Devon Cricket Board - DCBYA U14s 2013 Gloucestershire Match Report

After no response to my email or text messages to Gloucestershire it was pleasing to hear Wendy say, as we drove to Lydney, that their scorer had confirmed our match was on the 13^th. The journey was straight forward, it brought back memories going over the old bridge, where is the Aust Services - oh they have renamed them! On arrival we found a lovely flat ground just behind the town centre with the infamous tree within the boundary. Nick got his conversation with Pethy out the way early. Pethy 1 Nick 0.
The warm up, not that I saw much of it, was good I believe, although there was once more perhaps a little too much hilarity! I hope Joe L’s cheek is on the mend! It was reinforced to the lads that this would be a different match; it would be much tougher than at the Festival as Gloucestershire would not wish to be beaten twice in a season. It was our last match and let’s go out on a high and put everything learnt into practice and enjoy the occasion and each others company. Thank you Guy for the tea coffee milk etc.

With rain threatening and the pitch used, it was possibly another insert day, if the lads felt likewise. However it was not that clear cut and honesty prevailed when Joe asked Nick and I independently- we don’t know! He won the toss and inserted Gloucestershire - good lad.
With Joe L perhaps slightly shaken after his injury Noah and Alex opened, both with maidens as Gloucestershire looked tentative. With 8 over gone and no wickets having fallen, it was 17-0, Joe turned to the bowling hero of the Festival, Billy who opened with a maiden too. Big Joe then came on and bowled his best spell for the County but still no wickets fell as the Glouceserstshire batsmen were very cautious. At drinks after 15 overs, it was 42-0 but the pressure was mounting. You would have thought that they would have then started to try and up the run rate by taking singles, rotating the strike but it did not happen and then Billy bowled Hooper. 45-1 off 18. Pethy came on in the 20^th over and so we expected a wicket and as usual he did not disappoint, third ball Jamieson-Black LBW. Next Pethy over another wicket maiden and Gloucestershire had slipped to 50-3 off 22 overs, in trouble. On the boundary we were all thinking we might need some cotton wool if Pethy has another of those days! As often happens however there then followed a partnership, perhaps we did not bowl quite as well, bowl the right bowlers, set quite the right fields or a batsman had some luck, or a combination of the above but Gloucestershire then put on 59 in 12 overs; just what we didn’t want, before the expensive Petherbridge lulled Forbes onto the back foot, having given him two easy hits for 4 the balls before and had him LBW. 109-4 off 34. Billy then came back on and took the 5^th wicket, 136-5 and Harvey snared the left handed Wormwell well caught by Fin. Next over Billy made it 7 and Alex came back and took two wickets making it 9 down. Last ball of the innings Smith was run out and Gloucestershire were all out 172 - let’s be honest 20-30 more than we should have let them get or even less if we had got Wormwell out earlier!

After tea, thank you Lydney CC caterers, Harvey and Joe positively set about getting the runs gratefully helped by a liberal number of wides as Gloucestershire just did not bowl as they did at the Festival. The score fair raced along, 8, 12 15, 21 30, 39 and before we knew it we were 57 in the 10^th over when Harvey swept the spinner’s first ball and was adjudged LBW about the first shot across the line, not quite one or two pulls had been dispatched to the boundary! After this fantastic start, the pressure was no where as great as Gloucestershire had experienced and enter Billy confidently; Gloucestershire Billy’s team, he can do no wrong and the score continued to tick along at a very good rate. At drinks after 15 it was 82-1 and after 20 overs 107-1. In the 23^rd over the rain came down a little harder and the umpires decided to come off whilst we put the covers on. After the brief break, Gloucestershire regrouped bowled straighter and fielded better and both Joe and Billy also played themselves back in but after a few quiet overs they then started putting the bad ball away and running well again. Joe reached his 50 first shortly followed by Billy and Billy then finished things off in the 35th over, Devon winning by 9 wickets and with 9 overs to spare. I am sorry I have no photos but somehow the camera ran out of battery lads! No names mentioned...
This was a great result against a County who had beaten you, I understand, comfortably in 2011, due reward for the hard work you have put in during the winter and season. Out of the 14 matches scheduled, you have played 12 matches, (2 cancelled due to rain without a ball being bowled); Won 5; Drawn 1 and Lost 6, (2 of which were lost narrowly Berkshire and Dorset and put up very creditable performance against a good Derbyshire side who had not lost for 2 seasons and won the Festival easily and had Wales in trouble only to let them off the hook (no pun intended!)). A few “What ifs” I accept but it is nice to have been in those positions.
Thank you to all the parents, grand parents and families for your support during the season, transporting the lads all over the place, in my absence helping with the Dorset match and the magnificent tea at Sandford. Thank you too the Hagan-Burts for organising the tea at Sandford. Thank you also for the kind words yesterday, during the season and the pressies. They are much appreciated.
Thank you Torquay and Sandford for hosting our two home matches and Thorverton and North Devon for all the hard work only for the rain to spoil the days. Thank you too ALL the umpires who have officiated both home and away. Thank you sincerely Wendy for scoring every match for us, coming to the Festival and making my life so much easier (let’s not forget Derek who has helped keep the score board ticking over too!). A big thank you Nick for all he has done over the winter and summer. I know you found Dorset a challenge having to do much of the organisation on the day too. Thank you also to Barney for stepping in and coming to the Festival when Nick unfortunately could not get time off school.
Finally thank you lads for listening and learning and putting things into practice. Nick and I have enjoyed you company and banter! Remember you have ALL come along way and developed individually and as a Team. It has been difficult at times as we have always told you it would be; frustrating Nick and I accept for some of you and of course for your parents but that is unfortunately the game of cricket, especially with the ECBCC matches we play and have to try and win. Work hard, very hard at your game and you will be rewarded; we wish you well in the future and we will look forward to reading and hearing about your successes not only on the cricket field but in life too.

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