Somerset CCC next for North Devon as bicentenary celebrations gather pace | Free admission to see stars in action at Instow
BY CONRAD SUTCLIFFE
THE big games just keep coming for North Devon CC as their bicentennial celebrations pick-up pace.
Hard on the heels of an traditional, all-day game against the MCC, which North Devon won, comes something altogether more modern.
Somerset, who beat Essex earlier this month to win the Vitality Blast Twenty20 title, are bringing a T20 side to Instow on Tuesday to play the crash-bang-wallop version of the game.
Not all the big names will be released to play, which counts out former North Devon player Craig Overton, but spectators can expect to see a smattering of white-ball specialists that don’t always feature in the longer versions of the game.
“Somerset have a Championship game starting on Tuesday so, sadly, Craig won’t be playing,” said Mark Ansell, the North Devon CC chairman.
“Admission to the game is free, the bar will be open and the start time is 2pm.”
North Devon defeated MCC by four wickets in a celebration of a long-standing association between the clubs.
Cricket clubs don’t come much older than the MCC, which was formed in 1787 and has been based at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London since 1814.
MCC sides have been visiting Instow for more than a hundred years – the earliest known fixture dates back to 1895 – which made them wholly appropriate opposition for a bicentenary game.
When MCC first visited the Sandhills matches were two-innings declaration games played over two days. Two-day games may be a thing of the past but, in a nod to the fixture’s antecedents a declaration game was agreed and played out.
Jamie Baird, the former Somerset 2nd XI player, top scored for MCC with 131 in their total of 251 for seven declared.
Baird went in at 17 for two and lost ex-Devon batsman James Toms (21) soon after. Toms, who plays for Plymouth, is renowned for being one of only eight batters in 118 years to make a century on his Devon debut.
Rob Holman, another ex-Devon batsman now semi-retired from league cricket with Heathcoat, went in third wicket down and made 69 towards a stand of 146 with Baird.
There are no limitations on bowlers in declaration games, which allowed North Devon’s new overseas player Abhishek Batra (right) to spin through 17 overs, although he finished without a wicket.
Richard Screech, freed from task of keeping wicket, sent down 12.5 overs for figures of three for 59.
Josh Atkinson, who got to use the new ball for North Devon, had impressive figures of two for 24 from eight overs.
North Devon’s reply was solid rather than spectacular at first with the Windleys – Isaac and Reuben making a pair of 21s – then skipper Tom Popham getting the chase up to 81 for four.
The pace went up appreciably with the arrive of Jay Rothery, who uncomplicated approach to batting brought him seven sixes and five fours in a rapid 84 from 42 balls. Popham – 45 off 72 balls – was at the other end during a stand of 106 with Rothery that put North Devon in the control.
Fred King (23) and Jack Popham (26no) took North Devon most of the rest of the way. Ollie Uffindal (3-93) was MCC’s leading wicket taker. Rupert Kitzinger, an old adversary of Devon’s during his time with Dorset, had one for 29 from nine tidy overs.
- Although there are only partial scorecard details on record for the 1895 match between North Devon and MCC, the repeat fixture in 1896 benefits from marginally better documentation. A memorable feature of the meting was the bowling of North Devon left-arm spinner Frank Lemarchand, who took eight MCC wickets in the first innings of the game. Despite Lemarchand’s heroics, North Devon lost after being forced to follow-on 76 runs behind.
