Wales broke the highest fifty over total against Devon which in view of the straight boundaries should not surprise anyone and Devon would have to score three hundred in a fifty over game for the first time to pick up the four points. Despite the missed opportunities Devon started reasonably well with Goodey bowling Voke in the fourth over and then having the dangerous Pearce caught by Thompson next over - Wales 32-2. Roberts was now at the crease and with Carlson put on seventy-six for the third wicket before the latter was trapped in front by Codd. This wicket fell in the twentieth over and Wales had scored at nearly five and a half. The fourth wicket added seventy-nine. Wales were one hundred and thirty-one at the half way stage with Pyle, as well as the two successful bowlers, employing FitzRoy, Reed, Petherbridge and himself in the attack. At five to one he introduced Rudolph and next over, the thirty-sixth, FitzRoy had Thornton caught by the captain. Roberts was still fifteen short of three figures and Wales one hundred and fifteen short of their final total. With ten overs to go Wales were 211-5 as Rudolph had Ward caught by the ever reliable fielder, Goodey. In the same over Roberts reached three figures. Wales then proceeded to score at nines over the last ten overs and the game was taken away from Devon. The day had warmed up as it progressed, in all ways, and the visitors were visibly wilting. Roles were reversed for the sixth wicket as Rudolph held the catch off Goodey - Wales 272-6 off forty-six. Roberts was now bringing out all his one day shots, which were of such a quality that showed how much he had worked at them. Codd picked up a second leg before in the final over from which, amazingly, only one run was scored off the bat. The Carew ladies (and their male colleagues!) had been working exceptionally hard since our arrival in their preparations and they put on a splendid tea.

Devon needed over six an over and this would need contributions all the way down. These unfortunately did not materialise and Devon ended fifty-two short only really being in the hunt on a couple of occasions. Harvey Sargent and his new one day partner, Charles FitzRoy, added seventy-four in two minutes over the hour off one hundred and ten balls. The fifty came up in the fourteenth over and two overs later the first wicket fell when FitzRoy was bowled by Pearce. The centurion from the two day game lasted eight balls and with his demise the importance of this wicket was clearly shown as the confidence of both sides altered dramatically. The third wicket pairing of Sargent and Dan Wolf put on the partnership of the innings - eighty-eight in only forty-seven minutes off one hundred and two balls. This was when Wales thought that it would not necessarily be plain sailing. The hundred was reached in over twenty-four and Devon were one hundred at eight at the half way stage. Drinks were taken in the thirty-fourth over with Devon now needing nines. If this was to be achieved these two batsmen would have to score hundreds. Sadly neither did. Wolf was unnecessarily run out going for a second in the thirty-seventh over and the rate was now up to thirteen runs an over. Wolf had batted really sensibly but fell in his dangerous forties, his county hundreds will arrive but unfortunately not in the youth system. It was good to watch Billy Rudolph regaining his county confidence as he and Sargent added the last meaningful partnership of the day - thirty-one. In over forty-three Sargent’s fine innings came to an end as Murphy bowled him six short of three figures. He faced one hundred and twenty-two in two hours twenty-one minutes hitting nine fours. Rudolph confirmed his true ability with a top shot for four through mid-wicket but having done so next ball he uncharacteristically gave Pearce the charge, missed the ball by the proverbial mile and was a similar measurement out of his ground. Toby Codd scored his first runs against Wales in 2015 and Maunder and Reed ensured Devon at least batted their overs.

With the game over at five thirty, Sandy and the mini-bus where on their way within the hour facing, traffic permitting, a five hour return journey. Having asked to reverse the two Welsh fixtures to reduce this aspect of the trip, one hopes that more thought is given to the opponents when fixture planning is undertaken in their new division. The retaliatory discussion was quickly squashed but, as it transpired, Wales had applied to join the Midland division. In reality the journey could have been worse but the timings were right as it was also the tail end of the rush hour. The side were fed at Gordano's, where we met up with former squad member, Brad Causey, and hopefully all were in bed before Friday.

