Devon Cricket Board - DCBYA Under 14s Wiltshire Match Report 2014

It was an early start, 6.35AM from Plymouth but it was a glorious morning and a lovely drive to Bowerchalke - just the odd 3 hours 10 minutes. On arrival we found an idyllic ground with chalk hills and hay fields surrounding. The new pavilion yet to be finished and that included the toilets- village hall shut and the nearest oub 4 miles away! Unfortunately being a scorching day there was no shade either for Wendy or the lads! We managed.

The pitch was best described as dry and a little grassy and it was thought it might deteriorate and perhaps we should bat first. However we were not really sure, other than the nearby pitch was much better and if Sam was up to speed he would lose the toss anyway and it would be out of our hands. With Lammaers away at the Bunbury and tired lads still from the Festival we wondered if there might be a hang over. James Bovey had come in to replace Lammers, only able to bat and mini Degg had come up from the 13s to provide a batting and off spin option. Parks was still absent due to his back problems.

When Sam won the toss and decided to bat, Kazi wants runs on the board, at 30-4 after 11 overs, we were beginning to wonder what a long way it was and that the match might be over too soon. Willow had had his off stump uprooted, amazing what a little water in the stump hole can do; James Bovey had been run out not grounding his bat; Gibbsy had prodded forward the ball stopped and he gently lobbed a catch to silly mid off and Ash had played back and not really moved his feet and been out LBW. Yes the pitch was doing a little and there was some swing but the Wiltshire opening bowlers were not exactly fearsome, just medium pacers who had bowled straight and used the conditions. Let’s face it we had not really helped ourselves had we? Enter Jami Khan to join Kazi who was at the crease, whilst on the side line the batting line up was hasterly altered to try and protect Coops and Leon. We need not have worried though as Kaz and Jamie set about rebuilding and the partnership grew with the odd lovely cut for 4 from Jamie and boundary from Kazi plus some positive running between the wickets. At drinks after 15 it was 48-4 and at the next after 30 overs 127-5 as Jamie was unfortunately run out backing up when Kazi smashed the ball straight back and hit the bowler’s hand and the ball deflected onto the stumps! Not Jamie’s or our day? The partnership 95 in 19 overs brilliant and we could now bat in a normal fashion.

At this p[oint, Wiltshire’s fielding struggled and their heads dropped a little, which was not helped by some of the outfield bobbles due to the weeds, as Sam and Kazi took singles and turned ones into twos. Kazi past his 50 and he was approaching a well deserved 100 when in the penultimate over Sam extravagantly drove and lost his middle stump. Coops blocked the remaining ball, (you will regret not batting at 3!), to give Kaz the strike but he was unable to reach three figures as the Wiltshire bowlers bowled straight and did not let him free his hands. He finished on 96* and Devon 215-6, a far cry from 30-4 in the 11^th over; thanks to the two partnerships of 95 and 86! Good effort lads and thank you!
After tea and with Kaz sitting rehydrating in the pavilion, Yabbers opened up the slight slope and Lathers had the 2^nd over down the slope. Interestingly Lathers in his warm up was hooping the ball if he got his fingers behind it and his first delivery started outside off and hit the base of middle stump! Two overs later he pitched the ball up, it swung and LBW. Three balls later he did the same but this time bowled the batsman. Wiltshire 12-3 off 6 and in trouble. We then had a little partnership of 9 before Yabbers got in on the act James Bovey taking the catch.

And next over Lathers was at it again two more wickets both pitch up and bowled! His spell finished 6-2-15-5 and Wiltshire 24-6 off 12. Yabbers next over took the 7^th wicket LBW, 26-7. Leon replaced Lathers but it was not his day as he could not quite get his line and length right, must have been the lack of sleep in the Premier Inn with no aircon and when Yabbers was bowled out mini Degg came on and cleaned Wiltshire out taking three wickets, one bowled and two caught one by Jamie Khan and the other by who else our outstanding fielder, Leon. Wiltshire all out 66 in the 23^rd over and Devon winning by 159 runs. All the time, Kazi was still sitting quietly in the pavilion, don’t worry lads you can manage without me in the field today!

It was a quicker drive home, the initial part following Alex Williams through the lanes, hope his satnav knows where we are going, through some gorgeous thatched and flint villages, until we met the A303. It reached 29 degrees on the car thermometer and it was a cool 22 degrees when I got home at 7.30PM.

Thank you parents for making the trip and your support, I know we were doing rather well but I did think the car alarm serenade was a bit excessive though Mrs M! Thank you Wiltshire and Chalke Valley CC for hosting us, the umpires and Wendy and Derek for scoring once more. Thank you James Bovey and mini Degg for coming into play and Jason for your assistance not only against Wiltshire but at the Festival too. Any news on Lammers?

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