Devon Under 17's
1999 Season 's Report
Played 4 Won 0 Lost 2 Won on First Innings 2
The Texaco Under 17 County Championship
v CORNWALL at Falmouth C.C. - Devon lost by 9 wickets
DEVON 115 all out (I.Jack 26*)
157 all out (A.Stocks 45, R.Carr 57)
CORNWALL 243-4
23-1
v SOMERSET at Exmouth C.C. - Devon lost by an innings and 12 runs
DEVON 188 all out (T.Anning 44, S.Edmonds 78)
92 all out (R.Foan 47)
SOMERSET 300-6 (R.Foan 4-38)
v DORSET at Seaton C.C - Devon won on first innings
DEVON 300-9 (T.Beer 27, T.Anning 31, S.Edmonds 32, R.Carr 27, T.Wright 29, D.Lobb 33*)
102-1 (R.Foan 34, T.Beer 32*)
DORSET 232 all out (S.Edmonds 5-34)
46-3
v HAMPSHIRE at Burridge C.C. - Devon won on first innings
DEVON 345 all out (P.Arnold 92, T.Wright 154, R.Carr 34)
HAMPSHIRE 268 all out (R.Foan 6-69)
The 1999 Squad P.Arnold and S.Edmonds (Captains), T.Anning, T.Beer, R.Carr, T.Corrie, I.Gear, I.Jack, C.Lanyon, D.Lobb, S.Prideaux, T.Robinson, A.Stocks, D.Waistell, T.Wright
This was always going to be a difficult year but the improvement made by the side over the season in fact made it a successful one. We started in horrendous fashion and finished in a glorious manner – the improvement from the first ball to the last was as good as I have experienced in county cricket management. It is always important to start the season well and the omens were not good when, for the first match, four of the likely side were not released by their independent schools. This had not been a problem in the past and an element that will have to be built into future squad selection and fixture administration. We therefore travelled down to Falmouth with a very inexperienced side. It showed but not one member of the side could be accused of not doing his best, our batting was just not good enough and we were rolled over by Cornwall. The attitude of the players was really excellent and there were some plus points - Richard Foan looked a class player, Jamie Wardrop had developed into a fine bowler and Richard Carr had successfully returned to the fold after a year in the wilderness. Devon was bowled out in 60 overs (at one stage being 60-8), were then hit all over the ground before close of play and two-day cricket did not seem to be great fun. The next day Cornwall passed our score, went on to build a useful lead and then had Devon at 38-7 – acute embarrassment. Richard Carr and Andrew Stocks then made a fight of it with an eighth wicket stand of 95. Carr played a fine aggressive innings hitting 6 fours in his 57. Andrew Stocks gave him good support and played some fine shots including 8 fours in his innings of 45. Daniel Lobb and Simon Prideaux then ensured that Cornwall would bat again. With a fine positive approach from within the side Devon fielded again, looked excellent in the field, took a wicket and regained some self-esteem. Not a good start and certainly not the one we wanted or needed.
It got worse in our next match as Somerset beat us by an innings. We won the toss played some early crass shots and were 24-4 with the top four back in the pavilion. Steven Edmonds then played a really fine innings and batted for 199 minutes, facing 171 balls hitting 9 fours in an excellent 78. With Trevor Anning he put on 86 for the fifth wicket before Anning fell six short of what would have been an excellent 50. He had hit five fours in a 97 ball innings. More wickets fell before Edmonds and Tom Wright put on 52 for the eighth wicket. Tom Wright showed the application that, with his natural ability, will make him a fine batsman. He batted 110 balls for his 20 but more important for his side he helped them reach 188. Somerset showed Devon how to bat and Bailey in particular showed us how to run between the wickets. His hundred was a very fine knock. Foan bowled well to pick up his four wickets. Devon then had a second opportunity to bat and did not take it. This batting performance was the most inept county innings witnessed by this writer, as the side were bowled out for 92 in 29.2 overs with Richard Foan contributing over half of them in an excellent 47 ( 8 fours, 70 minutes, 62 balls). A sad performance where a sensible approach to batting in the second innings could have at least ensured a face saving draw, so time for a heart to heart.
