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Dan Hardy arrived at breakfast cleanly shaven perhaps the only plus from England’s disastrous performance the previous day against Germany. Despite the best efforts of the players, traffic, lolly pop ladies and traffic lights the 9.25am ferry was taken in wonderful weather. The coastal route up to Ventnor remains evocative and the ground was reached first time, a rarity in twenty visits. In the first day of his twenty-second year Smith called heads and somehow won the toss. Burford has not slowed up since last summer and removed Matt Thompson third ball leg before. Tommo was shaking his head all the way to the balcony and a couple of hours in the sun with an ice cream. Andrew Buzza, timing the ball perfectly, was causing consternation to the oppositions coaching staff as he was driving and flicking the ball beautifully. He added twenty-six of the partnership of thirty-five with Huxtable. Buzza adds much to the side and his bowling later in the game started to turn it but he is much more than a cameo performer and should be looking to make major contributions. In fairness he was brilliantly held by the sixteen year old slip, Cheek, with the ball leaving him at pace to his left hand. Burford was again the bowler. Last years leading batsman Dan Hardy was Burford’s third victim when he too was trapped in front second ball. He may put his razor away again. At thirty-five for three off eight Devon’s innings was not going to plan but a partnership of 96 off 141 balls put them back on track. Huxtable continued where he had left off at Weymouth and Sam Smith, after an untypical slow start of 18 off forty balls turned the tide. Huxtable reached his second fifty in two days with a four having faced one hundred and three balls hitting seven fours. Communication then ceased between the two batsmen and Huxtable was on his way back up the steep slope with an apologetic wave to his partner. If only he had called as he was run out by a distance. He had demonstrated the great depth of talent available this summer with two first rate knocks. The crowd sat back to watch the telepathic running of the Smith brothers but gloves only touched five times as twenty-eight were added off thirty-seven balls. The senior Smith gave leg spinner Cheek the charge, reminiscent of some of the fateful dismissals of his recent charges, and carried on to the pavilion to be stumped by his opposite number. Sam Smith was now in total control with just one dodgey sweep as he put on 96 with vice captain Gary Chappell. The right hand/left hand partnership put the home bowlers under more pressure and the shot selection excellent. Smith reached his second county hundred in a more sedate manner than his first at Sandford. However he advanced from fifty to a hundred off thirty-four balls. In all he faced 114 balls, batted for 137 minutes and hit thirteen fours and a six. He nearly looked as if he was enjoying himself as he holed out to Barton to give Burford his fourth wicket. Matt Hickey who had scored a ton on one of his previous visits to ground added a further 14 with Chappell. Gary Chappell had batted to the needs of the side scoring an undefeated 45 off thirty-nine balls striking four fours. The final score of 267 was the fourth highest by the Devon under 21s.
The Isle of Wight obviously thought this was within their reach as they raced away at six an over (the required rate was 5.36) to reach forty-eight off seven. The openers put on 72 off thirteen and now Smith had turned to Gilmour and Buzza. With Metters in Tony Hancock country (one for the older generation) Smith had turned to Andrew Buzza as his sixth bowler. Bowling like a young David Lye he also proved he had a golden arm similar to his mentor as he uprooted Barton’s off stump second ball. Next over he found the second openers edge to give Matt Thompson another catch. At 80 for two off fifteen Devon were now back in control. Smith waited until the twenty-sixth over to introduce his spinners. The score at the start of this over was 121-2. Over the next twenty overs Chappell and Curtis exerted complete control as seven wickets were taken (including a run out) for just 62 runs. Curtis immediately hit his length and line but it was Chappell who took the first wicket when the skipper held the first of two fine catches to remove the captain Woodhouse one short of a half century. He had faced sixty-two balls. It was dejà vu in Chappell’s next over as Hickey dived and speedily returned to ball to the keeper to run out Sharp. Hickey had completed a similar special piece of fielding two years earlier at Ventnor against Lincolnshire. Curtis had found Woodhouse’s inside edge to be missed behind but was looking to take a wicket all the time. On 169 he had Cooper leg before. Chappell then removed Dye bowled and Joe Smith held a remarkable catch leaping one handed to send back Bartlett. The eighth wicket fell at 181 when Curtis bowled Burford. On the same score Chappell took his final wicket when Bartlett was held under the trees by Sam Smith. As the previous day Mark Gilmour took the final wicket bowling Gordon. The Island had put up good resistance but Devon came out winners by 70 runs. For the second successive year we waved goodbye to the seven thirty ferry just 10 meters off the quay. The 8.15 was taken, the players should have been tired but they enjoy each others company, a vital ingredient, and the atmosphere on the mini bus was good and the singing reasonable. It was reassuring that at long last Matt Thompson has found a role even if it is one off the field! The Dorchester McDonalds was reached at five past ten and the services before Tuesday, but only just. |
