Two years ago the Captain was on a rugby tour so he missed Devon's first ever three day outright win at Great Rissington in Gloucestershire. Fortunately in 2018 Jamie Khan was on hand to take a leading part in repeating this somewhat rare achievement. Worcestershire and Hampshire had shown earlier in the week that high scoring draws tend to be the norm, particularly in a sun soaked summer. This was generally an exceptional performance by Devon over three days in broiling conditions. Realistically both the Captain and Sandy Allen took the opportunity in the brief post match discussions to expand on areas that still need attention and we also have to make immediate preparations to ensure we have a tight, cohesive and united unit in place for our remaining three games and in particular the final game against Worcestershire which clashes with the Boardmaster Festival. The alternate years' travel bring different demands but the even years are normally the less demanding but this year our three hour journey to Chipping Norton was in temperatures of 33°c plus. We have not travelled in such heat since the Under 19s cross county trip to Suffolk in 1998, the major difference was that then the mini-bus did not have air conditioning and equally important the air conditioning in the car worked! We arrived at the Crown and Cushion in time for an alfresco meal together although sweaters were needed towards the end. The discussion took a somewhat strange and divisive twist but Devon, and all it stands for, were back on the road together as the final result showed. It was a twenty minute drive to the ground, in 2016 it had been only a few minutes, and we found the outfield most certainly browner than those in Devon and in the archery area and elsewhere some large cracks had developed. We thoroughly enjoyed our three days at this venue who could not have made us more welcome and provided us with everything including a lightning outfield even if it did take some time to penetrate the top boundary. In London a flypast had been arranged to celebrate the centenary of the RAF and the majority of the planes appeared to be taking off from the various RAF bases in the Cotswolds, it made interesting viewing even if the noise was intense. On the third day the Red Arrows gave the ground a personal flypast as victory approached. Jamie Khan wanted to field first but accepted the majority view but by default he had his way as he lost the toss. As the game progressed he kept advising anyone who would listen (not many) that he had been right. So the game started - in the first session Devon's close catching was exceptional but the ground fielding came from the other end of the spectrum. This must have been very galling for the captain who on the previous Sunday had played a part in the Lions finest ever fielding and bowling performance. Most unusually for the majority of this game Devon appeared to be in control which says much for the character, perseverance and desire of the players. Critically Devon took out both the dangerous Gloucestershire openers before the home side had reached double figures and they never really looked back. Elliot Adams amazing opening spell dismissed them both, with his second ball he had Ayres caught neatly by Abraham Kopparambil in the gulley, in his next over he had the home sides captain Price caught behind by Sam Taylor. The Bovey all-rounder, a key player in the set up, was now back in the fold for the summer having made his hockey international debut in Glasgow a couple of weeks earlier. The dream start continued and Gloucestershire were three down when Tom Simmons bowled the unplayable delivery to bowl Senior. Fifty-two had been added for the third wicket. Another plus of this trip was that the Senior Pro, James Onley-Gregson, was easing himself back into bowling and he took the fourth wicket in the seventeenth over having Goodman caught at slip by Ed Middleton. Gloucestershire were now seventy-one for four. Nelson struck twice first Under 16s Luke Medlock and Sam Read combined to remove Tryfones. Read's catch at second slip was simply superlative, diving one handed to take one of the finest ever catches at this level. Seven balls later Ahmed was Sam Taylor's second victim, this time off Max Hancock. In the twenty-fourth over the home side were in trouble on one hundred and eleven with six down. Lunch (chicken pie and chocolate brownies) was taken after the thirty-sixth over with Gloucestershire on one hundred and fifty-four and the captain having switched his attack using seven bowlers. Millard and Gunn had put on the highest partnership of the innings - fifty-six when in the fortieth over Ed Middleton had Millard caught by Hancock. In the same over on the same score, one hundred and sixty-seven Middleton trapped Trotman in front. Thirty-eight runs were added by the final two wickets, all for the ninth wicket when Hancock had Gunn leg before and White caught Worgan to give Middleton his third wicket.  In forty-nine overs Gloucestershire had secured two batting points in reaching two hundred and five. Devon would have sixty-one overs to either pass or eat into this total. At close they were eight runs in the lead with four wickets in hand.

