Development XI v Devon C.C.C.

This was always going to be a daunting fixture even before the amazing antics of Marcus Trescothick the previous Sunday. That remarkable high scoring game against Somerset ensured that there was every likelihood that there would be some sort of backlash from the county side in this fixture. Before start of play it was considered that this young, inexperienced Development side might be on to a hiding to nothing and although on a couple of occasions they were extremely close to an enormous drubbing they somehow came out of this new venture with some credit and real pluses. With injuries and availability problems dictating the make up of the team, the twelve players, which included three of last year’s under 16 squad, that took the field at Exmouth put on a very brave performance in initially overcast and humid conditions. Not surprisingly they were a little ring rusty as they allowed Bobby Dawson and Richard Foan to put on 108 for the first wicket in 19 overs when Jack Porter took the wicket of Richard Foan with the help of the first of two fine Tom Allins outfield catches. This brought the 2006 Minor County Batsman of the Year to the crease and Neil Hancock enhanced his reputation as a high quality batsman with a 54 ball fifty. He started slowly with a couple of singles and a six off his first nineteen deliveries but then stepped up the pace. He lost his skipper at 164, Dawson had been at the crease for 102 minutes, when Matt Cooke enticed him to hole out to Tom Allin for a seventy-nine ball 68. At this stage sixteen year old Shane Evenden was delivering a mature spell conceding only six an over as the fireworks continued with David Court now setting about the attack, the pair put on a scintillating 90 in 38 minutes off 65 balls and it was at this time that the possible hiding looked a distinct probability. The under 17 captain, Eliot Acton, took an important wicket as he had Hancock well caught by Adam Parker, whose long term knee injury had restricted his ability to bowl which had been a serious loss to the attack. Acton continued where Evenden had left off  producing another outstanding spell.  At 282 Courts attack ended as he was bowled by Stephen George, who’s ten over spell went for less than five. The Exmouth captain had faced on 53 balls in scoring the innings highest total of 74. It was now that the possible hiding was delayed as the Development side, well marshaled by captain Aaron Williams, went up a couple of gears, lifting their fielding standards and they produced an excellent final ten overs where they could have been taken by the county team up to a total in excess of 400. Instead they kept the run rate around four and a half an over and took the remaining six wickets for 38 runs - a superb effort. Woodman, who had taken 90 off Somerset the previous weekend, was caught by Porter off Allin, Hanson was Parkers second catch off his Barton team mate Porter. Trevor Anning was caught behind by Matt Thompson, who not only did not look out of place at this level but his keeping and later batting fitted into the side like a glove. This was Jack Porters third and final victim and his spell of ten overs – 3-41 was the pick of the bowlers. Tom Allin then took two more wickets in his second spell having Burke caught by the captain and bowling Ian Bishop, who had offered him some advice the previous ball. Allin's 3-67 had also been an important spell. Jones was run out off the last ball of the innings when Cooke and Allin combined as he went for a second run. Lunch arrived with a reasonably respectable total conceded of 324 all out.

It was unlikely that the Development side’s opponents would allow them to remotely approach this target but it was vital that the innings had a solid start - the best laid plans, James Toms drove Bishop for four but next over he found Richard Foan, 7-1, four balls later 7-2 as Bowser was bowled by Anning, seven balls pass and it is 13-3 with Cooke caught behind also off the Sandford all rounder.  First ball Parker falls in identical fashion 15-4. That possible thrashing now looks a certainty, but yet. The captain had brought his form from Australia and looked in good nick and reassuringly Seb Benton looked as he always does – a class act. The pair delayed what had looked an inevitability a score well under the hundred. At 44 the captain was trapped in front and it then looked as if a hundred was being optimistic. However left hander Benton and Jack Porter showed tremendous determination against a very strong attack and put on a face saving 71 off 127 balls in 65 minutes. The county captain had then had enough and after 30 overs he brought back the impressive Anning whose fourth ball had the Development side’s man of the match, Jack Porter, brilliantly caught by a diving Court. His innings had again demonstrated what he had last properly shown in 2004 a real ability with the bat. As often happens his stalwart partner Benton followed eight balls later having completed an innings out of the top drawer which subsequently brought out a registration form. The diamond encrusted Benton all round performance had pushed his name forward for the second spinners berth in the twenty-one’s, another major plus from the game. Would the final 18 overs be needed or would the Development side fold? They were needed as the two youngest players on show, Evenden and Thompson batted 96 balls against the front line county attack as they put on 29 when in the forty-eighth over Thompson’s splendid debut ended when he was keeper Hanson’s third catch and Rob Newman’s first wicket. Evenden completed, undefeated, eight minutes over the hour against the best attack he is likely to have faced in his short career and his expectation level with the bat at both 16s and 17s will now fall in line with his undoubted batting talent. All three under 17s are genuine all rounder's in the truest sense and this game will be a splendid springboard for their county seasons. They let no one down with three exceptional performances. At close of play the final result of 157-8  showed clearly that if those early wickets had not fallen against a talented opening attack a more than respectable score of around 220 might have been achieved. All in all a far better day than looked likely on a couple of occasions and a number of players have thrown their hats into the ring for selection for this year’s twenty-ones.