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Devon Win ECB/ESCA King's Taunton Under 14s Festival After 5 hard days of cricket and having already won the Festival, exhuasted the Devon Under 14s were unable no matter how hard they tried, to bowl out the last two remaining London batsmen and had to settle for a winning draw. |
Put into bat the Devon players asked if they could change the normal batting order to let their team mates have an opportunity and reluctantly the management agreed! Things didn't start well when Eliot Acton was bowled in the 2nd over followed in the 5th by Dan Pickard. James Fletcher back after injury with James Parkin steadied the ship putting on 36 before Fletcher was out. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and at one stage the London players realised the significance of the numbers on the shirts! Joe Webb 50, batting at 7 after a very early morning at casualty, batted sensibly and with Ollie Pyne 35, put on 66 for the 7th wicket as the tail (the batters began to bat!!). With Joe's departure enter Robbie Debenham at 9, whom calmly started to cart the London bowling all over the place for a rapid and entertaining not out 44, putting on 61 with Ollie who was run out going the extra mile. Gareth Tidball had 4 balls to face and was instructed to reverse sweep the last ball which he did gloving it for 1. Bowling and fielding isn't going to be easy as fatigue and injuries are playing on the Devon player's minds. Things start well with a wicket for Scott Boardman in the 6th over and only 22 runs after 10 overs. Eliot Acton nips in with two wickets in two balls but enter the hard hitting Ingrams. Supported by Phipps 21 they start to recover the position and they put on 85 for the 5th wicket and give London a chance. With 15 overs left London need 96. At the drinks break the Devon lads can hardly look up, mentally and physically shattered- up steps Eliot Acton asking to bowl , Ingrams is dropped before Harry Chapman- Walker has him well caught for 77, by Buzz off a skier.Game over- just about as Devon press for those last wickets, everyone around the bat and even deliberately bowling a no ball to try and get a wicket off the last ball and the last batter to face one ball! Not bad thinking after 500 overs.With Malcolm prowling the presentation and Andy Caddick await.
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