The openers put on eighteen in six when Sam Read decided to bring out his pull. Moth balls flew everywhere as he mistimed it to be caught at mid wicket. James White and Abraham Kopparambil added thirty when Kopperambil was brilliantly snapped up at short leg by Ayres. The fielder is a natural in this difficult but essential position. He looked as if he would snap up or stop everything coming in his direction. Most certainly a best practice demonstration of this art. Jamie Khan and White added forty-two in twelve overs and both looked comfortable at the crease. They took Devon to tea two down on seventy-seven. Twenty-five balls after the interval Khan was back with his team as he picked out Millard the one man out on the rope. Devon were still ten short of three figures. Jack Moore and James White took Devon to within fourteen of a first batting point when Moore was caught off Russell. Further stability was needed and the right man joined James White who was now past his first Devon Under 17 fifty and looking as if he would convert it into three figures. The pair added two, one each as White was trapped in front by Price. He had scored a most credible sixty, hitting six fours in his hundred minutes at the crease facing ninety-three deliveries. Much of the success of any three day team is the ability of the lower half of the side to bat in various different circumstance. If a team have batters of the required calibre to do this success normally follows. Onley-Gregson and Sam Taylor started slowly but incredibly sensibly as they got Devon back on course adding sixty taking their team to within two runs of a second batting point and eight of a lead. Sides need hearts and this side is blessed with some exceptional hearts. These two and Elliot Adams set up the final result. Onley-Gregson will have been as disappointed as anyone that he was out twenty-seven balls before the close. The pair had added sixty in nineteen overs demonstrating a decent shot selection and not a little skill and character. Fortunately the next pairing continued in this vein. Onley-Gregson had scored twenty-four off fifty-six balls and he had batted for three minutes less. Elliot Adams faced a tricky nineteen balls having been promoted to see Devon into the next day. In fact he had started a record breaking partnership. We again ate outside, it still got cold but we could reflect on a good day's work but we still had an awful lot to do.

Taylor and Adams thankfully did the business, neither had batted this summer as well as they can at club level but they both demonstrated their true potential on a pitch that was taking some spin. They broke the long standing seventh wicket partnership by Marc Bettiss and Callum Doutch in 2002 when they scored 132 together. This had been the match at Millfield when James Hildreth fully demonstrated his ability with the bat, something he is still achieving at Taunton. Common sense is so important in the makeup of a cricketer and these two not only demonstrated this trait but they both can also bat. They gained the two outstanding batting points and put their side into a position where four hundred should be reached. The South Devon pairing really demonstrated what is needed at this level and this partnership really emphasised the importance of integrity in players as they scored at nearly fives in the twenty-six overs they shared in the morning session. The Abotskerswell stalwart was on target for a hundred, he really did not look in any difficulty and all from Devon were really disappointed that he did not score another twenty runs. He had batted for one hundred minutes and faced one hundred and three delivers despatching twelve fours and a six. The pair had added one hundred and forty-two off one hundred and eighty-five deliveries. A master class in constructing a partnership,  demonstrating maturity and skill. Devon had three wickets, all batsman who think they should be batting higher up the order, with the well set Taylor now nine short of a maiden county century to score at least another sixty runs for a total of four hundred. Taylor got up to ninety-nine when the proverbial wheels starting rolling in a tremendously disappointing spell. Middleton gave Price the charge and was so far down did not bother to try to regain his ground, two balls later Hancock gave Ayres catching practice, add on two, Devon now had just one wicket to score the fifty-one needed to make the cushion more comfortable. Medlock's first task was to get Taylor to his hundred. Two dotes achieved this and then Taylor added to the tension as he presented cover with the easiest of catches, which he dropped and the vital single was taken and the applause was very genuine and warm. The final pairing took Devon up to three hundred and sixty-three a partnership of fourteen. Three partnerships had not reached the minimum target. The stats prove what an innings Taylor's had been he was unbeaten on one hundred and nine which had been off one hundred and sixty-six balls in four minutes under three hours - welcome back. Devon had five minutes to get in two overs before lunch, for all the wrong self inflicted reasons they got in just one. Goulash and an exceptional cheese cake and plans set.

