Devon Cricket Board - DCBYA U14s 2013 Cornwall Match Report

It was another lovely day, some cloud around but it was meant to clear. Torquay’s Chair was there to meet and greet us and Ian Western was putting the finishing touches to the track. It was suggested we should bat first as it would turn.
The players arrive and the warm upgoes well again, nice and relaxed with plenty of humour. Joe wins the toss for the third time and we decide to bat after the first team photo of the season. With Fin back in the side and fresh from his 78 the day before, the Sidmouth College lads open. First over there followed a great shot from Harvey through extra cover, then a quick single, careful Harv. Fins first shot of the season a classical extra cover drive which unfortunately hits the beach and almost stops immediately but it has been a great first over and the positive intent shown has laid a marker down. A run off first ball second over and the balcony are getting excited. Then quite early in the match really, the first profound statement of the day from Pethy, something to do with how times have changed.. Only the one off the second over which is disappointing and the Umpires have still not noticed our fielding stumps on the outfield from the warm up- shortly spotted and removed by one of our parents! Harv then creams a mid wicket 4 then 2 to fine leg and another single and the score is fair racing along, relatively so and before long it is 29 off 5, quite acceptable. Then another great straight off drive, quick singles, the understanding of the East Devon lads is very good before in the 9^th over we have a bowling change. Fin then hits a sumptuous extra cover drive but the outfield slows it down and they run 3, but ha ha we have a surprise Harv has run one short! Do we open with a spinner my notes then read as it is already noticeable that if the pace is taken off the ball it is not so easy to score - food for thought early in the game?At 39 off 9 the scoring has definitely slowed appreciably, but is still acceptable, and then Fin is caught behind - he smashed it! Billy comes in at 3 and hits an extra cover drive to get off the mark - the track is slow; Billy had to wait an age to play the shot. 50 off 13. A great straight drive by Billy beats the children’s play area for 4 then a cheeky fine leg flick from the reindeer (I didn’t write this part and have had to edit it a little!) brings another boundary. At drinks 15 overs, we are 60-1 and everyone’s enjoying Langers' chips and the haribos! After drinks the Cornwall’s spinners bowl well but Billy smashes a four off the last ball of the over and the pressure is relieved. Another bowling change brings on Paull, a leggy who Harv dispatches for four over long on.

After a few dots there are three byes and then Harv smashes a 2 which deserved a four. 79 for 1 off 18. The spinners are still on and a miss field, you cannot charge in at the ball at Torquay at the moment you have to steady yourself and/ or field on the edge of the ring, brings another two runs for Billy. Next ball is whacked by Billy for a straight four – hitting straight being important even though the boundaries are long. Harv then runs another run short taking a quick two! Will it come back to haunt him? Think we had better do sprint training and turning next Winter in the EP? More quick singles and this time Harv has to dive to stop being run out. Harvey then brings up his 50 and we are 100-1 with 24 overs left – Jim’s calculations are all wrong! Good running from the lads who take another 2, then a single gets Harv on strike before Billy pulls through mid wicket for 4. Soon after Billy plays too early and is disappointing bowled, which is a pity as he was set – partnership 84 in 14 overs.131-2 in the 25^th over- a great start. Enter Noah confidently and he and Harv take the ones and twos, both sides of the wicket. At this stage you would think 250 was on. Drinks with15 to go and we are 155-2. Noah is then given licence by Nick to play his shots whilst Harvey is intent on getting his century. Harv quickly moves onto 90 with Noah almost trying too hard and not playing straight enough, trying to hit the short boundary, square. Harv then plays a nice back foot punch for 4. 167-2 and 14 to go. Keep hitting the gaps Harv.

