Devon Under 18 Boys were crowned Vitality Under 18 Boys National County T20 champions at Kibworth CC on Sunday, September 8 after beating Berkshire by 5 wickets, almost a year after falling to defeat against the same opponents.

Eliminator | Cheshire vs Devon

Scorecard

Cheshire 71-9 (Z Rogers 32, J Wong 12; G Tapley 3-6, M Whalley 1-10)

Devon Under 18 Boys 72-5 (J Nott 18*, O Gribble 16; F Nash 2-7, J Collett 1-11)

Devon beat Cheshire by 5 wickets.

Match Report

Cheshire were all that stood between the Under 18 Boys and a rematch of last year's final, with Devon securing a resounding victory in the Finals Day Eliminator.

After winning the toss and electing to field, Devon's disciplined bowling attack restricted Cheshire to 71-9 in their 13 overs, reduced due to overnight and early morning rain, setting the stage for a controlled chase.

Devon's bowlers were on top from the outset, with Josh Nott making an immediate impact by bowling opener Evan Withe for a duck with the very first ball of the game. Cheshire struggled to recover, with only Zak Rogers offering significant resistance. His 32 runs, featuring three boundaries and a six, was the highlight of a brittle Cheshire innings. However, Rogers found little support from the other end, as Devon's bowlers consistently applied pressure.

The standout performance came from George Tapley, who delivered a game-changing spell of 3-6 from three overs, dismantling Cheshire's middle and lower order. Contributions from Josh Thompson, Sam Burns, and Nott, who each claimed a wicket, further crippled Cheshire's batting lineup. Sharp fielding also played a part, with Wicket-keeper Oli Gribble involved in two run-outs.

In response, Devon began their chase with confidence. Openers Matt Whalley (14) and Gribble (16) provided a solid foundation, taking the score to 28 before both fell to the bowling of Finley Nash. Despite a minor wobble, with Devon losing five wickets for 54 runs, Nott's composed 18*, which came from three sixes off four balls, guided the team home in the 11th over.

Devon reached 72-5 in 11 overs, sealing a five-wicket victory and progressing to the final.

Final | Berkshire vs Devon

Scorecard

Berkshire 99ao (B Brown 33, J Lawson 16; J Nott 3-12, S Suresh 2-17)

Devon 102-5 (J Triner 29, C Gaywood 21; G Radhakrishnan 2-17, O Moore 1-17)

Devon beat Berkshire by 5 wickets.

Match Report

In a rematch of last season's final, the Under 18 Boys went one further and capped off a dominant day at Kibworth CC by defeating Berkshire in a tense final. After winning the toss and electing to field, Devon's bowlers once again rose to the occasion, bowling out Berkshire for just 99 runs in 20 overs.

Devon's bowling unit, led by the impressive Nott, quickly dismantled Berkshire's batting lineup. Nott claimed 3-12 in his four overs, making early inroads by dismissing Ben Salter for 1 and cleaning up the lower order. He was ably supported by Surya Suresh (2-17) and Tapley (1-17), while sharp fielding from Devon resulted in three run-outs, including key dismissals of Ralf Beer (14) and Berkshire captain Jacob Lawson (16). Bobby Brown provided some resistance for Berkshire with 33 from 34 balls, but once he was dismissed, the innings collapsed.

Chasing 100 for victory, Devon's top order laid a solid foundation. Captain Jonathan Triner led from the front with a fluent 29 off 26 balls, including four boundaries and a six. Despite losing opener Gribble for a duck, Devon built partnerships at key moments. Charlie Gaywood added a composed 21 off 37 balls, while Freddie Cockram anchored the chase with an unbeaten 13 as wickets fell around him.

Berkshire's bowlers fought hard, with Girish Radhakrishnan (2-17) and Oscar Moore (1-17) taking important wickets, but Devon's batters held their nerve. Cockram and Zach Vukusic (9* off 5) saw Devon over the line in 16.3 overs, securing a five-wicket victory and clinching the T20 title.

credit: Wendy Burns

Photos courtesy of Wendy Burns.