The three and a half days travelling up and playing at Stourbridge were perhaps the most interesting but ultimately the most satisfying days of the summer. Unusually the trip up turned out to be one of the more exciting as the World Cup Final unfolded in to an amazing finish with a super over. We arrived at the Copthorne as the final over of the match was taking place and no one moved. As soon as the match was tied we went into the Hotel's bar to watch the final twelve exhilarating balls. The main difference in our return to Merryhill was that we would eat in house as opposed on the nearby Waterfront. This turned out to be a wise decision as a Pizza option proved popular but again breakfast was taken on the terrace.
We made our debut at a ground that Sandy Allen had played at as a teenager and one that had featured on a Live FA Cup Match of the Day. We met up with Gordon Smith a Stourbridge legend and a long term friend of Alan Swift who we learnt had suffered a nasty fall. Stourbridge were excellent hosts and they could not have done more for us. One of the umpires was former first class umpire Nigel Cowley whose son had some very successful seasons at Barton and he was a delight over the three days.
It was a ten minute drive but we missed the large gates first time. With a full time ground team the ground looked in a perfect condition. As was often found in years gone by there was a slight incline to the square created by the work undertaken post season. The players played some football on a Level 7 league ground and had no excuses about their poor control. The Clubs motto - One Heart One Way proved to be very apt on day three. Worcestershire had no competing second team game so had their full team with their quota of under 18s. At least five members of the team had represented the second team this season. Devon won their second successive toss and chose to bat first again. The visitors exceeded their previous highest first innings score of the summer by twenty four in occupying the crease for forty-five overs. Devon scored one hundred and twenty-nine off two hundred and sixty-nine balls. Will Scott Munden posted the highest individual score - 24 and the highest partnership was twenty-five for the eighth wicket. At lunch Devon were one hundred and fourteen for eight with the vice captain being dismissed on the third delivery of the last over enabling lunch to be taken early. Worcestershire had a reasonable attack with second teamers Davis and Bragg bowling well. Devon were all out twenty-three minutes past two and although they compiled seven partnerships of at least ten not one went on to a white board requirement. It was obvious that Devon had not made a very good first impression as the home side players came off suggesting a minimum target of 600 and the parents were planning a draw against Hampshire and a home semi-final against possibly Surrey. This aspect got worse over the game with assertions about our ability and being a non first class county. This actually inspired the Devon players to greater heights. Their comments about our captain were however spot on, they must have forgotten that he had scored two hundred against them last year. Devon bowled fifty-nine overs before close of play and had not done much to change the first impressions as the home side were eight runs short of a second batting point with their captain taking nine off the final over of the day. Devon had taken four wickets Holland, X. Clarke, Banton and Hinkley - one each for Tom Simmons, Luke Medlock, Sam Woodcock and the captain. Back at the Waterfront the full kitchen staff were back on duty but the flat round base of dough baked with a topping of tomatoes and cheese, typically with added meat, fish, or vegetables was still popular.
Next day Sandy Allen introduced a new competitive game based on football skills which proved to a success and by Totton was played really skilfully. Devon had an exceptional first session. Twelve minutes into the session Abraham Kopparambil held a vital catch off Simmons to stop the free scoring Clarke in mid flow. AB might not be having the most successful summer with the bat but his fielding is still a vital element. It really was disappointing that we could not build the confidence he has lost due to circumstances mainly outside his direct control. Wicket two fell fourteen minutes later with the keeper catching Edavalath to give Simmons a third. Worcestershire were nine past a second bonus point and six down.. After eighty eight overs the home side had lost nine wickets and were still thirty-six short of a fourth batting point. Lunch was taken after one hundred and two overs with an extra half hour given to Devon to take the final wicket. Devon did not succeed and lunch was taken with Worcestershire thirty-one past three hundred. It is doubtful if even Henry Marshalls family would give his batting a glowing reference but Devon did not bowl at all well to him or Bragg as he smashed them - from getting themselves back in the game Devon were now ensuring more chatter would take place. The last wicket fell at twenty-nine minutes past two with stalwarts Read and Moore combining to deny Bragg of a hundred. He had scored ninety two and they had added seventy-six off ninety balls.
