Devon U15s v Gwent Torquay CC Thursday 11th August 2016
A beautiful morning and drive to Torbay and Torquay’s ground, with the caravans and campers, looked the best I have seen it for years. The pitch with a slight green tinge looked good and perhaps, against Derek’s wishes, “ you always bat second on a seaside pitch” we might bat first for a change, in preparation for Tuesday ECB National CC Quarter Final against Essex - have no fear lads!
The warm up went well, plenty of energy and JOG won the toss and we elected to bat. Gwent having lost players the day and night before, then on the way down only had nine and so their young coach was allowed to play and George Woodcock Sam’s brother stepped up and played for them too.
After his strong showing against Hampshire Elliott and James Degg opened and helped by the occasional boundary and wide we progressed cautiously. Deggy then hit the ball into the covers and called for a single and Els was run out! Not great cricket lads! 37-1 off the 10th over. AB joined James and they took the score on to 94 in the 20th over when AB, who had played a couple of sumptuous cover drives, fished at one and was caught behind by the excellent Smale. Bob Whittaker fresh from his National Life Saving Nationals and Deggy then took the score on, both playing some lovely shots and Bob punishing one particular bowler until Deggy in the 31st over was caught for 45. 145-3 off 31. 300 was a possibility on this pitch if we batted sensibly but I’ve been involved long enough to know not to count my chickens! The batting order was changed to try and up the tempo, Sam Agnew dropping down the order – again this frequently doesn’t work and you have read this before! After his good little knock on Sunday, Tayls then got out 158-4 off 33. Home boy Carps, who had scored runs here last year and Bob then put on a partnership of 77 in 11 overs when going for a third and running to the bowlers end with the ball having been hit to fine leg Bob is just run out by a direct hit for a very good 72. 235-5 off 44. 4 runs later Carps drills one back straight and the bowler gets a hand on it and accidentally deflects it onto the stumps and Byron is run out backing up without scoring! This is the second time this has happened to Byron and in both cases there is absolutely nothing he could have done. It’s a cruel, very cruel game. The same over Carps is bowled 239-7 off 45. Sam Agnew is bowled two overs later and Dobs and JOG see out the 50 overs and Devon finish 267-8.
A good score, the highest you have scored off 50 overs but could we have done better and should we learn any lessons? YES we should have scored 300+! Given what we have worked on over the last two years our running between the wickets was poor. Did we run the first run hard and for that the second and third? No - we often just jogged through; did we put pressure on the fielders by doing so no! Yes we did drop the ball and run occasionally but lads but.. Yes JOG it is in the mind! As always this puts pressure on the middle and lower order exactly what we have been trying to arrest. This was a wonderful opportunity to put everything we have been working on into action. You can and you know you can do better.
So to tea and then lets get the busy done. Kers and JOG open as usual and there is some swing, bounce and carry. Smale and Evans bat without any concerns until Kers 5th over when he has Evans brilliantly caught by Dobs who is keeping. Same over a wide down the leg side smacks into the inside of Dobs’ foot and he hobbles off and Tayls takes over the gloves! Next ball Kers bowls James. Gwent 19-2 off 5. Whitcombe and Smale take the score onto 29 in the 10th when JOG beats Smale and up roots his off stump. Gwent’s captain O’Leary and Whitcombe bat well before the introduction of Deggy and Els changes things; Deggy bowling Whitcombe and Els O’Leary. Gwent 63-5 off 21 overs. Deggy bowls Ellias and Els bowls Clarke before Tayls takes the first of his two stumping off Carps. Gwent 80-9 off 28 overs. Enter George Woodcock to joins Thomas and there is an 11 run partnership before golden arm AB comes on and gets another wicket with his second delivery. Gwent all out 91 in the 30th over Devon wining by 176 runs.
Thank you to Torquay CC, Ken, Ian et al for all you did to make it possible for us to play at your Club. Chris and Roger for umpiring and good luck Roger in your move to Malvern; Wendy who had driven back from Oxford to be there to score and all the parents, guardian and relatives for your support on what turned out to be a very warm afternoon at Torquay. Finally thank you Nick for all you have done this season. Enjoy Madeira, if you can see the sun for the smoke, and perhaps if Tuesday goes well we might just have our last two days together running a CAG side at the National Finals. Who knows! Dream lads and make your dreams come true!
