The fun started thirteen days before this fixture was due to be played. It was very much a tale of two phone calls, the first one typical of a call to a third team captain starting with the words I’m sorry I have some bad news. We had been unceremonious bounced without a word of an apology from our confirmed venue! Perhaps this is now the level where county age-group cricket stands in Devon. It is presumed that the Club have not benefitted, even in a small way, from this type of cricket however it was really disappointing. Considering how difficult it is to arrange a county fixture on a Sunday in January there was real concern for our ability to indeed honour the fixture, this indeed turned into desperation, as to how this very tricky situation was to be a resolved. Despite the believe that Sunday cricket has had its day there was still an enormous amount of cricket taking place in East Devon. This had to be the location as our opponents were travelling up on the morning. It most certainly was not an easy problem to solve but a telephone call to Seaton could not have received a better or more helpful positive response. After checking whether they could undertake all that a county match entails they very kindly agreed to host this fixture. They were simply magnificent and the ground and catering were truly exceptional. All the relevant parties, including the ECB whose fixture this was in the top division of the under 17 cup competition were informed. Everyone concerned, including Hampshire our opponents, could not have been more helpful in a very tricky situation, one of the worst experienced in twenty-five years. Black sight screens were imported, the players and umpires were advised of the change of venue and all duly arrived at Seaton in time for the final cup match of the summer, at least for Devon. The forecast was for light showers and they duly arrived on an off all game. Devon perhaps had the worst of the conditions but thanks to two diligent and conscientious umpires the game was completed without interruption. It has been evident this summer that the GET THE GAME ON initiative is now prevalent throughout Devon and indeed Somerset.
Devon won the toss and batted. Devon openers Harvey Sargent and Noah Wright gave their side another solid start in putting on forty-two off thirteen overs when Wright was caught in Scriven's second over. The pair had been at the crease for an hour and twenty minutes and had paved the way for the others. Unfortunately Tom Andrew's hugely disappointing season continued and he was again out in his now customary manner He had scored one and will now have to utilise the remainder of this summer to recover his confidence and eradicate his chipped drive. We really do wish him success. After fourteen overs Devon were now 46-2 and having to regain the momentum. Yet only two runs later Devon were three down , The holiday bound Harvey Sargent was stumped by the keeper standing back. From the fielders response this had been a Baldrick cunning plan from Black Adder. From a Devon point of view it was a wicket they could not afford to lose. The last instance that this irritating way of losing a wicket occurred was at Callington in 2001 when Brett Garner was stumped off the Cornish opening bowler. One hopes it is another fifteen years before it is repeated. Two of Devon's key batsmen Tom Lammonby and Joe Hagan-Burt, who will be with the County side for the seventeens first three day game, were now at the crease and much of their sides hopes in their hands. They added just fifteen in seventeen minutes. Tom Lammonby, who is in huge demand and could be playing seven days a week, was bowled by the younger Organ with his eighth delivery in his sides twenty-second over. Devon were now 63-4 and struggling. Jamie Khan in what is likely to be his last under seventeen game of the summer then worked well in partnership with Joe Hagan-Burt in putting on forty-five. Hagan-Burt was now proving to be the high quality batter he is, mixing aggression and defence in a very skilled and mature manner. Yet once again this partnership that had taken thirty minutes off seventy-three balls ended in a totally unnecessary fashion. It was Devon's seventh run out at 16/17s with Khan backing up believing there was a run, started to run, the ball went straight to the close in leg side fielder, Dale and the batsman was beaten by the fielders decent throw in his attempt to get back to the non strikers end. It is apparent, this summer, that many of our players have only limited cricket awareness which has proved over the years to be a vital ingredient at this level of cricket. This will also be considered later. The captains shortage of runs continued as he and Hagan-Burt added just eight. Just over a year ago they were sharing in a partnership of 218. Rudolph's contribution with the bat is vital to his teams success and we can only hope his confidence and form returns quickly. He overbalanced and was stumped leg side off a wide. Now in the thirty-sixth over Devon were six down just sixteen past three figures. Fortunately Ben Phillips in his last innings for the county and Joe Hagan-Burt put on an impressive seventy off seventy-six deliveries in thirty-eight minutes. This was one of Devon's most positive partnerships of the summer and took us back to the sides unbeaten summer in 2015. Hagan-Burt passed his fifty in the forty-second over and the pair only hit three fours and a six together clearly indicating their excellent running between the wickets. Phillips played his final big shot in the royal, gold and black and returned to a deserved round of applause for all he has achieved in age group cricket. He had scored twenty-eight vital runs and reminded everyone what he can offer cricket. Joe Hagan-Burt departed seven balls later for a match changing seventy-five off eighty-eight balls in ninety-one minutes at the crease he scored three fours and a six. That adaptable batsman Harry Ward helped add eighteen important runs at just under a run a ball with first Hagan-Burt and then Jack Gibbs. Devon's end product of 205 was much better than it appeared earlier in the day.
