The Met Office web site had been regularly visited for the ten rain filled days prior to our first game of the season with the forecast fluctuating between heavy rain, light showers and eventually cloud with rain coming in later so we were indeed fortunate and grateful to Axminster Cricket Club for getting a full days play in. The result was not so pleasing the heaviest defeat batting second since 1996. Our opponents, Wales, richly deserved their win as Devon were outplayed in all departments and it is hoped that the home side will learn from what was an out and out drubbing. It was no surprise to arrive at Cloakham Lawn to find dampish conditions but with so many fixtures, at youth level, having already been lost in this awful summer it was a huge relief that the fixture was not in doubt. The pre match preparation was adversely affected by a crash at Exeter and it was not possible to have the normal pre season discussion. Jack Porter led a good warm up, which included the roping of the outfield which was certainly a new exercise to many of the players and Wales won the toss and batted. With the threat of uncertain weather later in the day it had been Devon’s intention to field so they could control the run chase – well that had been the idea. The home side’s one and only spell in control of the game lasted six overs with the score standing at 26-2. Adam Dibble impressed in both his spells caught and bowled James on 13 and Butlin was bowled by Burke. West of England under 17 Stephen Inward and his under 15 WOE colleague Lloyd then put on 104 off 108 balls as Devon were being taken for over six an over as control was lost in he field. Another problem was the mounting tally of extras and the propensity of loose balls resulting in a boundary. The introduction into the attack of Gilmour broke the partnership as Inward returned to the pavilion two short of his fifty when he gave Dibble his second catch. This did not bring an end to the onslaught as Lloyd progressed past his fifty to become Gilmour’s second victim when he was neatly caught behind by Smith for a brilliant 73 off just 68 balls with eleven fours and two sixes. The score was now 165 with six wickets left and 93 balls remaining. If it had been predicated score time something close to 300 would have been popular. However a useful spell from the under 15 captain Matt Hickey, whose dismissal of Hassen gave Dibble some more Fantasy Points, some improved fielding kept the final target down to 265. At lunch it was felt that perhaps the main difference between the sides might be the extras count – Devon had conceded 44 of which 35 had provided additional balls, 27 wides at sixteen’s is simply unacceptable. A total of around 220 would have been psychologically easier than the required 5.30 an over. In the field Devon had looked poor as if they had spent some time out in the recent rain as they were definitely ring rusty whereas Wales looked in prime condition.

Despite Matt Hickey’s prediction of rain in the twenty-first over there was not even a hint of an interruption as Devon capitulated in an agonising manner. With a similar make up to last years squad – good strength in batting all the way down the game plan was to see off the first ten without falling too far behind the rate and then gradual acceleration to a nice little win, well that was the plan. Matt Thompson and skipper Luke Bess put on 45 off 91 balls giving Wales opportunities to break the partnership on more than one occasion when Thompson, who had looked in good nick including his first county six, premeditated a sweep did nothing and left a straight one that knocked his centre stump sufficiently to remove the bails! From such a truly street wise cricketer – horrendous. However the partnership was the best of a very disappointing innings. Burke and Bess, who will be opening for the 17s against Wiltshire, looked at ease as they took the score up to 70 after 24 overs but the game was now already nearly over as the required rate was now seven and a half and would shortly reach ten. Bess was caught for a 62 ball 29; Smith walked past a delivery from Tobin to be the first of three batsmen stumped playing defensive shots. Why can we not play spin bowling? Burke had scored 13 off his first 40 balls then smote 33 off his last 30 being caught as Nelson struck for the first time this season. From 111-4 after 36 overs it was 116-8 fourteen balls later shades of 2006. Metters was trapped in front for 8, Gilmour tamely caught and bowled and Evenden and Gater stumped the last three all without opening their season’s account. These four are the powerhouse of the side, the accelerators. With the pressure now off the remaining objective was to bat the full fifty overs and avoid a defeat by a hundred. Neither was achieved despite bright knocks from Hickey and Dibble, who enhanced their reputations as all-rounders, Hickey did not achieve his run a ball, was a poor weather forecaster but made an overall excellent impression. Justin Williams did not take the opportunity of making a valid point to the management of what on earth was he doing batting at eleven. He will have a chance in the next game to prove his point but as the required run rate crept up and up he slipped down and down the order.

Jack Porter considered it a bad day at the office, he was being generous. This side has real individual talent but in 2007 this endowment has to be merged with real team cohesion. It is sad that they can not get back on their bikes until July 13th but hopefully the weather will improve, form will return with the sun, the players must work hard at their own individual games and the side will never concede 44 extras again. Wales gave Devon five extra balls in their total of six extras, an important message there. Another lesson to be learnt is dot balls Devon bowled three maidens to Wales nine, thirty boundaries from Wales to Devon's seventeen when the rope was not that too far away. Haberdashers present a number of new players a chance to claim a place, hopefully they will, for this most certainly was simply not good enough. Roll on Haberdashers and a 75% improvement.

Scorecard