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This was another splendid performance from a side that is starting to gel well together which is an important objective every season. We obviously welcomed the selection of Max Hancock to fill a vital void in the Minor Counties side with his ability to turn the ball away from right handed batsmen. The loss of Hancock to senior cricket for the remainder of the season and potentially permanently was sweetened by the welcome return of Sam Woodcock who in his own way will and as his fielding and two important wickets demonstrated has added different qualities to the side. We knew exactly what to expect from our opponents, Hampshire, and they did not disappoint. The start was first delayed for fifteen minutes but play started at twenty past eleven putting one of our players social life under real pressure.
Jamie Khan won an important toss and Devon batted. The think tank had been unanimous this time as the local knowledge of Exmouth was taken into consideration and proved to be correct. The ground looked in excellent condition and this was a great tribute to Steve Horler who with his assistant worked tirelessly as the sun shone for the three days. Get through the first hour at the Maer and it gets easier has been the message for decades but by twelve twenty Devon had lost three wickets in the fifteen overs bowled and they had scored forty-six runs. The first half hour was a reversal of a similar period at Great Rissington but we were now batting. Kopparambil was caught behind off Trodd and Read brilliantly caught at slip off Reynolds. On the last ball of the eleventh over the skipper was run out, despite it being a direct hit with just one stump to aim at, there had not been run and Devon were now in a spot of bother on twenty-six for three. The demise of Khan was unfortunate as his batting had produced an excellent run return over the previous weekend. Fortunately the two under sixteens James White and Jack Moore set about a major recovery putting on the one century partnership of the game. They took Devon up to a first batting point in reaching one hundred and sixty-seven. Lunch was taken after thirty-nine overs with Devon on a par one hundred and thirty for three. Arctic roll and pasta bake were enjoyed with anticipation of more runs to come. White was twelve past his fifty and Moore five short of his. White has shown he has an aptitude for this type of cricket but unfortunately the Beautiful Girls and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly are calling. He got past his previous best Under 17 score when Sandy Allen picked up that the batsman was looking restless and he expressed some concerns. Unfortunately his feeling was right as White drove Abbas without sufficient power to clear Reynolds, at mid on, as the fielder dived to take a decent catch and leave White nineteen short of what it is hoped is not to be an elusive 2018 century. He hit fifteen fours and faced one hundred and thirty-four balls. The pair had put on one hundred and forty-one off two hundred and thirteen balls in one hundred and nine minutes. In the overall context of the game this had been a vital contribution from these two talented youngsters. This was the fifth highest under 17 fourth wicket partnership. Devon's next objective was to gather in the three remaining batting points. In fact the home side only added another ninety-six runs for the six remaining wickets. This was extremely disappointing with only two meaningful partnerships. Fortunately Jack Moore stuck at it, he was now on sixty-three and well set. James Onley-Gregson did the hard work batting for forty-four minutes but played an uncharacteristic shot on his fifty-second ball and was bowled. The pair had added thirty-eight and the second batting point was in the bag. Two runs later Devon lost both Jack Moore and Sam Taylor. Moore was caught behind off Southron for seventy-eight in one hundred and sixty-three minutes at the crease hitting eight fours and two sixes. Elliot Adams and Luke Medlock added one run more than the minimum but Devon were now on the back foot thirty-two short of the next batting point and with only two wickets in hand. Adams with the essential help of Ed Middleton took the point with an critical partnership of forty-three. They faced seventy-three balls in the same number of minutes as the partnership. This partnership was also the foundation of the crucial first innings lead. Abbas trapped Middleton in front and the same bowler had Simmons caught behind. Devon were all out for two hundred and sixty-three in seventy-six overs with the tea interval having been delayed at the fall of the ninth wicket. Adams again proved his worth with the bat hitting six fours in his unbeaten thirty.
