Practice games help Tall
DEVON team boss Dave Tall believes the county’s three-match warm-up programme will reap rewards once the season gets under way properly.
After narrow wins over Clevedon and the University of Exeter in the first two games, Devon lost by 48 runs at Sidmouth in challenge match against last season’s Devon Premier Tier champions.
James Horler with an unbeaten century, Sam Read (76) and James Degg (46) were the standout players for Devon in this particular game.
Tall said looking back over all three games there has been plenty to dwell on.
“We have played three games now and everyone has done something in at least one of them,” said Tall. James Degg got some runs in this game and is one of the players who has shown just how much young talent we have got.”
Plympton pair Elliott Hamilton and Ben Priviett have played in all three games, as has Cornwood’s Ben Beaumont. All three have caught the eye for the right reasons.
“Elliott Hamilton made a century in the first game against Clevedon, and bowled a few overs of left-arm spin, Ben Beaumont has had some runs and Ben Privett has bowled well at times and got a few runs,” said Tall.
“I can’t say now who will be playing in the championship or cup games, or whether it will be this season, but I am confident we have the players capable of stepping up from league cricket.”
The young guns lost out in a high-scoring game that looked to be heading for a comfortable Sidmouth win until a dramatic turn of events late on.
Devon captain Alex Barrow, opening the batting for club side Sidmouth, made a top score of 118 in a team total of 355 for seven. There were half-century add-ons from Isaac Thomas (65) and Luke Bess (54).
After openers Degg and Adam Small (35) had been and gone, Devon slumped from 112 for two to 129 for seven and an early finish loomed.
Tall still had recognised batsmen to come and two of them, Read and Horler, came good in an unbroken stand of 178.
Read kept one end ticking over for 76 not out off 72 balls, which was positively pedestrian compared to what was going on at the other end.
Horler smashed 15 fours and three sixes on his way to 107 not out from 69 balls as Devon reached a respectable 307 for seven in reply.