Somerset Romp home after awful last Ten

  TOMTOM provided a very quick route from Dunsford and we left Exeter on time, arrived at Tiverton at 9.25am despite the limiter set to 55mph and lost the scorer on Joe Smith’s sound navigation to the Taunton Deane ground. This was a first visit to the town centre ground, surrounded by parks, and despite a short boundary looked a pleasing venue. Alex Brown, leading as Zak Bess’s back had taken a turn for the worse, called correctly and Devon batted. Cousens and Mitcham put on the best start of the summer, which in truth does not man a lot, putting on 35. MItcham was caught at slip off Williams and next ball Brown faced the best ball of the day that came back and he was caught behind. Cousens and Huxtable put on 63 off 55 balls when Cousens inexcusable showed signs of frustration. He had scored 42 off 48, was building up momentum and then tried to pull Carpenter to be caught and bowled. It transpired that he thought he had batted seventy. He should realise that if a change is needed a drink will appear. He must also learn that all days, as was proved the next day, are not necessarily good ones. His loss was major. This was confirmed two runs later when Huxtable was on his way back caught behind off Mount. This team is only going to be as successful as it should be if batsmen bat on and make hundreds in both formats of the game. The Overtons added 52 when Craig became Lintott’s first victim. Another 50 were added by Jamie and Matt Golding with Jamie now past his first 50. He called the final PowerPlay and then holed out to long on. His 55 off 60 included five fours and two lost balls. Devon was now ideally placed at 202-6 with 8 overs left to accelerate. Fours would take them up to 234, sixes to 250 which might still not be enough. Instead Devon did not even bat the overs – a total disaster. They lost their last four wickets which could only muster 26 off 43 balls which was mainly due to a partnership of 18 by Golding and Bryan. Golding was left high and dry on 29 off 39 with one six. The next day showed that perhaps Booker should have batted but it had been a really poor show and not utilising these balls made Somerset’s task so much easier.

 Devon took an early wicket with the first of the statutory Overton catches – Jamie off Kidd but a 124 partnership between Ellison and Lintott killed the game. The track was an interesting one but Devon did not make the most of it, they did outfield their opponents and tried their best but it was a poor performance. Harry Booker took his first wicket at this level Ellison caught Mitcham but the third wicket put on another 100 (this is what Devon need to produce, regular high scoring partnerships). Lintott, who seemed to have been hit on every part of his anatomy, fell five runs short of his hundred giving Craig Overton a catch off brother Jamie. Devon’s score was passed in the forty-fourth over which just rubbed salt into the wound. Joe Smith had a quiet word, the manager bit his tongue. Rain was in the air on the short drive to the Bolerge House and the Anchor Inn was most welcoming. Craig Eaves is now preparing a presentation on Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi for the Worcester trip, conference room booked.