For our final one day game of the summer it was overcast up to and arriving at Heathcoat. Although we were currently in a mixed pattern of weather with a shower or two never too far away, the ground was well covered and Sandy Allen had his side out early confident of a day's play. Due to the late pick up of their mini-bus in Bristol by the visitors, the start time had already been delayed but the game started at noon. Harvey Sargent and Charles FitzRoy set their side up brilliantly putting on one hundred and ten in the thirty-second over. This was the best competitive opening partnership of the summer. Sargent was the first to depart caught by Pierre of Haynes. He had contributed another fifty to his side’s cause and batted for one hundred minutes. The Gloucestershire bowlers had bowled one hundred and ninety-two balls. The captain joined FitzRoy and the Blundells’ pair put on another sixty-five runs in twenty-eight minutes as Devon started to turn the screw. At the half way stage they had been on a below par seventy-eight so the tempo had to be lifted. By the fortieth over Devon were one hundred and seventy-five but they also lost the key wicket of Dan Pyle for a twenty-five ball thirty-three, as Pierre took his second catch. Dan Wolf kept up the momentum scoring a sixteen ball sixteen as he helped add twenty-nine in twelve minutes. Tom Lammonby, fresh from his success as Batsman of the Bunbury Festival, helped add another important thirty-four runs at a run a ball in nineteen minutes. Charles FitzRoy provided the glue necessary to take Devon up to their final total of two hundred and thirty-eight. Taking into account the conditions, in particular the damp slow outfield, this was perhaps par. FitzRoy was unbeaten on ninety-five off one hundred and forty-two balls hitting eleven fours. It was a selfless performance but he will perhaps regret not taking this opportunity of scoring five more runs to enter the elite list of Devon centurions. A major plus was that Lakhami's googly did not take out any Devon batsmen.

Mrs Thompson provided an excellent Lasagne and Devon were in the field at three thirty. Goodey again struck early bowling Palmer with his eighth ball and FitzRoy had Probert caught by Lammonby off his twelfth delivery leaving Gloucestershire 17-2. Goodey struck again twenty-six balls later bowling Ellis - 29-3. The dangerous Gloucestershire captain Loud lasted nine balls when Codd held the catch off Goodey. The Plymouth bowler had taken 3-23 off his first five overs. Codd entered the attack in the sixteenth over and with the fifth ball of his second over bowled Cooper-Llanes - 62-6. Debutant Harry Ward came into the attack in the twenty-eighth over and Gloucestershire were one short of three figures at the end of the over. He took the next two wickets to fall. First an outstanding catch from Petherbridge removed keeper Slade but the fielder’s celebration was slightly over the top as he nearly threw the ball over his shoulder for six and somehow lost a boot. The second catcher was more used to taking outstanding catches as Dan Wolf held yet another good one. Nelson struck in the thirty-fifth over as Codd held a caught and bowled. Devon had performed outstandingly to reduce Gloucestershire to 111-8 with fifteen overs remaining for the last two wickets to score one hundred and twenty-seven. It was incredibly disappointing that they actually added another one hundred and one runs. The momentum changed over the two last partnerships and was not to be regained by Devon over the next two days as they disastrously lost the two day game on first innings. The final wicket of the one day game fell in the forty-seventh over as the ninth wicket put on seventy-eight. Thompson ran out number ten, Drissell, for forty-two. The final wicket pairing of under 16 captain, Haynes, and Hooper put on an unbroken twenty-three in twelve minutes and Gloucestershire ended just twenty-six short and on top. The inability of Devon sides to finish off their opposition continues and we need to be far more ruthless and being less complacent is a trait that needs to be learnt at an earlier age. With Hampshire beating Wales - Devon shared second place in the table with the Welsh.

The final two days of the under seventeen season were not perfect but it was still good to be back at Sandford after a break. With the under fifteens playing a championship game it was necessary to re-jig the side. Ben Phillips who had previously been in as a batsman now took over the gauntlets and Harry Ward and Christian Cabburn came in for their two day under seventeen debuts. Having lost their way for the final forty-seven minutes the previous evening it was absolutely vital that Devon set the required tone from the outset. Dan Pyle won his final toss and Devon batted. They lost their most successful batsman from the preceding day in the fifth over and although nine home batsmen got starts the highest individual contribution was the captain’s thirty-six. This was really disappointing and if it had not been for a tenth wicket partnership of fifty-four only one batting point would have been picked up. This was a missed opportunity to end the season on the high that the players deserved. Devon reached a typically outstanding Sandford lunch on a just below par - one hundred and nine for three. In addition to the loss of FitzRoy leg before, Rudolph and Sargent were both caught behind by Slade bowled Hooper. Senior batsmen Dan Wolf and Dan Pyle were now at the crease and it was hoped that they would set their side up in the second session of the day. However the captain fell in the third post lunch over and Will Thompson thirteen balls later. Devon were now up against it on one hundred and twenty-two for five. Dan Wolf and his long term South Devon colleague had added another four before Wolf's outstanding youth career came to an end. Ben Phillips fell in fifty-first over with Devon now seven down and thirty-one short of a point. Toby Codd had fought hard for forty-six minutes was then trapped in front and Devon still needed thirteen runs for a vital second point. Dan Goodey's final contribution with the bat was seventeen but he fell having secured the point with Devon on 206. The final pairing of under fifteen friends Harry Ward and Matt Petherbridge took the home side up to two hundred and sixty with Ward undefeated on twenty-eight (fifty-three minutes, fifty-five balls and five fours) and Petherbridge was the fifth and final leg before of the innings out for a thirty-three ball nineteen that included four fours. It was a pleasure watching these two go about their business. Devon were all out just a minute before the appointed tea interval. Something new and used in the first class game this summer was a second slip with helmet and this was employed by Gloucestershire resulting in an excellent slip catch was taken, due to the fielder’s ability to get closer to the action. This is something that is likely to become increasingly common in years to come.

