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After the rain of the previous day it was great to arrive at Blundells with blue skys and fluffy white clouds above - it was warm! The pitch was damp as the square had been flooded the day before, and after two great early season results Devon were eagerly looking forward to playing Berkshire. Berkshire won the toss and decided to bat.
The first ball from Gillam Crouch, passed down the leg side and went for four. Tone set? The second ball LBW.. Second over, Ben Holmes' first ball sat up and was hit for 4.. Berkshire 34-1 off 4 overs. What is going on? In this time Ben Homes was unlucky not to get a caught behind, well taken by Harry Choules. The introduction of Alistair Chilcott, back from Epp, and Samuel Wyatt-Haines transformed things as both bowled with control and accuracy and Wyatt-Haines swinging the ball both ways. Wyatt-Haines then had Dickie caught down the leg side, 47-2 and shortly afterwards bowled Hess. 50-3. In Billy Barriball's first over he tempted Beg down the track, who had been previously dropped and Choules took a smart stumping. Confidence booster? When Devon, who had got themselves back into the game, should have looked to apply the pressure, Beswick and Herron sensibly consolidated and their stand of 66 gradually turned the Berkshire innings around. It took the introduction of David Ackford, who bowls straight, to take both their wickets and Gillam Crouch returned to bowl a fine spell to take out the tail and Chilcott rapped Berkshires' innings up. However the tail had wagged and aided at times by some indifferent Devon fielding Berkshire passed 200 and were all out for 206 in the 44th over.
After a splendid tea, thank you very much Mrs W-H and the parents, Devon's innings started badly against Berkshire's really good opening pace attack. Ollie Higgs and Alsitair Chilcott, we must all go and see the war graves, it clearly works, then batted beautifully and on the boundary there was hope we could chase the runs down. Higgs then miss timed a pull and gloved to the keeper, 54-2, and not long afterwards Samuel Wyatt-Haines got a ball that kept low and is out LBW. With Chilcott batting well and Devon's batting depth there was every reason Devon could still win but the run rate slowed and once Chilcott was out for 40, partly due to frustration and pressure, I suspect, other than a brief cameo from Theo Thomsona and Peter Taylor's doggedness Devon's innings fizzled out, 133 all out and Devon loosing by 73 runs.
A desparately disappointing result, given the start to the season. Let's hope lessons are learnt!
Our thanks to Blundell's School. John Smith and his team, the umpires, Dennis White and the Devon parents for their support and the tea.
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