Devon Dumplings v Tenterden

Prior to this match getting underway, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Jeff Stanyer who died on 9th May. Jeff was a Dumplings stalwart for over 60 years. With both Exeter’s and the Dumpling’s flags flying at half mast, Jeff was remembered for his service to our Club; fixture secretary, taking players to matches; catering, scoring and of course above all for his bowling. Jeff holds the Dumplings' record for taking more wickets than any other player. 

The match was a tale of 3 Harrys, Everett, Gribble and Witcher, as Dumplings hosted Tenterden at Exeter CC in blazing sunshine-bizarrely our first fixture of the summer after four lost to the wet period that preceded the stunning last fortnight.

 

The senior of the three (at a mere 27), Everett gleefully accepted their overseas’ first ball of the game, a gift-full toss through covers for four. But he only just made double figures before cutting behind a ball with little width from their wily other opener, Billing. 17-1. Strike rate surprisingly high, but this of little use with Whitey ordering us to bat long past lunch in this timed all day game. Skip himself (Dom Tuohey not present so Graeme designated leader of the day) also failed to follow his own directive, leaving fellow home player Adam Fradgley soon after, bowled for 6, 26-2. Now came the inform Elliot Barnes, another Exeter player, fresh from a third XI ton at the weekend. He outlasted both his second team seniors, Fradgley reaching 20 before suffering the same fate as his captain, 53-3.

Next came the youngest Harry, on debut, a schoolboy with a lovely technique and soon to show great promise. He and Elliot provided the partnership of the match with great stroke-making all round the ground off slow seamer and slow spinner alike. Curiously both fell for exactly 50, Elliot first which meant Harry Witcher came to bat with his dad (19) for the second highest partnership of the innings.

Achilles Brown (AB) now at Bridestowe and being totally looked after by Tallon Burns this week (accommodation, transport match fee paid by Tal today and tomorrow for Tenterden at Ottery) decided to repay his host, driver and financier in the most unfortunate way :“Yes, no, get back” as he pushed to the bowler (not even to mid-on as maybe he first hoped) -WG Grace, who belied his years, dived, stopped and comfortably ran Tal out as Achilles ensured he himself got back to his crease first- in the total Inzamam-ul-Haq viral clip style. AB vented his anger at himself by planting a ball in the trees. Butsoon rejoined Tal by being bowled. 

This was the last of our recognised batters as such and Whitey got the three genuine 11s to rock paper scissors for who had to go nine-no volunteers! Despite this, Poustie, Sangeeth and H Gribble all passed five with memorable shots by each  and so creeping us past 200 to a respectable 237 all out, one ball shy of batting 50 overs. A decent effort after the top three’s failure on a typical Exeter pitch with plenty of variable bounce.

Now came one of the more aggressive opening pair of bowlers I can remember in recent years of Dumplings cricket. Being cricket of the midweek friendly variety, there’s usually a medium, if not slow pace swinger at one end at least. But no, both determined to bowl sharpish, at the body of the  Tenterden openers even as so many did their best to back away to square leg. Tal unlucky to go wicketless as Achilles got 3 early ones before tea, including Woollett, a fortunate caught behind to Harry Witcher, but three of the top four gone early, 39-3. Ward did play some lovely shots from well outside leg stump, booming through the offside-earning him a strike rate that would have been unheard of in his youth-well batted sir-team top score (27) in the process too.

After more lasagne, sarnies & cake, double Harry turned to spin it to win it from 4.30, even if the writer wasn’t quite prepared mid-mouthful for his first ball after tea and still cuddling a dog. Now in his second year of bowling off spin, and just 5 days back from travelling NZ (though too late to join White and Everett at the incredible two-test series back in February), Gribble persisted with a tight, consistent line and bowled their gritty opener, Allen, 73-4. Everett tinkered with his field each over and eventually had it perfected only to see their skipper, Billing, chip straight to Poustie who had just been staged at mid-on…maybe the sunglasses too big. He was very apologetic for dropping the self-confessed dolly anyway. Everett persisted with numerous lbw appeals turned down before getting the same man caught at short cover by Burns. Gribble ripped out their middle order with two more whilst still bowling very little in the way of four balls.

With Tenterden seven down for 85, and the runs now out of reach, White turned to his young off spinners Poustie & Sangeeth for the last couple of wickets. This resulted in a very slow passage of play as their tailenders looked to get their money’s worth, providing curtain rails to whatever was  chucked at them. Their No. 11, Crossley-Roberts eventually produced a couple of meaty lofted drives before the Greek Grace fell to Poustie-their umpire happy to give him lbw and have Tenterden put out of their misery.

118 all out a convincing win for a youthful, inexperienced Dumplings side on the whole!

DD: 237 (Barnes 50, H Witcher 50, Browne 30 – Richards 4/40)

Tenterden 118 (Ward 27 – Gribble 3/20, Browne 3/22. Poustie 2/8)

HE & WH