It was important for Devon to make major inroads into the Gloucestershire batting before close of play. Codd took an exceptional slip catch off Goodey to remove Palmer, Goodey trapped Cooper-Lines in front and in the sixteenth over Pyle caught Forbes off Petherbridge. Devon took their final wicket of the session in their twenty-third over when Thompson caught Ellis off the Torquay spinner. At close Gloucestershire were one hundred and twenty-one for four with key batters Slade and Loud at the crease.

A tripod had grown overnight in front of the pavilion, which reduced the pre match preparation area as Devon undertook a reasonable final warm-up. The home side’s day could not have started better as, second ball, Harvey Sargent caught the opposition’s captain, Loud, off Petherbridge. Gloucestershire needed one hundred and thirty-five. Without further addition the other overnight batsman was out bowled by the ever persevering Dan Goodey. The odds would perhaps now have been with the home side needing just four wickets. However as the previous day Gloucestershire's later batsmen had other ideas. The caught Wolf bowled Codd combination removed Lakhani in the fifty ninth over and Gloucestershire were seven wickets down eight short of two hundred. A fifteen minute rain break followed but in his next over Toby Codd bowled Smith with Gloucestershire still two runs short of a second bonus point. The visitors took out the long handle and scored at a run a ball off the remaining thirty-three balls before the interval and lunch was taken with Gloucestershire on 231-9. The home side were still confident but in a season when every chance had not been accepted it was vital that they made up for this failing in their last opportunity of being in the field together. Nine overs after another Nicky Radnor special, Devon had lost the opportunity of coming second to the eventual National Champions, Hampshire. Instead Wales were runners-up and we ended up third. Eventually Charles FitzRoy took the final wicket with Gloucestershire twelve runs short of a fourth batting point. The final pairing had outdone our own by putting on ninety frustrating runs in seventy-nine minutes off one hundred and forty-two balls. Particularly in retrospect, this was an increasingly disappointing end to a summer when the squad had far exceeded expectations. Rain was forecast for around three, it arrived at two minutes before the tea interval after Toby Codd had been caught behind for five, Sargent was unbeaten on ten and the captain adding to his record breaking summer by a red inker thirty-nine. Neither side picked up a second innings bonus point and after some consideration the game was finally abandoned and the seventeen's summer of 2015 was over. Sandford had again provided what they always do exceptionally well, a brilliant facility for the two days

This was a season where everyone made a contribution, some statically not as strong as others but it really was a team effort. Having written that the captain scored 26% of the side’s runs, Dan Goodey took 25% of our wickets, whilst Goodey, Codd and Petherbridge bowled over half of the side’s overs. Three batsmen averaged over forty - always the target set for the top order - Pyle, Lammonby and Sargent and six bowlers had an economy of less than four an over - Szymanki, Goodey, Petherbridge, Codd, Rudolph  and Hagan Burt. Codd, Sargent, Goodey and Wolf all took five or more catches and Sam Maunder dismissed thirteen batsmen. Three hundreds were scored, one a double hundred, and two batsmen reached the nineties. Twelve players from the sixteens gained experience and overall it was a summer of progress. This group were exceptional for what they achieved as one has only to consider the players, who for whatever reason, were not available for consideration. This group and families will be long remembered and appreciated. The scorer continued in her efficient way and Sandy Allen was a great acquisition both on and off the field. Three day cricket, white balls and coloured clothing now beckon as under 17 cricket evolves .