The eleventh hour lunch was a choice of three hot main courses and three deserts all were consumed with ease and were delicious so much for the promised pizza and salad! During the interval we learnt that our most experienced opening bowler had a long-term shin splints problem and would not be able to bowl. This will have major consequences in both the short and the long term. We had now lost a key bowler from this match and from experience it was unlikely that we would see much of him for the remainder of the three day season as a major element in the recovery process is rest. He will be a huge loss to the side with bat, ball and particularly his close to the wicket fielding. The captain would now have to rotate his reduced bowling resources.
Rudolph actually initially did an excellent job reducing Hampshire to 88-6 in the twenty-first over. With Jack Gibbs coming fully of age. First Ben Phillips caught Kantoli off Lammonby last ball of his first over 0-1, seventeen balls later Gibbs trapped Scriven in front - 5-2, half an hour later in the twelve over Gibbs bowled Samuel 39-3, next ball he trapped Gadd in front- a brilliant spell - with figurers of 3-19. In the fifteenth over the captain took his first wicket bowling Foster. Seven overs later he bowled Bone 88-6 and the visitors were in real difficulty. Devon had been outstanding. However from this dismissal Devon not only lost their way but their chance of a win. Much is discussed about putting opponents under pressure in the field - 11-2 and all that but it just does not happen. The batsmen have to worry about where their next run is coming from and dots are vital. Even taking into account the damp conditions Devon did not exert the pressure a side with that necessary killer instinct would have adopted. The two Hampshire batsman simply milked the bowlers scoring at over four an over and not needing to work at all hard to secure this rate. It was sadly very naive cricket and incredibly frustrating to watch. In fact the game was lost by the time that real pressure was finally put on the batsman in the last three overs. There is at need to be able to put yourself in the batsmen's position and imagine what you would most dislike if you were batting. In the sides defence this is not a particularly good fielding group but in truth that is not an excuse as the message every year is that it is the individuals responsibility to improve this aspect of their game. Our general cricket awareness is poor whether is where we stand in the field giving one when in fact we should be stopping one, whether to go for the high catch or take the easy option and hold back, whether we attack the ball with real gusto or just amble towards it, whether we get the ball into the keeper at pace or just lob it in. This is all also very relevant for the three day game if we are to succeed. Back to the game in hand The seventh Hampshire pairing of Mead and Searle transformed their sides hopes with a partnership of seventy-nine in four minutes under the hour. Ben Phillips and the persevering captain took the seventh wicket in the fortieth over with the visitors now on 167-7. Next over Olie Reed then took what at the time was considered the vital wicket of Mead with a wonder diving catch by Phillips. The pressure was now back on the visitors needing thirty-two with just two wickets remaining. An important caught behind was missed but until the forty-seventh over when the batsmen were finally tightly ringed the Hampshire tail enders continued to milk the bowling. The ninth wicket pair put on thirty-three runs off forty-eight deliveries in thirty-two minutes. From the boundary it was one of our more disappointing displays. Hampshire were winners with eight balls to spare and were they not pleased as they had really believed they were out of the game Gibbs took 3--30 with two overs unused, Rudolph 3-35 off ten, and Ward and Lammonby did not complete their full quotas. If nothing else it is really important that the sixteens learn from this as that is a major objective of the programme.
The coloured clothing and the white balls can be put away until hopefully next year, Somerset and Hampshire topped the league we really could and should have doubled or trebled our points total with more streetwise cricket. The new approach of playing the Cup games earlier in the season on a Sunday had undoubtedly increased demands on all and created some unforeseen difficulties. The three day game is now upon us and as last year availability is a major problem with up to seven names already ruled out for the first fixture. One important missing figure is Ben Phillips and cricket have sadly lost out to rugby - undoubtedly their gain. The Iceland, Leicester and Musketeers attitude will now have to be high in Devons ethos for the remainder of the summer. However this fixture would not have taken place without the co-operation of our hosts so one final word of real appreciation to the magnificent Seaton Cricket Club who bailed the Cricket Board out of one of it bigger holes
