Devon Dumplings v ANNUAL REPORT

Thursday 22 October 2015 at AGM

P23 W11 L 5 D 0 Can/Aban 7

 I am pleased to be able to present my fourth report as Keeper of the Records. I am delighted that the news is much better than last year with a 65% success rate in all matches played and 62.5% success in the all day games that took place! 

We had one less fixture arranged than in 2014 despite having tried to resuscitate the Old Blundellian’s match and a second attempt at getting a maiden fixture against Taunton School onto the card. Sadly a number of opponents could not raise sides again and we were guilty early in the season of this too. Warwickshire Imps failed to reply to communications regarding a fixture this year – it may take them some time to recover from last year’s loss to a side including overseas teenagers.

 Our successful tour in Oxford last year encouraged the Committee to do it again this year. I was delighted that it was simpler to organise this time as so many of the tourists from 2014 “booked early to avoid disappointment”. Great fun and a chance for distant Dumplings to get some games in! 

 In terms of batting and bowling the bat again had the advantage this year with two scores of 150 or more and three centuries by Dumplings versus one century by Boshoff of Arden Taverners and only two “five fors” by Dumplings, 5 for 32 by Dan Fogerty and Joel Murphy with 5 for 37. 

The five centuries were scored by four individuals, Kobi Griggs, Tom Fogerty, Brad Barnes and Ben Van Nierkerk who scored two. In addition Dumplings scored 16 half-centuries with four of them in the new fixture against Bahrain Camels! One matter of note is that three of the centuries ended “retired out” which is unusual for Dumplings. 

68 players turned out this year, 30 fewer than last year. 39 only played one match. Two played 11 matches, a third played 9 with only six playing 7 or more matches. 7 of the 68 “did not bat”. Bernie Wilson batted 5 times this year and was out twice. I think that may be a record… We had 43 bowlers only 10 of who bowled 25 or more overs, with 5 bowling more than 40 overs. 9 took no wickets and only 6 took 7 or more wickets in the season with just two taking double figures. 

Finally my personal highlight of the season was the end of the one match in which I acted as scorer. Never again! Dr Peter Jolliffe,