It was likely the final session would have an important bearing on the result of the game and it ended honours even with both of Hampshire's highly rated openers dismissed, Metzger bowled by Onley-Gregson and Middleton trapped in front by his Devon namesake with the second ball of the final over. In the thirty-three overs Hampshire had scored one hundred and six. The second wicket partnership of sixty-eight was the highest of the innings. The film was good and Devon had an extra special first session. This time lunch was delayed (sausage and mash, apple pie and custard) as Devon took the final wicket at 1.20pm. Although not every chance had been taken this was a pretty impressive team performance. Ed Middleton continued his overnight over and bowled Pardoe with his sixth delivery. The overnight batsman Prest was caught behind by Taylor off Onley-Gregson, who is slowly easing himself back into bowling, in the mornings sixth full over leaving Hampshire on one hundred and fourteen with their top four out. South was caught by Kopparambil at short mid wicket to give Middleton a third. His fourth was Gadd another leg before. Six down and Hampshire still twenty-five runs short of a batting point. Gonella, who had played against Devon in 2017 playing for Surrey, was standing firm with under fifteen Abbas putting on fifty-seven. They were still eighteen short of the second point. Sam Woodcock had been most unfortunate not to make the first three day game but was now very much involved as he bowled Gadd and with a splendid diving slip catch from Middleton removed Southon twelve balls later. Taylor took his second catch in the seventy-fourth over to give Luke Medlock a wicket. On two hundred and ten Middleton took his fifth wicket with another leg before. His finals figures were a first-rate 19-5-50-5 and his decision to play against Worcestershire is an important one for the side and the under 17s season. Jamie Khan had done it again and by the end of this game with his side's full support they had now taken forty wickets in two games. To win games you have to bowl out the opposition (and score sufficient runs!). Devon had worked hard to take a first innings lead of fifty-three and this played an important part in the final victory of forty runs.
If Devon had won the first session the second and third went to our visitors as the home side were ninety-three for four at tea and Hampshire had reduced the home sides lead by twenty-four without loss at close. The Devon openers put on thirty-seven in little difficulty when in the twelfth over Kopparambil cross batted Southon to South at cover. Ten overs later Read was bowled by a typical Read wicket taking ball when Abbas bowled him.. It was three down seven short of three figures when Jamie Khan was bowled by Reynolds. White had contributed twenty-two of the total and was again confirming his worth to the side at number three. Devon had been on ninety-five at tea with three down, a lead of one hundred and fifty-two when Jack Moore came in just before the interval. He faced fifteen balls in all and went for one three balls after the tea break. This was a rare low score for the under 16 captain and the same could be said of James Onley-Gregson who went at a run a ball off his four deliveries. Devon were now in a slight pickle on one hundred (153 ahead) and with half their side out and nearly four sessions left in the game. In the thirty-sixth over they were just two runs better off when Taylor was bowled. James White had been watching these departures at the non strikers end but he succumbed ten overs later eight short of another deserved fifty. Importantly he and Adams had stretched the lead by another twenty-five runs. The Abotskerswell all-rounder fell in the next over. The final two partnerships added the truly critical thirty-seven runs which was just three short of the actual winning score. All three batted well - Medlock (15), Middleton and Tom Simmons (16). Now at five to six it was time to take a wicket or two. Devon bowled seven overs and Hampshire would have a hundred plus overs the next day to score one hundred and ninety-three runs with all wickets intact, the game very much on a knife edge!
The warm up reminded one of Audrey Hepburn's legendary film Breakfast at Tiffany's a film produced in 1961 long before many of our parents had been born. In the pre match discussion Jamie Khan and Sandy Allen said all the right things most importantly in the right way and if the side did not know what they had to do they did now! The twelve players responded brilliantly and this result can be included in a very special list. It did not go well at first, gulley was preferred to first slip and chances were missed and by the twenty-third over there was possible a belief that Devon had blown it with the Hampshire openers in the main controlling the chase. However chances had been created and almost on the hour Ed Middleton did it again and bowled keeper/batsmen Metzger. Hampshire were now needing only one hundred and thirty-eight runs. One run later Middleton then removed the other danger, his namesake, in an identical manner. Could Devon now force a win - the Exeter all-rounder thought so as he had Pardoe leg before - 108-3. He was now bowling in tandem with Luke Medlock and the pair bowled beautifully to lunch. South was stumped by Taylor to give Middleton his fourth of the morning and Medlock then bowled Prest and Gadd. The Paignton all-rounder has grown in confidence in every game he has played at this level and is now very much an integral cog. After thirty-five morning session overs Devon were really well placed having taken six wickets with Hampshire still needing ninety-three runs. It was essential that the momentum built up in the first two hours continued after a roasted chicken salad with meringue nests. Read and Medlock took up the attack and with his fifth ball Read trapped the resolute Abbas - seventy-four for three needed. At the other end was the equally obstinate Gonella and it was now time for the Hampshire tall strikers of the ball to bat. We had seen what they could achieve earlier at Seaton. Sam Read did it again as he bowled Gornella in the fifty-fifth over. Sixty-five needed by the three bowlers. They scored another twenty-five as Jack Moore came up trumps bowling both Parratt and Sothon the last with the requested yorker from the T-Hut. The Coach was delighted and the players should have been as every single one of the them had made a contribution in an excellent result. With known selection problems for the last game, one now fortunately resolved it is time to face Somerset who are one point ahead having also played two games.
