There are some games you just want to forget and this comprehensive defeat by the Haberdashers Aske School is one of them. Axminster provided us with another perfect summers day but the performance from Devon did not match the weather. This is the game we give opportunities to players who have worked hard through the winter or have been recommended to us during the summer. In reality it is one of the more important games as it provides the ideal opportunity to show off a players skills and give a guide to their temperament and attitude. Devon lost the toss and were in the field and it was a bright start as Luke Medlock struck early bowling Wright in the seventh with thirty-nine on the board and trapping Talker in front in the ninth. The captain Jack Moore had Rasakulasuria caught by debutant Freddie Creer in the tenth and Devon were well placed having taken three wickets with the School side scoring at just under fives, seventy-seven were added by the fourth wicket pairing before Oliver Pugsley had Ignatius trapped in front. The visitors at the half way point were one hundred and thirty for four. Over the remaining twenty-five overs they scored another one hundred and fifty-two scoring at over six an over. Devon took another five wickets, three were taken by Pugsley. He bowled Codd in the thirty-second over, Ford caught Shah off his bowling in the thirty-five and he had Pandya caught behind by Horler in the fortieth. Haberdashers scored at sevens over the final ten overs. The final wicket taken fell in the forty-third over when Sam Read bowled Granger. Pugsley took 4-69 off ten. It had been three hard hours and Devon now had to score at 5.64 it would be an interesting test.
Pasta and fruit salad with ice cream nourished Devon who never really got going - they were scoring at fours and were already three down by the tenth over. Fortunately Jack Moore providing some glue to the innings and he was at the crease for over a hundred minutes whilst his side score one hundred and forty-nine runs. He was supported by first Freddie Ford, fresh from his maiden league hundred, in an innings of a minute under a hour, Luke Medlock, James Horler and Ben Forsey with whom he put on fifty-seven the highest partnership of the innings. Moore was eventually caught in the forty-sixth over with his side still ninety-five short. He had scored a ninety-six ball seventy-eight hitting four fours and sixes. Ben Forsey was the second highest scorer with twenty as Devon were all out in the forty-ninth over four short of two hundred and eighty-six runs adrift. Devon did not really compete as they should, indeed one player did not think the game was an important one. That says an awful amount about the player. Haberdashers deserve a more competitive game in 2019. Our thanks to their scoring team for getting us through a meltdown just as the ice creams arrived. Our thanks once again to Peter Kiy who as usual was everywhere.
