The Devon and Cornwall Under 17s enjoyed two broiling days at Exmouth as Cornwall were cooked in the sun when Matthew Cooke broke the Devon individual batting record and Devon came out winners on first innings by 74 runs. The match started well with Devon winning the toss and batting, it sadly went down hill very quickly with the home side reduced to 16-3, and then 40-4 as Cornwall’s opening bowler Angove finished his opening spell with the splendid figures of 4-17 off six overs. The under 16 all rounder has already represented the full county side this summer and looked an exceptional prospect as he destroyed the top order. He was helped in part by the home batters as Josh Bess decided to put him into the recreational ground only to be caught at fine leg, Dan Bowser chased a wide one and Steve Knight miscued to slip. David Wrench gave Cooke some support putting on 24 when he was trapped in front trying to whip Angove’s fourth ball of his last over through mid wicket. Vice captain Jack Porter got his head down and with Cooke took the side up to 120 with lunch beckoning Porter was dropped but did not take the hint and was bowled on the penultimate ball of the last over of the morning session, poor cricket from last years leading batsman. The pair had put on 80 vital runs off 114 balls. After lunch Mickey Wilkinson was to play his first important part in the game as he put on 119, five short of the sixth wicket record partnership, with Cooke. They took the score up to 239 with both past their fifties and both scoring 57 runs in the partnership. Having spent 82 minutes at the crease hitting 9 elegant fours Wilkinson was bowled for a county best. Cooke was now past his maiden county hundred, hopefully the first of many. His ton had come off 113 balls and had taken 131 minutes, half the job done, now for the double hundred. James Carr looked in good form putting on 38 when after 25 balls he gave a catch to Bone. At 277-7 the first target was still 23 runs away but Justin Yau helped Cooke past his 150 and gain the final batting point putting on a vital 70. Yau had done his bit and provided Angove with his fifth victim but his sensible batting had demonstrated the depth of this batting line up. Enter under 16 opener Garry Chappell and he showed his ability in getting Cooke to 200 and the side to 383. Cook’s double century had taken 302 minutes; he faced 218 balls hitting 32 fours and three sixes in not only a record breaking knock but a truly brilliant one. He has set the benchmark for the side; can it be bettered this season?

With nineteen overs left in the days play the side needed early wickets and failed miserably with left hander Rowe looking a neat and compact batsman. Close of play left Cornwall to score 339 off a minimum of 102 overs -3.32 an over – on the second day.

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