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This time everyone was present at Creedy Park. The forecast was heavy showers on Tuesday particularly around mid day. The cloud cover was building up with some humidity. The twins wanted to bowl but it was decided to bat if Wales called incorrectly. Barnie spun his wrong un and decided to bat. The first wicket was worth 13 of which Mitcham contributed 8 when he was bowled by Higginson. The captain lasted four balls before he was caught behind. There was huge relief throughout the county when his success on the following Saturday against North Devon was reported. It was to be 34-5 off just fifteen overs as Craig Overton, Harry Booker and Matt Golding (the last two in successive balls) fell. Light rain was around but much to their credit the umpire’s ensured play took place all day. Jamie Overton and Connor Bryan added 39 when another run out broke up a decent partnership. Devon were in real difficulty at lunch on 88-7. Jamie Overton lasted five minutes after the break but had helped complete stage one of the stabilising process. With no increase to the interval score he was caught for 34 (65 balls, 69 minutes, 5 fours). The full recovery now began with Yates and Grainger putting on an incredible 96 for the eighth wicket. This might have been 19 short of the record between Miles and Jenn against Sussex in 2003. This had been against Gatting and Raynor in a lost cause. The 2010 partnership turned to be a match winning affair. They batted together seven minutes over two hours facing 233 deliveries Yates added 43 and Grainger 46. They were assisted by a short sub standard period of fielding when the Welsh seemed to be practising the shelling of peas. In no way should this detract from a remarkable partnership. As it transpired Wales were not able to pass the score they took their county too – 184. They were together at tea with 171 in lights, both close to personal milestones. Yates did not reach his as he fell three runs off a county best. His 51 had occupied 148 minutes and he had faced 149 balls hitting 6 fours and more than made up for the presence of his mother all day. Cameron did deservedly achieve a maiden county fifty and was undefeated on 63 (159 mins, 146 balls, 5 fours). A truly outstanding effort. Devon reached 209 in 83 overs as the new ball removed Defriend and Eaves. Although it was sad that as the day progressed Craig’s very supportive grandfather seemed to be spurned. The weather predicated for the second day was brighter so it was important that some inroads were made before close of play. Devon would bowl eighteen overs and the end product 41-5 was more than anyone expected. Eaves wanted the top end so Jamie Overton was given the bottom end (shades of Gregory against Berkshire 2008). He bowled two venomous maidens and third over first ball he had Preece leg before. Fourth ball third over he bowled Smith and with his twenty-ninth delivery he took out the big one, Salter, thanks to a world class catch from Grainger. Herring was a more orthodox catch for the keeper off Craig Overton but another important wicket. The pressure exerted on the Welsh captain, Owen, by a top level bowling and fielding performance resulted in a run out Eaves – Craig Overton. Night watchman Higginson hit two fours but Devon were now right back in the game. Grainger’s all round performance had been extraordinary he could not have had many better days on a cricket field. The side had been a brilliant unit for the sixty-six minutes they had been out there.
The omnipresent cloud cover of the first day was not evident on the second and it looked as if it would be a typical perfect batting day at Sandford. Overton and Eaves opened up at the same ends as the previous evening and Wales advanced to 64 with little apparent difficulty. Devon suffered a huge loss in the ninth over of the morning when Jamie Overton pulled up lame clutching his ankle, ice was applied but he had to come off. The psychological loss and gain would be interesting to gauge on both sides.His bowling with an 8-1 had been as impressive as any over the years. Booker replaced Eaves in the thirty-second over of the innings and with the first ball of his third over struck when Bryan held Lowen off a rather injudicial shot which the batter probably immediately regretted, On the same score, 64, another vital wicket was taken when Monday’s hero, Baker was caught at square leg by Sam Defriend third ball off Connor Bryan. A third wicket fell with the total digits unchanged when the night watchman, Higginson, was bowled for 18 by Booker. Could Wales make a similar recovery to Devon? In fact they fought very hard as Devon entered remote mode. It was obvious they thought they had done the hard work but for the final 45 minutes before lunch they were simply dreadful. Lunch was taken at 122-8 and rockets fired. The ninth wicket partnership, passed, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety! Local brains were tested, do something left wing, bowl bouncers, set strange field settings, Without assistance the Braunton brains trust (surely an antithesis) brought Defriend up as a short point to stand with the captain, Eaves found the edge and Claybrook was missed at slip. Was this the chance to win now gone? Claybrook passed his fifty, he and Leering had taken the score up to 157, inward alarm bells were sounding and then Harry Booker did it again. He had Claybrook caught by Craig Overton. Sheer relief all round. The final pairing put on seven when the so reliable Sam Defriend swooped at mid wicket for Grainger to do the business and run out Morgan for a duck. The answer to the question of whether Devon would have enforced the follow on is no, with Jamie Overton laid up and Sandford playing as normal more points could have been achieved batting a second time. With a lead of 45 Devon’s first target would be some batting points in the fifty-five overs available. It would also be a chance for the top order to regain some form. By the tenth over Braunton were putting the world right again, Mitcham out for 13 and Huxtable without troubling. Booker and Craig Overton put on a more than useful 69 when Craig was out two runs short of the fifty that should be his soon. Thirty-seven overs had been used and a decision was made to risk Jamie as a batter. First Goulding navigated his potential king pair putting on thirty-four with Booker. They acquired the first batting point but Booker was caught for another important 36 with his side twenty-nine short of the next point. The Jamie Overton experiment was not a success as Devon were still twenty short with five down, in the final hour with still eleven overs remaining. The 200 looked unlikely but the 150 was achieved in the twelfth over of the final seventeen by Connor Bryan and Golding. The T was indicated to the batters and Bryan charged and was stumped. The captain called them in. He and Mitcham had been a good pairing being outstanding influences when not in the best of form themselves. Huxtable did blot his copy book, real shades of Benton, Acton and Buzza at Warminster. Retrievers retrieve Barney, throw a ball and they retrieve. Beautifully captured by our lucky photographer, Michael Overton, whose work this summer has added a new dimension.
This was another outstanding result but the injury curse seems to be hovering we have now lost Curtis, Bess, Cousens and possible Overton. The Welsh game had always been the problem fixture with Brown, Cousens. Kidd and the injured not available. This makes the end product even more impressive as our opponents were at full strength for possibly the only time this summer. New Zealand's captain Aimiee Watkins took over Sandford for a session with their ladies as we departed. Defriend's spelling lessons will be missed.
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