Ben Holmes and Gillam Crouch opened the bowling, as Ollie Sale struggled in the warm up with a knee problem, and Gillam immediately troubled the openers with his direction, in swing and bounce. Jennings was first to go, bowled Crouch and shortly afterwards Billy Searle pulled off a terrific direct hit run out from point to run out Hanratty, having just missed the previous over. 4 minutes later Crouch, who has improved noticeably since the beginning of the season, deservedly took his second wicket, a sharp chance taken at 1^st slip by Peter Taylor to get rid of Evans. Dorset 15-3. Calcott and Hand recovered the situation with a partnership of 41 before Billy Barriball’s quicker ball bowled Calcott. Theo Thomson bowled Broadwell behind his legs, before Dorset’s top scorer Hands is caught by Samuel Wyatt-Haines off Barriball. Jack Williams then took a comfortable catch on the boundary to remove Quinn off Thomson, and Ritchie has his off stump up rooted by Ben Holmes returning for a second spell and bowling a better length and direction. Williams’ features again coolly throwing the ball over the top of the stumps to Harry Choules to run out Jones and then he has Manley caught by Crouch to finish Dorset off, 117 all out in the 32^nd over. 

117 is one of those difficult scores to chase. Dorset really shouldn’t have a chance but how do you approach it? Go out there positively and chase it down scoring at 3-4 an over or simply go for it? It was discussed and a decision made.

To help the caterers Devon bat before tea for 40 minutes with the instructions to take the score along at 3-4 an over, taking singles, rotate the strike and hit the bad ball.   Thinking positively Dorset open from one end with spin and the Devon’s openers adopt a too cautious/respectful approach, against I would add, good bowling and the score trickles along. Look for those gaps guys, ones and twos. Just before the break Ackford snicks one off Hanratty to the Keeper. After a fantastic tea and with instructions ringing in their ears, Billy Searle and Ollie Higgs push the score on with Higgs batting relatively untroubled. More singles are generally taken and the occasional 4 hit. Higgs unfortunately looses some concentration, nearly being run out and hits a ball to point and calls for one, when their isn’t a run and he is run out by 3 metres. Oh….. Samuel Wyatt-Haines then treats everyone to a 27 ball 50, playing some powerful aggressive shots all around the park. In his forties he starts to play a little loosely, the reverse sweep making an appearance and on getting to his fifty, only three runs needed to win, he miss times a drive and is caught and bowled by Hand, the ball coming down with ice on it! The damage was well and truly done however and Searle, 31 not out, accompanied by Peter Taylor quickly knock the runs off and Devon win by 7 wickets with nearly 11 overs to spare. 

Whilst this was an excellent comprehensive win for Devon, there are definitely areas that the Devon players could improve upon and these are discussed at the Team debrief after the match. 

With an early finish, still in the sun, this meant everyone could get off home, on this Bank Holiday Sunday and a number of supporters stopped off at South Devon to watch the under 15s who were playing Gwent.   

Our thanks to Ken, Ian and Terry at Torquay Cricket Club for their kind hospitality, the umpires Chris Shelton and Roger Tolchard, and Dennis White for scoring.

SCORECARD