Week 12

Gloucester v Devon

It was the hottest day of the year and the heat got to the Devon side who still put up a battling display despite ultimate defeat.

Gloucester batted first and finished on 224-9. Skipper Harry Southgate (3-45) with his leg breaks and opening bowler George Tapley (2-50) did their best to contain the home side at Kings School.

 Morgan Couch (32) and Harry Mount (48) put on 59 for the second wicket and there was a useful 21 from Surya Suresh, but Devon finished well short on 143 to lose by 81 runs.

 

Week 13

Devon v Somerset (two day game)

Day one had to be called off without a ball being bowled despite the valiant efforts of the ground staff at Ivybridge CC. 

Day two was switched to Taunton Vale for a declaration game.

Opening batters Southgate (40) and Julian Hayter (51) put on 62 for the first wicket with Fin Hill (38), Mount (44) and Jed Findlay (38) helping Devon to a 260-8 declared total.

Tapley (2-39) was the pick of the bowlers but Somerset finished on 188-5 for an inevitable draw.

 

Week 14

Devon v Wales

The two 'Harrys gave Devon a resounding victory at Heathcoat CC.

Will Popham (2-23) and spinner Suresh(3-45) limited the visitors to 200. Harry Mount (92 from 92 balls) and Arden (50 from 83) led the charge with Devon winning by eight wickets.

 

Week 16 

Somerset v Devon

A  bad day at the office all round. Somerset were allowed to get too many albeit on a small-boundary ground at King's College. Ben Kay (2-45) did get a couple of wickets and the 295-4 Somerset tally was not Mission Impossible. But a poor batting start for Devon never really got better, although there were great contributions from Jonathan Triner (65) and Harry Williams (39) lower down the order. Devon finished on 212

 

Week 16 

Gloucester v Devon  (two day game)

What a smashing two days. Two days away together as a squad, having to think about a different format of the game and two days of great hospitality at Great Rissington CC

Devon were all out for 145 in their first innings with Southgate (59), Suresh (33) and Tapley (23) among the runs. Kay (3-9) and Triner (2-18)  had the home county in trouble. Gloucester finished their first innings on 81-8.

Southgate (89) again led the way with Triner chipping in with 26 as Devon declared second time round on 165-5, setting their opponents a gettable target.  But great spells of medium pace from Kay (4-51) and Freddie Weir always had the hosts on the ropes. They managed to hang on at 204-8 with the match eventually drawn. 

 

Week 17 

Devon v Hampshire

Harry Mount, on home territory at  Chagford CC, top scored with 63 from 83 balls and Triner chipped in with a handy 27 as Devon scored 197 batting first. Tapley (2-33) was the main wicket-taker as Devon made their visitors fight all the way but Hampshire ran out winners by five wickets with just two overs to spare.

 

Week 18

Cornwall v Devon

Big thanks here to Ethan Brenton and Marcus Sapiecha who came in at the very last minute and made their debuts at Truro CC. And neither looked out of place.

Tapley finished with 2-61 as Cornwall were bowled out for 214. We all thought that skipper Southgate was about to finally notch his first ton of the season after going so close in previous games.   But sadly he was to fall in the nervous 90s - on 90 to be exact scored from 134 balls and including 10 fours. Hayter (28) and Arden (36) helped in the run chase with Devon winning in the 48th over.

 

Week 18

Devon v Gloucester

A wet and tricky wicket at Ottery St Mary made for an interesting and low-scoring game. Fin Hill took centre stage with both bat and ball for Devon. First he top scored with 40 as Devon had to settle for 140 batting first. Then he was given the new ball to open the attack and almost spun Devon to victory with 6-23 from his 10 overs. The visitors managed to just make it over the finishing line with just one wicket to spare.

 

Week 18

Gloucester v Devon

Will Popham (2-17) was among the wickets as the hosts were held to 165 at Lansdown CC. But the run chase proved too big an ask as Devon finished on 128-8. Tapley put on his batting boots to top score with 34.

 

Week 19

Hampshire v Devon

Well , it was certainly a rustic setting at Tichborn  Park CC and it turned out to be something of a rustic wicket with runs hard to come by.

Weir (3-23) grabbed his best haul of the season  and there were two wickets apiece from Hill and Popham as the hosts tallied 123.   Mount was the only Devon batter who looked like coping with the wicket. His 19 was the best it got as Devon were dismissed for just 83

 

SCOREBOARD

Gloucester 224-9 (Tapley 2-40, Southgate 3-45); Devon 143 (Couch 32, Mount 48, Suresh 21). Gloucester won by 81 runs.

Devon v Somerset Day One  - Abandoned

Day Two - Devon 260-8 dec (Southgate 40, Hayter 51, Hill 38, Mount 44, Findlay 28); Somerset 188-5 (Tapley 2-39) Match drawn

Wales 200 (Popham 2-23, Suresh 3-45); Devon 204-2 (Arden 50, Mount 92no). Devon won by eight wickets

Somerset 295-4 (Kay 2-45); Devon 212 (Triner 65, Williams 39). Somerset won by 83 runs

Day One - Devon 145 (Southgate 59, Suresh 33, Tapley 23); Gloucester 81-8 dec (Kay 3-9, Triner 2-18).

Day Two - Devon 165-5 dec (Southgate 89, Triner 26); Gloucester 204-8 (Kay 4-51). Match drawn

Devon 197 (Mount 63, Triner 27); Hampshire 200-5 (Tapley 2-33). Hampshire won by five wickets

Cornwall 217 (Tapley 2-61); Devon 218-4 (Southgate 90, Hater 28, Arden 36). Devon won by six wickets

Devon 140 (Hill 40, Sapiecha 17); Gloucester 144-9 (Hill 6-23). Gloucester won by one wicket

Gloucester 165 (Popham 2-17); Devon 128-8 (Tapley 34). Gloucester won by 37 runs.

Hampshire 123 (Popham 2-36, Hill 2-31, Weir 3-23); Devon 83 (Mount 19). Hampshire won by 40 runs.

 

Resume

 

This age group has  been dubbed the 'Unlucky Ones' after two summers  badly hit by Covid.

The biggest disappointments were the cancelling of the 14s festival at Kings and even more soul-destroying the trip to South Africa - this is the only year group to miss out since the tour began 25 years ago. The festival and the tour are absolutely crucial in the development of the players both as individuals and team members. It helps them to get to know and understand their team-mates and coaches so much better.

But the squad still stuck together through thick and thin and were an absolute pleasure to get to know and work with.

I believe every one of them has developed over the past couple of seasons making the squad stronger at the same time.

Our aim at this 'boys to young men' age group is to make them think more about the game, make them more cricket wise and harder and know what their best roles are as individuals and team-players. I hope we have gone a long way to achieving that. Big thanks to Tim Ward, all the players and all the parents and families who have been incredibly supportive, especially 'super scorer' Simon Tapley.