Not Close Enough - two many mistakes

  This annual game with Haberdashers looked like it might be a much heavier defeat that the final loss by 21 runs but it achieved many of its objectives apart from a win! Devon were confronted by an inform side with Letts having been breaking records all week, scoring runs for fun. There were also two Test Match nephews in Edrich and Kartic. From some recent comments it would appear that it is not widely understood what components go into making a true county player, ability (bowling, batting and fielding), desire, commitment, fitness, bravery, awareness and so much more. A county player is different from a club player who achieves a lot in his own environment but does not step up and absorb the pressure and perform at a higher level. At one time it was annoying to be accused of having favourites, sadly it still continues, but the alleged favourites are in fact ALL the players in the team. They get selected because they meet the high demands and standards set in Devon, not just at this age level. There are always a number of clues to the commitment and desire of a player and the way they respond to pressure and to the different situations they are confronted by coach and manager. For example the warm up gives an enormous insight into a players approach and ability. A huge amount of information can be and is obtained. So this annual fixture is a vital opportunity in taking players from the safe environment of an indoor facility into a proper contest. The school look at Devon’s scalp as an important one and so it should be! 

Played in reasonable weather conditions, that was not to last the weekend, on the second Axminster ground the visitors won the toss and batted. This was Matt Thompson’s first external involvement and as there were no reported anti social comments on the social networking sites he can be pleased on his debut from the viewpoint of both player and management. He is to be congratulated on being one of the youngest, missing out by just twenty-four hours, county centurions. His performances at county level have disrupted his ability to be with the 16s and 17s all summer but he has been superbly supported by his qualified colleagues, particularly Joe Smith, in providing the necessary cover. Haberdashers reached fifty in eleven overs and lost their first wicket at 51 in the thirteenth when Patel was caught by Booker off Steward. Steward took his second wicket at 76 when he trapped Malde in front. Steward then had Selvakumar caught first ball by debutant Elliott Staddon. Captain Eaves joined in 120 runs later when the high scoring Letts was caught by Golding. Letts had played the match winning role in 2009 when he had shared in an unbeaten partnership of 149. His partnership with Tom Edrich had lasted just 118 balls and took four minutes over the hour. It was not without mishap as the scorebook indicates dropped catches when Letts was on nought and twenty-five runs later so it really was a matter of catches…….. The pair batted really well and had taken their side up to 196 off forty overs. The predicted final total varied but in the real world the visitors went at 6.9 and virtually took the game away from Devon. This score equalled the fifth highest score conceded by Devon at sixteen’s in a one day game. Forty-one were added for the fifth wicket when Edrich was caught and bowled by Eaves. The sixth wicket put on unbeaten 27. This was to be Max Curtis’s last full county youth game and along with the other bowlers he would have been disappointed at the standard of bowling and the rate runs were conceded. In fairness they were not helped by the best fielding performance.

The chase would need Devon to score at 5.26 and as discussed in the winter the first ten overs are as critical as the last ten even as in this case the side were unable to utilise their full quota which was a real disappointment. Devon was 32-0 off ten but was not doing the fundamentals of rotating the strike and taking the singles. Frustration was creeping in and Ansell started to look to charge the bowlers. He should understand his role in the side that might be more appropriate to the two day game, to support his partner with regular singles. Having faced thirty-seven balls and hit two fours he was caught to give Silvarna his first wicket. After another forty-eight runs Golding was Silvarna second victim for a forty-two ball 35 as Devon tried to raise the tempo. At the half way stage Devon were 92-3 with Booker also back in the pavilion for a sixty-three ball 23. The run rate was now just under seven with seven wickets in hand. This would be an interesting phase as it would give a clue as to the finishers available. They proved to be Davies, Eaves, Abbot and Steward as the noise level in the field was reduced and the standard of fielding fell. By forty Devon had reached 182 with the rate now eights. Eaves had departed at 160 for a seventeen ball 21, keeper Davies fell at 183 and with his demise perhaps his sides chances. He had come with a reputation of being able to change games and he very nearly did. His 42 included 2 fours and two very big sixes. It was still not all over as Abbott and Steward put on 25 of 14 when Steward was caught for a thirteen ball 23 which also included two sixes! Joe Abbott soldered on enhancing his own reputation but the game was all over in the forty-eight over twenty-one runs short. It had been useful workout won by the better side but much had been learnt