SEB Linnitt might just be the youngest player ever to score a Devon League century in a 1stXI match after caning Ottery St Mary’s bowlers for 122 in Shaldon Optimists’ 52-run play-off semi-final win.
Linnitt, who is only 13, opened up against Ottery and was last out in their total of 252 for six. Along the way there was a stand of 104 with Adam Dowsing (39) and one of 48 with Joe Wilcox (19).
The league’s record keeping is not 100 per cent accurate, but it is only in the past half-dozen seasons that 12 or 13 year olds have been allowed to play in the competition. And there is no trace of one scoring a hundred before.
Linnitt, has been part of the youth academy at Shaldon since the age of four and is the skipper of the Devon under-13 side. He is a student at Blundell's School in Tiverton, where former Devon opening batsman Liam Lewis is his age-group coach.
Of the seven bowlers Ottery skipper Alex Clements turned to, only Jonathan Triner (4-24) took more than one wicket.
Ottery started positively – George Mutter (24) and Triner (28) opening up confidently – then wickets started to fall to Tshepo Legodi (2-47) and that lad Linnitt (2-28).
Rick Jackson finished unbeaten on 51 and Freddie Eul-Baker made 35 as Ottery meandered to 200 for seven.
Shaldon go to Cullompton in the third-place play-off for Group Three teams. Cullompton were waved through into the final by Whimple, who were unable to raise a side.