CONSIDERING the rain that fell over the winter and spring - let alone at the weekend – Exeter looked in fine fettle with a wicket with decent carry and bounce. The initial pre-match preparation was in the main a non-event but presumably half the side needed to improve their keepy-uppy technique as the first half hour bore no resemblance to the game we were about to embark on. The coach launched his second broadside of the season, let us hope it is successful as his first and pre -match preparation is not mentioned again in 2018.The South and West decided to bat and both opening bowlers Tom Simmons and debutant Sonny Baker bowled well, making life difficult for the openers. The pair took early vital wickets, first Baker made one bounce and keeper Morison took the lobbed catch to remove Randev - the opener had batted for 12 minutes and scored six off twenty-three 6-1. Fifteen were added for the second wicket in five overs before Simmons floored one of Smith's stumps. This brought Baird to the cease, he had scored a hundred on this ground the previous summer against our Development XI. The South and West now had two fine keeper-batsmen at the crease as Baird joined Wales's Horton. The Welsh pathway manager, Devon's Matt Thompson, was a welcome visitor to the County Ground. The pair put on the highest partnership of the innings - 69 off 106 balls Devon the regional side up to 90 at the half way stage. Ultimately it was a magnificent direct throw at the bowlers end from Eliott Hamilton that broke the partnership with Baird departing back to the pavilion and our fist tick in a SA box. Devon now started putting their opponents under real pressure, missing just one sharp chance behind over the remaining one hundred and twenty-three balls. The skilled Horton was dismissed in the thirty-second over to give Holmes his first dismissal and Morison his second as he stumped the Welsh keeper. The West were now nine past three figures and the fifth wicket added ten when Holmes picked up his second with Max Hancock taking the skied chance. Hamilton had Coles caught by Woodcock - 122-6. Forty were added for the seventh wicket when Abbas was the second debutant, Ben Beaumont's, first important contribution to Devon Under-17 cricket catching the all-rounder to give Simmons his second wicket. From 162-7 the West fell away to 171 all out with twenty-nine balls unused. First Baker had a potential Bunbury colleague, Charlesworth, caught by one of last year's festival members - Hancock; Beaumont took his second catch this time off Baker to send Nicholls on his way and his third catch removed Prest who had seen fifty-two runs added. Devon had taken seven catches fulfilling another of the pre match objectives. Simmons had taken 3-18 off eight overs and Baker 3-13 off forty-three deliveries. On the down side Devon had bowled 19 wides and conceded 30 extras - a negative cross. The over rate had been good and overall is was a decent fielding performance with some of our bowlers getting in much needed overs.
An early first lasagne of the summer and Devon needed just under three and a half an over. We were looking at the previous Sunday's proposed opening partnership of East Devon's Sam Read and Byron Knowles. The Sidmouth all-rounder was caught in the third over and an unwell Eliott Hamilton, fresh from his match-winning performance for Plympton on Saturday and a 99 the previous day only sadly lasting four balls. Devon were two down with six on the new Geoff Evans Scoreboard. It was noe an Exeter School partnership as Read was joined by his captain, Jamie Khan, and the pair clawed back the initiative for the home side putting on an excellent seventy off eighty-nine balls in forty-two minutes. After a somewhat sombre winter Read looked back at his normal best. Devon were still ninety-six short when Read, left his first team colleague for a useful 28. Acceptable for this game but he must get greedier in the competitive games. The fourth-wicket pairing took Devon to within 32 of their first victory of the summer in an outstanding partnership of 64. Cornwood's Ben Beaumont, who had enjoyed his trip to Berkshire on Sunday, joined his captain and made a most impressive impression in his new environment. Khan was batting as Jamie Khan always does, timing the ball to perfection. A-levels are his main priority at present but from a Devon viewpoint it was good he had time at the crease whilst on study leave. Beaumont who had joined the EPP cohort late in the winter looked a real prospect striking the ball cleanly with wise shot selection. Khan had hit six fours and a six in his eighty-two minutes at the crease, facing eighty-one balls in scoring 62. A drinks break was his undoing. Beaumont watched the sides keeper depart with the home side one short of a hundred and fifty and fell himself six runs later eight short of a deserved maiden fifty. Holmes and the final new boy, Luke Medlock, took Devon up to 168 when the Sidmouth off-spinner was caught leaving Hancock the opportunity of striking the winning runs and with Medlock the first red inkers of the summer.
The coach was disappointed by the final margin of the victory and we had lost too many wickets to injudicious shots so there was little to argue about. Ben Green had been called into the Somerset side to play a leading part and his father had been a brilliant host all day as Exeter always tend to be.
