Exmouth hope accumulated 'know-how' will help in T20 finals

EXMOUTH skipper Gary Chappell hopes his side put what they have learned over the past two seasons into practice in tomorrow’s NatWest Clubs’ T20 finals day at Cardiff.

Exmouth are on first at 11.15am against Pudsey Congs from Yorkshire at the SWALEC Stadium, where England are playing Australia in an Ashes T20 today (Monday).

Defending champions Chester Broughton Hall play Ealing in the afternoon semi-final with the two winners meeting in a 6.15pm final.

Exmouth have been Devon champions for the past two summers and reached the national last eight in 2014.

Chappell said Exmouth have learned a lot about T20 cricket and how to win matches.

“It is know-how as much as anything on how you deal with things when they aren’t going your way,” said Chappell.

“Against Bath and St Just in the area finals at Grampound Road we didn’t start that well in either game.

“What we had learned was not to panic or do something silly when things aren’t going your way.

“Twenty20 cricket can change very quickly – and that works both ways.

“We knew if we stuck around, got up to 100-120 then you have a defendable total.

“It only needs a couple of wickets and the pressure is on the other side.

“We know all the opposition we are playing is going to be decent, whoever we play.

“Pudsey have a player – Callum Geldhart - who has made three tons in the competition so far. He gets a ton, they win.

“Chester Broughton Hall are the champions and Ealing will have beaten some good sides to get there, I am sure.

“What we have to remember is we are plenty of match winners in our side as well, players who can change a game very quickly.”

Chappell said Exmouth had the additional motivation of wanting to win something as a unit before the team starts to change.

Exmouth are not a young side – especially in T20 terms – and may not get this chance again.

“The team is ageing and while I don’t see it breaking up immediately, the odds on the bulk of the same group of players being together and getting this far again are slim.”

Exmouth put out 10 of their eleven T20 starters against Bovey Tracey in the Premier Division on Saturday.

The odd one out is former Somerset and Devon seamer Ian Bishop, who comes in for Jack England.

“The Bovey game was just a dead rubber, but our guys all had a decent hit and bowl in preparation for Tuesday,” said Chappell.


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