
The Isle of Wight Festival was another new venture and proved a great success. Due to the commitments of the Manager with the Under 17's for two and a half days the week was only possible because Mr and Mrs Hiley Edwards were available to manage the party in the Webb's absence with Mrs Margaret Manning kindly filling in for the scorer. The success of the week can be attributed to all three plus the side's splendid umpire 'Monty' Thorns. The side was well led by Robert Hutchings and his was a major contribution in building a tremendous spirit in the side which simply did not know when they were beaten. The transformation from the somewhat diffident young side that had been left on the Monday afternoon to the buoyant united and noisy squad that one returned to on the Wednesday evening was amazing.

 
The festival started with a victory over Shropshire who were bowled out for 167 in fifty-four overs. David Court taking 5-63 which unfortunately included 26 wides and no balls!! The skipper bowled well and Alex Hodges, playing in only his second game for the county, also bowled with great skill. There were useful contributions with the bat from the top order with the openers Beeson and Bellamy putting on 49 for the first wicket but the final push came from an undefeated ninth wicket partnership of 41 from Hutchings and Hodges and the side passed the required target with four balls left in a most enjoyable game. More tension followed the next day when Kent were also bowled out for 167 this time in forty-nine overs with David Court starring once again with the ball but fortunately bowling only six wides. David Manning picked up three catches behind the stumps for the second day running Faced with a similar target of just over three an over the innings revolved around a brilliant innings from Simon Edwards. With the final pair at the wicket the target was 17 runs off 22 balls, tense stuff indeed. Sadly they failed by 3 runs with just two balls left - a great game. The young left hander, Simon Edwards, confirmed his immense potential with the bat. The side returned to winning ways the next day when they defeated Berkshire this time with one ball to spare. Berkshire scored at 4.78 an over losing six wickets including two vital run outs. In reply six Devon batsmen scored over 20 in an excellent team performance where no batsman was out for under double figures. Perhaps this performance typified the fighting spirit of the side.