Devon U15s v Somerset Filleigh CC 13th July 2016
On arrival it was fantastic to see and find John Harrison and his band of volunteers busy getting Deer Park ready for us. The heavy dew and indifferent summer had not made things easy for them and it was much appreciated all that they had done and did on the day to make us so welcome.
With Nick unable to get time off work David Tall stepped in to help. Abraham Kopparambil came in for his debut. The lads were under instructions to run their own warm up with help from David and I but it lacked the spark of Oxfordshire and once more this manifested itself in the match. The toss was important as the pitch was slightly damp and it was overcast but guess what we lost the toss and were inserted!
Things didn’t get any better and the frailties which have haunted this side, but have been worked on, came back once more on a pitch where if you played forward with a straight bat, defended the straight ball and didn’t go hard at it, plus rotated the strike and ran every scabby run you would be alright, it would then get easier the longer you batted. Unfortunately at 13-4 off 6 overs, all bowled, it was going to be difficult to recover. Yes the pitch and weather conditions gave the bowlers assistance but as you are finding out that is often the case! The Somerset bowlers also bowled well, they swung the ball and bowled at the stumps or there about, but once more did we help ourselves? As manager and coach we must take some responsibility and so must previous managers and coaches but it is incredibly frustrating; I am not sure what more can be done and definitely enough has been said! Ultimately it is down to you lads to realise and learn to adapt to different pitch and weather conditions; that means doing the basics well before playing any risky or extravagant shots. You have to do something about it if you which to continue to play County cricket! It really can’t go on.
Ben Sapiecha, who batted well, please don’t play that dab shot Ben and Sam Taylor started to recover the situation but then Sam got out; it wasn’t a pitch for Byron to play his normal game and he was brilliantly caught by Cameron Walsh off a skier; Sam Carpenter suggested better things and then was bowled; Elliott was determined and dogged as ever and stuck around; James played with hard hands and then Kers was out LBW. 122 all out in only 29.5 overs. Criminal! And if it hadn’t been for 5 downwards where would we have been? 175+ was achievable and a good score and if we had bowled as we did and had taken those chances, could we have won? If we had taken those chances would it have been a different game anyway – who knows? I'm going to Church on Sunday perhaps that will help?
So no real pressure on Somerset, 2 an over not any different than we had to chase against Oxfordshire. Kers’s first ball was a dot and his first over a maiden, one of his 5 maidens and James‘s first over a wicket maiden! Somerset 0-1. Great start! We then had a half chance and another which could have been Somerset 10-3 but it didn’t happen. Elliott replaced JOG and second over had Smeed LBW 39-2 off 16 and we were showing our usual fight in the field. Josh Whitmore and Charley Reed however batted sensibly, defending resolutely taking no risks and putting the bad ball away before Whitmore was bowled behind his legs by Sam Woodcock 83-3 off 28. Will South joined Reed and together they took Somerset home to victory in the 39th over.
Thank you once more to John Harrison and his band of volunteers at Filleigh CC; the umpires and Wendy and Rob for scoring. Thank you parents, grandparents and guardian for you support on another frustrating day in the life of Devon U15s! Fitbit found plugged in where I left it – another senior moment – just as well this is my last season! Are we going to have a summer? Early safely home.