On 98 Harv for some reason goes down the track misses and is stumped. He lies there flat on the deck - distraught as he deserved his 100 as it was a great knock, a much better knock than his 91 against Gwent a fortnight ago. A partnership 51 with Noah. JH-B is next. We must get 250 minimum, 182-3 with 10 too go we ought to get there if we continue to bat well. The running between picks up but does this mean we are about to have a run out? No J H-B is stumped off Paull whose second spell is much better and tying us down, applying pressure and drying up the runs. We seem to have lost our way a bit. Neal is next, it is 190 – 4 with 8 to go and he plays the leggie well, straight and waiting for the ball, playing late. It soon becomes 200 with 7 to go. Noah is then very well caught and bowled! Enter Jim' but he dies for the cause being well caught behind trying to run the ball off the bat to third man, 215-6. Neal needs the strike and Phil takes singles and plays with a straight bat. Great shot Phil but he then yorks himself and it is 224 -7 with 3 to go. Are we getting this wrong? Bodders is then promoted to run and give Neal the strike and Neal tees off and it is soon 236 with 2 to go. 4 then wide, 4 more through wide mid on, great shot Neal and then 2 and a straight 4. 254 with 1 to go and Neal already on 42, and he finishes on 48 and Devon 261-7 off their 45 overs. Fantastic knock Neal and you have given us the impetus but are we 20-30 runs short, 280-300 being about par? At least we had the runs on the board and Cornwall probably feel we had scored too many. We will see.

After a great tea, thank you Terry, Langers and Bodders open the bowling and immediately bowl better than they did against Berkshire, perhaps at times a little short and not making the most of the pitch. Did we have the field right? Perhaps we should have had a fine leg as it was asking a bit much of Bodders to bowl that straight and perhaps we should have had third man and a little squarer at Torquay for Langers. How many runs were scored in those areas? Billy comes on in the 7^th over and bowls with control and Neal comes on at the other end. Now Neal does take an over or two to settle and his first ball goes for 4; then a wide, dot, 1 and then a long hop which Gibson wacks straight at backward square leg and Pethy takes (clings onto) a screamer 34-1 off 8! Oh the next ball is a wide! I think I said this last week but look to start with a defensive field, deep square and mid, possibly deep extra and then when you settle, get your rhythm bring the fielders in. It worked for Shane Warne and it will work for you! Not until the 13^th over, there were dot balls but a few too many 4 balls too, did we get a bit of luck when Billy gets Leathley to miss time a shot and Noah takes the first of his two chances. 59-2. Billy then gets another to lift and Harv or was it Neal takes a simple catch at silly mid off, even better it is their best batter.At drinks after 15 Cornwall are 67-3. Pethy comes on and goes for 2 in his first over but it was a good over with control. Billy gets another to pop but Neal slips trying to get to it. Chances are coming. Pethy then bowls dots and to his field. Maiden. 26 overs left. J H-B comes on for Billy and second ball Noah takes a simple catch at mid wicket! 79-4. The pressure is now mounting on Cornwall. Pethy bowls back to back maidens and Ben then takes a good catch standing up to Joe, 81-5 off 23. We are bowling better lines and the right length for the pitch which is excellent and Cornwall appear to be trying to dig in to make it difficult for us. Joe changes the bowling and brings on Sheps and Wardy to try and induce an error but Luc Lombard then decides to tee off having just played18 dot balls! We have a chance of a run out, one of a number we have had this season; did we perhaps throw to the wrong end? Don’t forget to just steady yourself and aim before you throw, just like Wardy did near the end of the match. In between the 4s, and there are a few as Luc hits out, there is some great fielding, great commitment, epitomised by Joe H-B’s and Noah’s chase and dive onto the beach at the rugby club end. It is getting a little untidy though and Nick wants to chat; fortunately it is one over until drinks. Wardy then bowls a beauty and Ben whips the bails off 155-6 in the 34rd over. Eva and Lombard take the challenge on before we get that bit of luck again, as we have retained our composure and Lombard is run out, we have a runner on the pitch which may have not helped, by I think Wardy, I may be wrong? 187-7 with 5 to go. Billy comes back on and eventually so do Langers and Bodders again and in the penultimate over Bodders runs out Caddy and Cornwall finish on 221-8, 40 runs short.
A great result and many lessons had been learned form Berkshire. Nick and I asked should we have scored 280-300 and did we give Cornwall 40 runs more than they should have got? Just a couple of things to think about before Dorset next week. The confidence is beginning to grow and the performances improve weekly. Nick and I still think you/ the TEAM can do better and so let’s have that 1% more each next week against Dorset in every aspect of our play. Common on you can do it! We believe and so CAN you!

Thank you to Torquay CC, Ken, Ian, Rob and Terry for a great day. Thank you too Wendy and Derek for scoring. Thank you parents and families for your support. On and upwards. Dorset next.

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