| Looking around the beautiful Sandford ground something was missing but what was it? Matt Thompson was working the fully present side hard, Matt Theedom was in attendance, the track was being mowed and the umpires were inspecting the ground. It was Hampshire! It transpired they were travelling up on the day and had not requested a delayed start. A phone call indicated they hoped to get to the ground around 10.30am having started their journey four hours earlier. The time went on and another call was made. They were now stuck in a narrow lane a couple of miles from the ground. Oh the joys of TOMTOM. They were in their first team’s 55 seater luxury coach. The driver was more used to getting sides to Lords, Edgbaston and Trent Bridge but had to reverse two miles in Devon to get to Creedy Park!
Devon won the toss and batted, they soon lost both openers to Prentice with similar shots – miss pulling - 14-2. Brown and Huxtable added 58 off 71 balls when Gibson caught Brown. Craig Overton scored a four ball two but was caught behind – 75-4 – problems. This side bats all the way down but it was not the intention to utilise this attribute as Huxtable and Connor Bryan took the side past the hundred but only just. On 103 Bryan was caught and Devon had passed the half way stage, something was needed. Instead Nelson struck yet again as Huxtable was caught and bowled by the Hampshire captain, spinner Finney. He had batted well reaching 58 off 59 balls but should have batted on. Fortunately under 16s Jamie Overton and Matt Golding added a vital 75 off 81 balls, both were looking most accomplished young cricketers. Overton was stupidly run out for a forty-three ball 37 having hit three fours and a six. The 186-7 after 42 overs was well below par but Defriend and Golding started to take it up to respectability. Defriend is the ideal team player and he knows his own strengths and utilised them fully. His fielding later in the game played an important part. Golding was majestic. He lost Sam at 227 and Eaves three runs later. Max Curtis was in trouble, he had scored a big hundred the previous day when he was supposed to be resting and tweaked something in the warm up. It transpired the tweak was in fact a major injury that would subsequently rule him out for the summer. Favourite (or not) this was a huge loss for Devon cricket. He has undoubted skill as a genuine off spinner, is a most accomplished batter and a thoroughly good egg. I can already hear the comments! He will be a big void to fill at three levels and one hopes the keyhole surgery is a total success. He added five with Golding who was undefeated on 68 off just 67 deliveries in seventy-one minutes at the crease. His innings had provided his team with a score that was still below par but received some encouragement from the locals if not the management. The opposition and everyone else at the ground had appreciated that Golding’s innings had been a most important one.
Lunch was taken at ten past three and Hampshire started their reply at 3.46pm. Devon had an exceptional first twelve overs reducing their opponents to 49-4. Jamie Overton took the first two when he bowled Marriott for 6 (shades of Lewis Gregory uprooting stumps in 2008) and had Stone leg before. Connor Bryan replaced Eaves and took his first wicket bowling George. In his seventh over Overton had Alsop caught by Golding. The fifth wicket yielded 86 as Gibson and the Isle of Wight’s, Hose, rescued the situation. In the sixty-seven minutes together they faced 124 balls and started to take the initiative. As often is the case it was a piece of brilliant fielding that broke the partnership. A direct hit from Craig Overton, who was out in the country, ran out Gibson. Gibson was in excellent form; he had played a critical innings against Devon in 2009 and took the Somerset 16s for a double hundred the following week. Devon now nibbled away with the highest partnership being for the ninth wicket -37. Haggety was caught Craig Overton bowled Bryan, Hose fell to the same bowler caught Eaves. It was eight for 155 when Craig Overton deflected a drive onto the bowler’s stumps for more points. The ninth pairing of Prentice and Rood irritated with 37 off just 17 but it was Craig Overton who tied it all up having the keeper Rood caught by the captain Bess and catching Finney off his own bowling. The Overton Twins add much to the sides they play in but their fielding and catching is a gigantic plus. Devon picked up the two points and some much needed confidence. Despite Curtis not getting into the action all of he bowlers compensated for his absence and performed well. The fielding was also of the highest order. This performance removed the memories of the disappointing show against Bucks at half term. |
