Having been rained off for the last three Wednesday’s at GKN it was a pleasure to travel to Ventnor on one of the better days of the 2007 summer. The oppositions umpire outlined what he was hoping for in long discussions with players and management, the warm ups totally different in nature and Plan Z was implemented Adam Dibble would toss. For the second and final time in 2007 Devon would actually have the option as Suffolk called incorrectly. Devon batted, the keeper checked his mother had received his text, wishing her his birthday wishes (a text!), he delivered later a personal card (chivalry is not dead) and we would seek 250 on the covered and hard track. After twenty overs Luke Bess and James Burke had put on a seasons best 81 and looked in no trouble. In the next over Bess went after the spinner and was caught one run short of his under 16s 2007 season’s best. Burke and Matt Thompson then put together the highest second wicket stand of the year - 51 in 81 balls when the keeper thought he should deliver the card. Burke was in such command that at last it seemed that 2007 was to produce a centurion but alas poor James he called a run and came second at the bowlers end twelve short. He had struck 15 fours and batted eight minutes over the two hours. Sam Smith was trapped in front ninety-two short of his maiden county hundred. From 81-0 Devon was now 159-4 with 60 balls left and in need of an injection of runs. Metters, Gilmour and Evenden nearly went at a run a ball but the inability to rotate resulted in 29 balls being dots. Shane Evenden had a good last over – 15 otherwise it would have been even worse. The undefeated 32 put on by Gilmour and Evenden for the sixth wicket was another season’s best. A par score at Ventnor is around 230 so we were a little light.

It was a typical enjoyable Ventnor lunch, which included spotted dick and custard, but the first course would not have gone down well with a Barton batsman, set Devon up for another good performance in the field. Smith and Evenden combined for fantasy points to run out opener Staigg at 19. The score advanced to 35 when Evenden added to his points with a leg before and eight runs later had James caught by the captain. It was then left to the spinners to bowl out Suffolk, not before Burke chased from slip to third man to run out the opposition’s captain. Gilmour took his best return of the summer with another slip catch to Burke, a bowled and Thompson took the last two, a stumping, the first at this level in 2007 and a catch to revive memories of his fine performance at the ground the previous year. Metters took two a catch from Williams and he knocked over Hinslewood’s stumps. After 30 overs in the sun Devon had won by 139 and gained five points. Burke’s unselfishness in running himself out when well set won him the towel of the day and it was sharp slaz ball catching in the cool down with the coach and Thompson the final two, Porter really stood no chance. As well as winning the toss, Adam Dibble learnt that he had gained a place on the Somerset Academy, everything he touches at present...The Bourne Ultimatum proved one of the better choices of recent years and although action packed, it did not take too long to explain what had taken place to the snoring Evenden