His involvement at both 16s and 17s for the remainder of the season will give him ample opportunities to show what he can really achieve and that could and should include a ton along the road. Having been hypo-critical this was an excellent knock but he departed with 37 balls to go and at 154-7 two hundred was still a possibility with some big hitting. After another sixteen balls it was all over with the golden rule of batting the overs not achieved. Twenty balls were discarded by the final three wickets when with a little of the Geering approach 180 might have been achieved. Eliot Acton, much to his obvious annoyance, was left high and dry. Having considered in the winter target scores for batters a top score of 35 from number 7 was virtually the only one to get it right. Handouts are still available if you have lost them or discarded them, we need to bat on not toss it away.

The relaxed attitude continued with players slow to get out from tea and inwardly some of us were fuming, keep it in. Acton and Evenden both bowled maidens and look a good attack at this level keeping the experienced Baker and Clements in check it was at 21 -0 when the West of England bowler was withdrawn from the attack after sharing ten with his partner. The openers took the score up to 68 with the only mishap being when Baker was dropped at slip on 5 and the score on 10. After twenty-three overs Pyne entered the attack and in his second over had key batter Baker caught by Debenham. Eleven balls later Pyne bowled the other opener Clements, who departed with an unnecessary allegation, the bump ball still apparently preying on his mind. The incident was dealt with impeccably by our opponents. Evenden was sensibly brought back in the twenty-sixth over and in his second over he bowled Soni 77-3, could Devon impose some pressure? With keeper Smith encouraging and Acton bowling his heart out two more wickets were taken but the score advanced to 166 after 42.4 overs and a very disappointing game, from Devon’s point of view was over. Haberdashers wanted to win this game, they had a season’s unbeaten record to uphold they justly achieved this because it meant something. With a few notably exceptions this was just a game of cricket for the home side. There are disadvantages in having an initially large squad but this year it is likely to be an advantage as decisions will be made after the Isle of Wight game which might upset and surprise some. Our thanks to Tom Whittle and Andy Buzza for giving up a day in the sun to be drink waiters for THEIR team.

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