After a woeful first two games the side with a couple of modifications (one of them enforced when keeper Phil Arnold withdrew after being hit on the head whilst batting in the league the previous Saturday) turned themselves into a brilliant team with two quite exceptional wins on first innings. Seaton Cricket Club was our hosts for the side’s second home game and Steven Edmonds won the toss and elected to bat. The side batted as a team with useful contributions coming from almost everyone. Smaller targets were set to reach the required 300 and this score was reached in the 88th over for the loss of nine wickets when Edmonds declared. Eight batsmen scored over fifteen and six over 25 proving that from many small contributions the desired result can still be achieved and Daniel Lobb’s 33 not out at ten was as vital as Trevor Anning's 31 at three. A very important long-term lesson was learnt in this innings. The batting was sensible and partnerships were being built –five of over 30 – a vast improvement. We did not take a wicket in the remaining fourteen overs of play but we had won all three sessions. The second day did not start well as keeper Daniel Lobb was rushed to hospital after being hit on the head in the warm up and then collapsing – not the best moment of the season. Trevor Anning bravely took over behind the stumps and Chris Lanyon came on to field. Tom Wright took an early wicket but Dorset were 126 – 1 at lunch, 124 runs were put on for the second wicket when Wardrop trapped Laws leg before. The skipper then took the ball himself and he put in a telling and inspirational spell. He took two wickets in his fourth over and another in his fifth and then Gear joined in with the help of a remarkable slip catch from substitute Chris Lanyon. Dorset were reduced from 144-1 to 159-6. Dorset staged a recovery to take the score to 206 when Lanyon took his second amazing catch this time off Edmonds and then Wardrop and Edmonds (5-34) wound up the innings as Dorset were dismissed for 232 in 84 overs. Attitude, discipline, and fielding were first class and Anning performed heroically behind the stumps. It was a welcome sight when Lobb returned from hospital with a couple of stiches. Dorset decided not to call it at day and Devon were invited to bat again and they rushed to 102-1 in 22 overs. Richard Foan, Tom Beer and Tom Wright batted really well taking the initiative. Having achieved a second innings batting point Edmonds then surprised Dorset by declaring in the hope of picking up a bowling point. This was achieved off the very last ball of the game as Wright took 2-33 off four and ran out a third batsman. Self-belief was now back, we were not such a bad side after all, everyone in the squad contributed to an excellent result.
And so to Southampton where things did not get off to the best of starts as the owners of accommodation, which had been booked up and confirmed five months earlier with a subsequent telephone confirmation, were not expecting us and could not provide us with the standard required. Having inspected the ground, we slummed it for a night and moved out after breakfast with great relief. Phil Arnold was now fit again but it was the turn of Steven Edmonds to be laid low with a very heavy cold. Arnold won the toss and batted. Foan and Beer saw off the new ball but Devon had lost three wickets for 34. Blundell School colleagues Phil Arnold and Tom Wright then put on a magnificent 179 for the fourth wicket in 45 overs. These two took the initiative with some of the most positive batting seen all summer. Arnold displayed his full batting ability, which had been missing for a couple of seasons, and he revealed himself to be the class batter of yesteryear. He batted 146 minutes, faced 145 balls, hit nine fours and two sixes in his 92. He did not look to be in any trouble until his partner unfortunately ran him out. Ian Gear who was later to field brilliantly and Tim Robinson then fell in successive balls and much of the good had been undone as Devon were reduced to 214 for 6. Robinson had taken the initiative and decided it was time for him to bat and went in at seven! Fortunately Richard Carr then played his second major innings of the season as he put on 98 with Wright. Carr faced 91 balls for his excellent 34 and he was only out when the bowler surprised him by bowling off a substantially shortened run up – another lesson to be learnt there. Devon was now in a commanding position at 312 and all of the time Wright had been imperious. No one has ever doubted Wright's ability but there have been doubts about his concentration, after this innings there should never be any doubt in the future. He batted for four and a half hours facing 221 balls and scoring a magnificent 154 (13 fours). He has set his own standard and he will now be expected to maintain it! Daniel Lobb then made another telling contribution with the bat as the tail took the score to 345 off 107 overs. An outstanding performance and Falmouth seemed an age away.
Next day Wright took a wicket with his fourth ball and Hampshire were on the back foot. After 35 overs they were 64 for three but Sharazi was batting exceptionally well when at 99 he was well held by Lobb at slip off Gear, his second fine catch of the innings. Faulkner and Gilby then put on 72 for the fifth wicket when Richard Foan entered the scene in tandem with Simon Prideaux and the pair of left arm spinners won the game for Devon. Prideaux bowled 29 overs for his 1-72 whilst Foan bowled 34 overs for his 6-69. The side was fielding really well and pressure was placed on the Hampshire batsman. It was unfortunate when Arnold, who had kept well and taken a catch, had to leave the field but it was fortunate that his understudy was playing and Lobb took a neat stumping. The now fit again Edmonds held a fine catch at square leg to end the season on the highest of notes. The side must remember how they won these last two games and take this approach into 2000.
Progress is all one can ask from players and the progress made by this squad was immense and they deserve real congratulations. We thank Exmouth and Seaton for their superb hospitality, the Devon C.C.C. for their continued financial assistance and the umpires society for the provision of high class officials. The scorer only blotted her copybook once in the choice of accommodation in Southampton but she more than made up for it in all the other arrangements she made. Phil Arnold and Steve Edmonds captained the side well, particularly in difficult circumstances in the first two matches. A season that turned out to be one of the better ones because of the attitude and commitment of the side.
The D.H.Watkins Trophy for the Young Cricketer of the Year was awarded for his outstanding innings against Hampshire to Tom Wright.