Sunday 24th July 2018 was most succinctly summed up by Lewis Hamilition in his post Grand Prix radio message to his pit team - Happy Sunday - Everybody, credit to Noddy Holder and Slade but it had been a Glorious Summers day - England 6, Whitewash of Australia, ton for Lammonby, English French Grand Prix win and a great four wicket victory for the 17s! Devon completed a clean sweep of results for the first time since records began P-4, W-1, L-1, T -1 A-1. Seaton's Groundsman Derek House had been at the ground since 6.00am and was the last to leave over twelve hours later, he had spent weeks painting the back of the Club's sight screen black - a great inovation possible a first in Devon - yet another unsung hero of Devon Cricket. Little do the players that just rock up -sometimes late and not correctly attired realise what goes into any game of cricket let alone a flagship CAG game of cricket. It was his work and the normal wonderful contribution of the Seaton A team - the Andertons that helped make the day not only Happy but very special.
The weather had been set fair for over a week and the air was becoming Mediterranean as was the sky a deeper blue. It was obvious that a two to one discussion at Heathcoat had not borne fruit as we did not have a full set for the ten o'clock pre match preparations. These were kept to the minimum particularly when Hampshire called correctly and decided to spend the first half of the game in the deck chairs. Without intending to harp and going over old ground it has to be accepted that apart from five players the majority of the squad are playing C Division and below. They are therefore highly unlikely to regularly come across players of the quality they were facing in this game. Some were in contract discussions and having already represented Hampshire's second team. This is a huge disadvantage so the final result makes one ponder! It once again proves what collective action added to individual talent and cohesion can achieve. It also demonstrated that the others can lift their own game in a most encouraging way for the forthcoming three day programme The Hampshire openers looked to be a very accomplished pairing, we had played against one twice last year. There was a general air of confidence and not a little skill as they put on eighty-four in forty-seven minutes off ninety-four balls, the first fifty the quickest of the innings. Devon had opened with James Degg and Elliot Adams but it was Max Hancock that changed Hampshire's direction of travel. In the fifteenth over he had Wood caught by Degg. Twenty-one balls later he had a former Bunbury colleague caught by Jack Moore. Hampshire were three runs short of a hundred. In conjunction with Ed Middleton the scoring rate had slowed, Hampshire scored at sixes over the first ten and 4.3 over the second. At the half way stage they were on 119-2 with Campbell still at the crease on forty-four. Sam Read entered the attack in the twenty-eighth over and once he got his tempo right he bowled beautifully. In the thirty-first over he trapped the dangerous Campbell in front with the batsman almost walking. He had scored sixty-seven in ninety-seven minutes facing eighty-seven balls. With keeper Metzger, another from 2017, sixty-two had been added. Max Hancock's fine spell ended after the thirty-third over with Hampshire on one hundred and sixty-two having scored at just under fives. James Degg took over at the Hospital End. Read struck again in the thirty-sixth over bowling Gonella. Twenty-six balls later Hampshire were five down as the keeper, Metzger, was caught on the boundary by Medlock again off Read. The batsman had scored fifty-three in just under the hour. Luke Medlock had patrolled the roadside boundary exceptionally and reinforced the need for quality fielders in the side. This group still need more as this is an area that you simply cannot stop trying to improve. Some still need to work a lot harder and not just on this element of the game. It got even better, the sixth wicket fell on one seventy-nine with another of the better fielders, Onley-Gregson, catching Broderick off the Clyst St George all rounder. The fielder had very nearly broken the opening partnership with a smart throw at a single stump that missed by a whisker (but no sign of anyone on the stumps). Devon had fought, in very hot conditions to get back into this game and with Hampshire now scoring at 4.3 they had done exceptionally well. This wicket fell on the first ball of the forty-second over leaving Hampshire with fifty-three balls and four wickets to post a competitive score. Sadly this is what they did as they went at just under tens as a further eighty-seven runs were added. Degg had Abbas caught behind to give Louis Morison his last County Age Group victim but that was the last wicket to fall as Vaughan and Reynolds added the third highest partnership of the innings - an unbeaten fifty-nine off thirty-deliveries in just fifteen minutes. Not good to watch with poor Luke Medlock the sacrificial lamb. Others did not cope and there was more food for thought for the three day game. Hancock was the only bowler to go for less than four, taking two for thirty-five and Read's spell ended 10-1-48-4 - an essential ingredient in keeping the target down. The fielding remained mixed, it really is important that despite the weather conditions real energy is put into this aspect of the game, but our catching with one exception was far superior to our opponents. Hampshire's first and last fifties were their quickest. Sybil Anderton provided a varied Fayre with a wide selection of options, quickly devoured.
