Devon Cricket Board - Overton makes a mockery of Sidmouth bowling

Overton makes a mockery of Sidmouth bowling

SOMERSET fast bowler Jamie Overton showed he can bat a bit too by clubbing 142 off just 55 balls for club side North Devon in their four-wicket Devon Premier Division win at Sidmouth.
Overton hasn’t had much first team cricket with Somerset recently and has kept in trim playing for North Devon and Devon CCC in the Minor County competitions.
Saturday was the last round of fixtures in the Francis Clark Devon League Premier Division – and North Devon appeared to be heading for defeat when Overton went in.
Sidmouth had made 244 all out and North Devon were 65 for four in reply with 30 overs to go.
What happened next was a display of hitting so brutal it reduced the Sidmouth bowlers to helpless bystanders.
Overton hit the first ball he faced from Will Murray for four and raced to his 50 in just 20 deliveries.
“There were balls going on the beach, balls going in the croquet lawns and one ended up on the roof of nearby hotel,” said skipper Matt Westaway, who was watching from the pavilion balcony.
“I thought he will get a quick 50 and probably get out, but he didn’t get out: he kept going.”
Overton raced to his 50 in 20 balls and his century in exactly 20 more.
By then he had acquired Westaway as a batting partner – and the captain had the best seat in the house for the remaining carnage.
“I was at the other end an in 20 years of adult cricket have never seen anything like it,” said Overton.
“Jamie likes to play his shots and normally we have to encourage him to be a bit more circumspect.
“When I got out there he was between 70 and 80 and said to me he was going to carry on playing in exactly the same way.
“I said ‘fine’ and sat back to enjoy some phenomenal hitting.
“He was belting it further than I can hit a golf ball with a six iron.
“I kept thinking it has got to end in a minute, but it didn’t.”
Overton finished with 13 fours and 12 sixes as North Devon raced to victory in 30.4 overs.
There were stands of 90 with Tom Allin, who made 21 towards the partnership, 23 with Jack Pudney and 70 with Westaway, whose contribution was four singles.
“I have never seen anything like it on a cricket pitch before and doubt I will ever see anything like it again,” said Westaway.

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