Devon Dumplings v Arden Taverners

Morning rain caused a delay, but a 40 over game eventually started at 1.30pm.

To be fair with a wet outfield and a green, spicy pitch it made little difference as

neither team looked likely to bat out their 40 overs.

Originally 19 players had expressed an interest in playing this match, but personnel changed regularly in the months leading up to the day. One Dumplings committee member commented “this is one of the strongest sides I can remember us putting out in recent times.” This was a reflection on the game the previous year which had been a little lop-sided.

Some of that team were present so Dumplings were glad to win the toss and ask them to bat. 

The two Bridestowe boys started well, though Craig Penberthy used the pitch rather more than Tallan Burns-the former bowled eight straight through and deserved more wickets whilst Burns kept repeating “I’m a batter, it’s only for the Dumplings that I’m a bowler!”

Jermain Harding bowled well on his home ground to pick up four wickets and then, on the brink of claiming five announced “you can take me off if you like, I bowl here enough.” And so Dikshanshu Negi the Sandford leg-spinner provided a different sort of excitement.

He has done rather well with bat and ball but on the other hand his skittling them all out would leave no opportunity for the other bowlers.

At the other end captain Harry Everett bowled two tribute overs gifting them a few runs courtesy of a gap in Neil ”Cobra”Collins’ massive, bucket-hands, before Negi finished the job himself, elbowing out his Devon tour guide Tom Gidney at mid-on to take a skied caught and bowled.

Peter and Judy Jolliffe provided a splendid tea.

What with it being a weekday game with rain around and their having a bowler who had recently nailed Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey in the nets, most of the Dumplings seemed to prefer the middle-order batting slots or even 11. So it was down to the two Harrys to not harry their way around too much.

The bowler in question bowled in some good areas at a decent pace and his away swing on a not

massively improved surface (tiny bit of drizzle around) caused the skipper to glove one to slip for one.

Negi then played a quite imperious shot over extra cover onto the newly-thatched pavilion roof for six, but fell soon after. James (senior) and Gidney were quickly in a position to join him on a boundary lap. Four down for not many, and every one of them playing for nearby arch-rivals Sandford.

Collins hung around,scoring four, as Burns dug in. Harry Kandampully was favouring the pull shot to counter Luke Williams’ now rarely-seen leg-breaks. Williamshas become a familiar face, being local - from Ashbrittle and Taunton Deane-and playing at Shobrooke twice a

year for Stragglers and the Taverners.

When Kandampully fell short of what would have been a hard-earned (solitary) 50 of the match, Dominic Tuohey calmed things down and it was Burns who completed the game with a glorious drive over long on for six.

Great convivial spirit with the Taverners as ever, and thanks to Roger Jones for ensuring the game happened.

Arden Taverners: 120 (Archie Walker 35, Jack Bamford 24 – Jermain Harding 4/22, Dominic

Tuohey 4/11)

Devon Dumplings: 124/7, (Harry Kandampully 40, Tallan Burns 24no – Archie Walker 5/23)

HE