Devon needed to score two hundred and eleven to make Worcester bat again. They lost two early wickets and now needed two hundred and four with eight wickets remaining. The stalwarts now combined with the bat with Sam Read contributing thirty-two and Jack Moore twenty-eight to a third wicket partnership of sixty-four - a tick. Moore was run out having been advised of his many failings but Read and Luke Medlock took over to complete the necessary century partnership. The importance of these two batsmen to the sides success could not have been more clearly demonstrated. They took Worcestershire on and during the ninety minutes they were together they started to change the outcome of the game. They batted superbly together putting on one hundred and sixteen in facing one hundred and sixty balls. If nothing else they proved that the Devon side had a heart. In the forty-ninth over of the innings thirty-eight minutes before close of play Medlock fell after he had scored another fifty, what a season he is having with the bat at all levels. Sam Read was unbeaten on eighty-four and had transferred his record breaking club form to the county circuit. Devon were still not in the lead but now only needed twenty four for more Dukes to used. It was now critical that Devon did not lose any more wickets before close of play so they could build on this turnaround on day three. Unfortunately thirteen balls later Read was back in the War Memorial Pavilion for a seasons best eighty-seven - Devon now five down and still behind. It got worse, Kidd had a couple of lives before at two minutes past close of play he was caught for thirteen with Devon now fifteen ahead but with only four wickets remaining. Adam Small was the not out batsman on twenty. What would day three bring? The Copthorne had been the star accommodation of the season and there was no need to purchase a shower head from Wicks or anything else.
The final day was approached with interest with Devon still hanging on against a very confident opponent. They appeared far from down and out in another completive warm up. The message was lets us get through the first hour and see then where we are. Twenty-three minutes in Ben Beaumont was bowled, Devon were now thirty-seven ahead with just three wickets in hand. Not looking too bright. Five minutes past the initial hour Devon lost another wicket as Adam Small fell caught behind. He had doubled his overnight score in the morning session and helped take his side to two hundred and ninety-two. With Will Scott Munden another forty-four runs had been added off ninety-one balls. A lead of seventy-one. Could the last two wickets make it three figures. Not only did they extend the lead into three figures they set the home side one hundred and forty as a seasons top score of 350 was reached. Will Scott Munden and Tom Simmons put on thirty-nine most vital runs before Scott Munden was out in the ninety-first over, the Dukes box had been required as the new ball had been taken, the final wicket added an incredible nineteen all scored by Tom Simmons who was last out at ten past one, in time for lunch. Sam Woodcock's contribution all summer should not be underrated he faced fourteen balls and this was as vital as his maiden county fifty at Exmouth. The noise levels from the field and benches had dropped several decibels.
It was back to the same bench as the home side had two sessions, at least fifty seven overs to score one forty. There was only one option and Devon took it. A superb diving catch at gulley by Ben Beaumont set them on their way, it removed the home sides high scoring captain. Sonny Baker was the bowler and the side seemed very excited - always a good sign. Thirty were added for the second wicket which started to bite into the target with one hundred and six still needed. Devon then took two in seven balls first Abraham Kopparambil completed an excellent stop got the ball in, Woodcock backed up and the ball was then transferred to Medlock and Xavier Clarke was run out, The captain had been run out in the second innings so this was some form of compensation. Ben Privett, who is often the forgotten bowler, then trapped Tom Banton's brother in front for a duck and the excitement multiplied. The pavilion now silent. In the twelfth over Worcestershire were thirty-four for three. Twenty-three runs were added for the fourth wicket and in over twenty-three Sam Read took his first wicket, caught Medlock. In the next over the captain joined in having Edavalaith caught behind by Small - sixty-two still needed, four wickets left. Keeper Cullen and Bragg added two off seventeen when Read bowled Cullen - 80-7. Nine balls and three runs later Bragg was another caught Medlock bowled Read. Twenty balls were faced by Dickenson and Davis and four runs added before Dickenson was bowled by Luke Medlock who repeated the process next ball with Marshall the batsman. Silence in the pavilion and well deserved fulfilment and pleasure out in middle. This a sum of the parts match with Devon coming out triumphant and eventually having applied the basics. Magnificent, as this will be remembered as the years go by and why this type of cricket is so vital. To avoid the rush hour at Bristol we stopped at Michael Wood, as it transpired we had a couple of totally irrelevant conversations on batting the three day game and the group went home most contented and deservedly so........
