"Devon defeated by outstanding Griffiths onslaught"

Devon Under 14s have come along way in a week, started to climb a mountain together, gone over one of those small ridges which leads into a hidden valley you find on the way up a mountain, but are now all ready to push on to new heights. Remember guys, you get no where in life without a few knocks, which you have to take, live with and learn from, then use the experience and rise to the challenge(s) ahead.

On a beautiful hot early summer's day at Blundells, on a hard good pitch, Devon won the toss and batted. Ben Stein and Callum Cload started cautiously until Stein tickled one down the leg side to the keeper. Cload was then joined by Mikey Cousens and the pair put on 72 in 16 overs before Cload 30 was run out. Laurence May scored a quick 17, Josh Mailling 21 and Rhys Davies 8 before Cousens played at a wide ball and was very well caught behind by Blake for 57 in the 36th over with the score on 150. Sam Loud lost his leg stump, then Jack Dart 27 played a little cameo. With instructs to take what runs there were but bat the overs out, two run outs saw Devon slip to 188 all out in the 42nd over. A disappointing and below par score (225-240) on this track and with the small outfield.

After a splendid tea (thank you parents) and a chat, a refueled determined Devon took the match to Wales with Jack Popham and particularly Alex Hunt's, who found the track to his liking, bowled superbly. Popham 5 overs for 10 runs and Hunt 5 overs 3 maidens 1 wicket for 3 runs. Josh Mailling and Henry Thompson followed by Jack Cherrington and Ben Stein continued applying the pressure and together with the much improved fielding Devon restricted Wales to 90-4 off 30 overs. At the drinks break the Team realised Wales had nothing to loose and would come out all guns blazing and they did. Jack Popham, good man for admitting it, accepting responsibility and learning form it, is a very important part of the learning process, let a four through first ball after drinks and Griffiths then teed off hitting 15 boundaries including 2 sixes in his unbeaten 74, turning and winning the match for Wales in the 43rd over. He was well supported by Murphy who was brilliantly caught by May off a skier, over his shoulder, at mid wicket. Wales won by 5 wickets.

Don't despair at loosing matches like this. Learn from it. The bowlers bowled really well and the fielding was again much improved. You fought hard and to the end. James and I couldn't ask for more. The truth is we didn't score enough runs. We must score more runs earlier in the innings to take the pressure off the middle order, you know it and you told James and I so after the match. We must also try and develop more partnerships, learn to judge a run better and take more singles. The signs are really encouraging; talk to James and I and together we can climb that mountain!

Thank you to Blundells, their groundsmen and the umpires, Mr May and Cherrington for scoring again and to all the parents for the tea.