Ayres, in more sedate mode, and Price batted as they can putting on sixty-four off sixteen overs. Jack Moore then took an important catch to remove the free scoring Ayes to give Hancock his first wicket. Devon now drifted for an hour, which was fortunately the only time they did in the match. The introduction of Sam Read changed what had become a somewhat monotonous spell where the visitors were apparently going nowhere. With the last ball of his first over he bowled Senior and the buzz returned to Devon and sixty balls later Devon were really back in the game as Read bowled the dangerous Price. The home sides coach believed this batsman had the ability to bat at least two hundred balls so fortunately he had only faced one hundred and thirty-three! Devon's original lead had been one hundred and fifty-eight and Gloucestershire were now in practice thirteen for three. Devon knew they did not want to be chasing too many on the third day. The third wicket had been taken in the fortieth over and now after tea Jamie Khan was making regular sensible bowling changes. Max Hancock rejoined the attack in the fifty-eighth over and he bowled Tryfonos with his second ball. The home side were now four down two short of two hundred. The fifth wicket added forty-nine when Goodman was picked up by first rate classical short leg catch. This was Reads third wicket and possible the first of many catches in this position from Abarham Kopparambil. He has still much to learn with regard the basics but we have another seventeen days together this summer to work on his technique. It was an excellent catch. Read and Hancock then took another three wickets before close. In his next over Read bowled Milard - 266-6 (108-6). Gunn was leg before to Hancock and Read bowled Troman. At close Gloucestershire were 275-8 a lead of one hundred and seventeen. Great Rissington had kindly allowed us to watch the semi-final on their big screen, Pizzas and cheesecakes were eaten and England sadly bowed out of the World Cup.

It would be no exaggeration to indicate the first session of the final day could be the most important session of the season as the tone for the summer would be set. Devon won it with another immaculate display by batters and bowlers. The first innings batting had set up a win and the bowlers took their opportunity. The home side spent nearly fifty minutes pre match preparation working with their bowlers devising the best way to bowl us out. A lead of over one hundred and fifty might have set up an interesting game. Read struck in the fifth over of the morning removing Worgan with another successful shout. Max Hancock dismissed Shafi in similar fashion in the eighteenth over as Gloucestershire set Devon one hundred and sixty-three for twenty-four points. Our two spinners had bowled magnificently Read's figures were the eleventh best at this level - 25-6-70-6 (strike rate 25.17) ; Max Hancock's contribution was equally important - 31.4-6-88-4. They had built on the hard work of the batters.

Openers Sam Read and Abraham Kopparambil virtually won the game on their own as they put on the perfect opening partnership, both demonstrating an excellent temperament. At lunch the pair were one run short of three figures, they had not given a chance and faced four bowlers but mainly Russell (who had bowled over eighty overs at Devon over the past nine days) and Price. It had been really important that Devon got off to a decent start and these two under 16s provided the perfect base, another exceptional partnership. Lunch,  quiche salad and meringue, cream and fruit, concluded an enjoyable time at this friendly club. A ten wicket win was very much on the cards but a senseless run out ended the first century county opening partnership since August 2015. This one had been vital as the composed pair had set their side up for the perfect start to this programme. Kopparambil sometimes gets himself out when the opposition cannot - normally stumped but this time he ran himself out which was a major tragedy as he had continued in his exceptional 2018 form. What's more it also made the result look less dominant on paper. He had scored sixty-seven at a rate of 101.52 hitting eight stylish fours. White, Khan and Moore quickly followed as Devon fell away from 116-0 to 153-4 but at least all the partnerships had got past ten! Mr Dependable and Read took Devon home with Onley-Gregson not out five and Read on seventy-seven including nine fours and two sixes in nearly two hours at the crease. Not many have taken six wickets, scored over eighty runs and taken a blinding catch in the same game - an extraordinary performance. The debrief, led by the captain, looked at areas that can be improved and these must be achieved if we are to build on this start. The side have a week off to reflect and hopefully refine their skills with the sixteens an excellent opportunity of doing this at Taunton Vale. Mention must be made of the two umpires Hollingsworth and Turi who were close to perfection working as an unobtrusive but most competent team.

Scorecard