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A number of this year’s under 17 squad could be playing seven days a week, some are involved in tilts at league titles or relegation dog fights. So it was decided to rotate selection for the one day game in the full knowledge of the likely consequences. It would also provide an opportunity to give players pushing for places a chance to sample the standards required and achieve what a number of players strive for - a regular county place. This result could have been a lot worse if the tail had not wagged. Barnie Huxtable lost his first toss and Wales scored at a very comfortable 4.84 despite being 80-4 after twenty-one overs. Openers Preece and Herring put on 47 in ten when Eaves bowled Preece. Twenty were added for the second when the two debutants combined Heering caught Rhys Davies bowled George Yates, Two Welsh batsmen departed at 80, Smith caught Mitcham off Booker’s tried and tested long hop at deep square leg. The skipper Owen was bowled by Yates second ball. The selection policy seemed to be proving a success as at 108 half the Welsh side were in the pavilion as the Booker / Davies combination removed Wales keeper Lowen stumped. The initiative started to change with a sixth wicket partnership of 65 off 71 between the much admired Salter and Baker. The former Paignton pairing of Ashworth and Bryan ran out the first danger man Salter for a 74 ball 47. This wicket did not stem the tide as forty-one were added off thirty-two balls by the now dominant Baker and Claybrook. Baker became Yates third wicket caught by the every reliable Matt Golding for 61 (52 balls, 59 minutes, 7 fours) but the pressure was kept up by the Welsh as twenty-eight were added off nineteen when Golding and Eaves took their second wickets. George Yates was the pick of the bowlers with 3-33 off nine which also resulted in his losing the under 16 captaincy on Thursday.
Connor Bryan opened for the first time since the fateful innings at Totton and Eling but faced two balls more for one run. Richard Ashworth was unable to convert his Abbots run spree to the county arena but helped Tom Mitcham put on 31. Mitcham was in regal mode looking the top batsman he can be but he watched his partner depart bowled Pryce. It was Mitcham to leave the stage next, having stroked seven fours in his received forty-three deliveries, he again departed playing a poor shot caught and bowled low down by Leering 36. With the foreshortening of the camera angle on such dismissals the third umpire may have given him the benefit but he did not have the luxury of being able to cross a T. His captain was soon back to discuss current affairs with his Braunton team mate bowled Leering. Matt Golding was making another major contribution but lost his under 15 partner Rhys Davies run out. This is the third run out of a fifteen and is not acceptable; they will be instructed to make a call even to the detriment of a senior partner. From 64-5 Golding and Yates added 23 when George was caught by Leering off spinner Salter. Resolution was the new order of the day as fifty-six balls were faced by Defriend, fresh from his week in the operating theatre, and Golding. Defriend became over ambitious as he drove in the air to become Morgan’s only wicket. Craig Eaves was caught by Heering off Salter with Devon still 130 short. Kidd, who was off on a fishing trip with the England under 18s on the Cam the next day, watched Golding depart seven short of a fifty after having helped put on 27. He had batted 102 minutes, apparently in no trouble and continued to look a key player. Kidd continued where he had left off at the weekend with the long handle smashing four fours in a 44 minute and ball stay at the wicket scoring a county career best of 34. Booker was his sensible self as the pair equalled the best partnership of the innings putting on another 27 off thirty-four balls. Devon was all out in the forty-ninth over 76 short. The rugby ball was retrieved, not without a fall out, from the clock golf and no one was given the subject of the River Cam which according to Wikipedia runs for 40 miles to the sea from the university town. Could have been worse but perhaps not much! |
