Devon Cricket Board - Brockman Cup final

Brockman Cup final - 2005

FIFTEEN-year-old seam bowler Tim Grainger-Allen was named Man of the Match as his South Devon side cruised to an eight-wicket win over Brixham IIs in Friday night’s Brockman Cup final at Torquay Recreation Ground.

Grainger-Allen, one of five players aged 19 or under in the South Devon side, had bowling figures of three for 14 off four overs as Brixham were bowled out for 87 in the last of their 20 overs.

Although South Devon lost acting captain Benny Chadwick early on, by the time surviving opener Brian Allen was second out for 30 with the score on 59 the result was a formality.

David Baldock signalled his intentions by hitting his first ball for four as he and Adrian Hewings knocked off the remaining runs with the minimum of fuss.

Hewings was 24 not out and Baldock unbeaten on 21 when South Devon passed the winning post with more than four overs to spare.

It was their great bowling effort that set up victory and it wasn’t just Grainger-Allen who deserved a pat on the back.

Gary Bowles (1-11), Jonny Norrish (1-15) and Chris Metters (2-32) all bowled tidy four-over spells.

And no one was more difficult to get away than Mark Tozeland (1-10), who came into the side as an 11th hour replacement for absent skipper Conrad Sutcliffe.

Brixham, who had seven teenagers in their side, failed to live up to their potential on the night and failed to kick on when they were well set in the early overs.

Twenty-eight for one after seven overs should have been their launchpad, but it all went wrong when dangerman George Northcott was run out for 15.

Northcott and Andy Simpson got in a mess over their running between the wickets and both ended up at the same end, leaving Tozeland to whip of the bails.

Chris Barron and Mark Orchard both suffered first-ball dismissals and despite a battling 23 by Chris Johnson there was no way back for Brixham.

“From 57 for five with six overs to go we simply didn't have the strength in depth to set a challenging target,” said Brixham team manager Andy Jago.

“South Devon were too experienced to try and win the game quickly in style and simply batted sensibly to accumulate the required runs.

All our guys were obviously very disappointed because they knew they didn’t perform to their capabilities, whereas South Devon did.

“They should learn from that and become better players for the experience.

“Considering the side contained seven teenagers they did well to reach the final and should take comfort from that.”

Brixham 87 (C Johnson 23, G Northcott 15; C Metters 2-32, T Grainger-Allen 3-14), South Devon 89-2 (B Allen 30, A Hewings 24no, D Baldock 21no). South Devon bt Brixham by 8 wkts.

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