Devon had bowled at the exceptional rate of 20.27 overs per hour thus reducing their time in the field to just one hundred and forty-eight minutes, Hampshire were to bowl at 16.12 and spent an additional thirty-five minutes in the sun. Devon's extras were just fifteen with ten additional deliveries whilst Hampshire conceded forty-four extras bowling an extra thirty-one balls. This should all be food for thought and it be appreciated that much of what is discussed about our approach to games is not just unnecessary rhetoric. Devon opened with Abraham Kopparambil and Ed Middleton against Reynolds and Trodd, the former a long term opponent, the latter making his debut and the grandson of Hampshire's loyal scorer, Jan Trood. The openers put on thirty-five when in the seventh over Middleton was brilliantly caught by the diving Campbell one handed. The batsman had a close up view of the standards not only sought but required at this level. The fortunate bowler was Reynolds. Kopparambil was showing he had added a new dimension to his game not just looking a fine prospect but talking the talk! Ben Sapiecha was his new partner and the pair added the second highest partnership of the innings - seventy-one off ninety-one balls in forty-nine minutes. The pair ensured that Devon stayed in line with Hampshires worm and by the twenty-first over Devon were ahead. Unfortunately it was in this over that Sapiecha was out. He had sat padded up the previous day watching his Club side amass four hundred and forty-three runs! Sapiecha had scored twenty-eight and Devon were still ahead of their opponents innings but one had to factor in the thirty-six runs scored off the last two overs. The third wicket added twenty, not one of Devon's partnerships yielded less than ten - tick. Kopparambil passed his fifty in the twenty-second over but was out in the twenty-fourth, bowled, for a seventy-ball fifty-eight. He had hit eight fours in a most promising performance. The comparison, at Kopparambil's demise had Devon seven runs ahead. The Captain, who had scored at a run a ball the previous day, was joined by his replacement against Worcestershire, Jack Moore. Devon were now in the twenty-seventh over and the requisite ten runs were added before Khan was bowled by Wood for sixteen off eleven. Devon were now two wickets and runs ahead of their opponents. What followed was an exceptional, indeed match winning, partnership of ninety-two, the highest of the day off one hundred and fifteen balls in just one minute over the hour. It was a steady start with regular conversations, Sandy Allen had total confidence in the cricket awareness of both batsman and the pair proved him right. The one hundred and fifty came up in the thirty-first over, the fifty partnership in the thirty-eight and the two hundred in the forty-first. The pair batted together superbly. The visitors body language had turned 360° and the deck chair had become increasingly comfortable. This was a demonstration of batting with skill and common sense. By the fortieth over Devon were now one wicket in hand and seventeen runs ahead. There was so much for everyone to learn from the construction of this partnership. It was broken in the forty-fourth when Jack Moore was caught for thirty-nine essential runs. He had hit only four fours further confirming the cricket nous of the pair who had run well. Time to release our secret weapon for sadly the final time. Louis Morison and Onley-Gregson added sixteen off fourteen and Devon were in a reasonable position needing twenty-two at a run a ball. Louis Morison who has long lived by fencing equipment, was caught appropriately on the rope on the off side in front of the scoreboard by the scorers grandson. He leaves county age group cricket too soon - joining the two Maunders and Mickey Cooper as the most recent examples of the current demands of other professional sports but he will be remembered, in the main for the right reasons(!!), for some truly exceptional contributions! We thank him and wish him well. Sam Read completed a fine all-round performance as he first had to calm Onley-Gregson down as he had decided to go aerial. The pair added twenty-five off eighteen with five balls to spare. James Onley-Gregson scored a sixty-five ball fifty-seven (5 fours) and despite his rush of blood towards the end it was a typical classy OG innings. Hopefully he will also be bowling when we go to Great Rissington. Read was fourteen off nine - two fours. A really great performance- but still far from perfect. A good post match discussion as our attention now turns to the three day game but most certainly some of today's batting would not have been out of place in the longer format. From our day at Taunton Vale the players have pulled it all together, for some there has been an inability to fully understand County Age Cricket which is a disappointment. Thank you to Seaton Cricket Club for not only feeding us well but for providing us with a perfect platform to complete an excellent win. All those hours had not been wasted..
