Devon Cricket Board - Devon Girls win Taunton Festival

Devon Girls win Taunton Festival

DEVON U15 GIRLS WIN TAUNTON FESTIVAL

The Devon U15 Girls came away from the last Taunton Festival of the year as winners last week. The week was severely hampered by rain as one game was scratched off due to the weather and another was reduced to a T20. This did not stop the U15 Girls however, as they took maximum points from their two matches. Devon faced Shropshire on the first day in a match which was reduced to a T20 on the Astro-Turf due to some heavy downpours overnight. The game was dominated by a fantastic individual performance from Jodie Dibble who took 5-11 and scored 59ret, as well as taking a catch and running out one of the Shropshire batsmen. Devon kept Shropshire to 134-9 off their alloted overs and then managed to knock the runs off with 1.4 overs to spare for the loss of 5 wickets. On Tuesday, Devon faced Hampshire without captain, Jodie Dibble, who was appearing for the Under 17 side on the pitch next door. After being stuck in on a green wicket, Devon needed to battle through the new ball and opener, Tirion Swart, did so as she made 29. Alli Kelly hit an entertaining run-a-ball 65 to push the score along in the middle overs and was well supported by Claire Varcoe who also made 29. The final total of 216-5 from the 45 overs was a good effort and would cause problems for the Hampshire batters. Devon bowled well early on with Clare Reynolds taking 2-18 from her opening spell of five and Milly Squire also claiming a Hampshire opener. After a recovering stand of 51 from the Hampshire middle order, it was Alli Kelly who made the breakthrough. Devon's strike bowlers returned to get the crucial points for the win and bowled Hampshire out for 180. This win lined up a last day finale between Devon and Somerset for the tournament but the weather intervened. This did not harm Devon's cause though as they were already ahead on points and therefore took the number one spot.

The Under 17s also played in the Taunton Festival last week and were victorious in their two games to come out overall winners along with their Under 15 counterparts. Devon decided to hand over the trophy to runners-up Wales however, as they had invited guest players from Somerset and Hampshire, who do not enter an Under 17 side, to play for them. The stand out performances from their week were a 28 and 3-4 from Jodie Dibble against Essex, as well as a 38 from Amara Carr and 4-28 from 13 year old Cait O'Keefe against Cumbria.

Alli Kelly also received an 'Outstanding Player' Award in the final presentation for her 87 runs and 6 wickets in her three games

UNDER 15 SCORECARDS

Day 1:

Shropshire 134-9 from 20 overs (M. Peate 50; J. Dibble 5-11, C. Varcoe 2-14)

Devon 135-5 from 18.2 overs (J. Dibble 59, A. Kelly 17; S. Moreton 1-17)

Devon won by 5 wickets

Day 2:

Devon 216-5 from 50 overs (A. Kelly 65, T. Swart 29, C. Varcoe 29; E. Carden 1-37)

Hampshire 180 all out from 42.2 overs (E. Ingram 31, R. Carrick 29*; A. Kelly 3-20, C. Reynolds 3-42)

Devon won by 36 runs

UNDER 17 SCORECARDS

Day 1:

Devon 152-6 from 20 overs (S. Luff 41, J. Dibble 28; H. Courtnell 2-20, B. Langston 2-23)

Essex 128-9 from 20 overs (B. Langston 34, B. Butcher 30; J. Dibble 3-4, A. Kelly 3-18)

Devon drew with Essex

Day 2:

Devon 239 all out from 37 overs (A. Cranstone 44, S. Luff 42, A. Carr 38; S. Johnson 2-43, E. Cloudstone 2-61)

Cumbria 144 all out from 42.2 overs (M. Montgomery 33, S. Johnson 22; C. O'Keefe 4-28, J. Dibble 2-17)

Devon won by 95 runs

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