Two devastating spells - two good partnerships

v Somerset at Cleeve CC on Sunday 24th June, 2007

With watery grey skies overhead and the Glastonbury mudfest only a few miles away we all wondered how on earth this game would go ahead.....but the microclimate at Cleeve plus the tireless groundstaff ensured that play started on time at 11.30am.   Somerset won the toss and chose to bat on a hard surface and damp conditions. Devon's seam attack was reduced by an injury to Jack Hughes - but new ballers Jack Lilly D'Cruz and Barney Huxtable opened up with good control and plenty of menace and made the bat first decision look somewhat premature. With 7 overs gone Somerset were reduced to 9 for 2 - both bowlers picking up wickets to good low catches from George Stephenson and Alex Brown. Mount and Tanner decided the best form of defence was attack, and they took on the openers and Sam DeFriend and Zak Bess who came on at the 10 over changes. It was hard going for the Devon bowlers as the batters played with increasing dominance - aided by much improved ground and weather conditions. Spin in the form of Freddie Gabbitass and Dan Winsor initially failed to make inroads into the increasing run rate and by the 24th over Somerset were up to 103-2. Winsor had settled into a good rhythm though and some astute field placing had begun to pose the batters one or two problems. Having scored 10 in his previous 2 scoring shots, Tanner went for another boundary - but swept Winsor into the hands of Sam DeFriend at deep square leg.

This lapse was the chance that Devon needed and Bess brought himself back on for what would prove to be a decisive spell. He bowled in tandem with Winsor for 10 overs and the score advanced only 19 runs in this time. More importantly though Bess picked up 5 wickets in a devastating 15 deliveries - Catches were snapped up by Lilly D'Cruz, Stephenson and Brown, and the other wickets were an lbw and bowled in 2 balls - with the hat trick ball being perilously close as well.  Somerset No.6 Lintott watched as partners were running out before his eyes - and at 114-8 in the 32nd over it needed something rather special for the home side if they were to set any sort of total. Huxtable came back and immediately cleaned out Haggett (126-9) and it should have been just a matter of time. However 9 overs later Lintott had masterfully managed proceedings with his No.11 Robinson and they advanced the Somerset score to 181-9. Somerset had two good partnerships - 96 for the third wicket and unbeaten 55 for the last. By comparison the Devon bowlers were in total command for 19 overs. Was 182 a big target? The outfield had dried out, there had even been early afternoon sunshine!

Off at a gallop

Devon openers Tom Mitcham and Freddie Gabbitass went off at a gallop rushing to 24 in the first 4 overs, with the Somerset opening pair struggling to cope with the left-right combination. Gabbitass looked particularly fluent especially off his legs - and batting looked remarkably easy at this stage! Mitcham was first to go, bowled by one that hurried down the hill, but Cameron Grainger joined Gabbitass and Devon advanced to 53-1 in the 14th over - the Somerset change bowlers also struggling with their line. Just as we were advancing without trouble to first drinks, Grainger was caught behind - and then immediately after the break Alex Brown was bowled next ball. The effect was to put an immediate brake on the runs as both Gabbitass and Barney Huxtable proceeded with extra caution. Caution brings a stalking partner though and Devon lost another two quick wickets - Gabbitass going to a catch behind and George Stephenson run out failing to make his ground after an aborted run. 75 for 5 in the 20th over. Huxtable and Zak Bess re-established the innings somewhat but the Somerset spinners had a very tight grip on proceedings. Huxtable was bowled by off spinner Mount at 101 in the 29th over and the imposing stats and targets were now beginning to weigh heavy in Devon minds. 16 overs to go - 77 required - 4 wickets remaining.

More lower order heroics?

Nine of those overs were likely to be spin, so if Devon were to reach the target they would need to get after at least one of them. It wasn't to be though as first Will Steward then Sam DeFriend and finally Zak Bess fell to catches off attacking shots. When Bess was 9th out Devon were 129 in the 40th over. So it would need a 10th wicket partnership of some magnitude to pull this one out of the bag...52 needed in 5 overs. Jack Lilly D'Cruz and Jack Hughes set about the daunting task with gusto and with Lilly D'Cruz once more leading the way they got 30 of them in 4 overs. It was the usual stuff from the basement jacks - plenty of sensible singles and occasional lusty blows for boundaries. A positive formula which will always pay dividends if backed up with belief. The quest fell short when Hughes was bowled at the end of the 44th over..

For the third week running Devon had failed in the chase, and although they let the Somerset batting off the hook twice, they certainly had the firepower to hunt down such a total. In the midst of disappointment however, there were still some fine individual performances - none more so than Zak Bess' amazing 5 wicket haul which earned him Man of the Match.

Fielding

Catches -

Stephenson, Brown - 2

DeFriend, Lilly D'Cruz -1

Devon lost by 22 runs