Devon Dumplings 6 August 2024

Captain Arthur Muir

Lost by 76 Runs

Devon Dumpling 275 for 3 dec

SOA 199 all out (Frankie Crouch 103)

In a highly anticipated fixture between SOA and Devon Dumplings, the latter decided to bat first, confident in their strong side, bolstered by three or four Devon county players. The Devon Dumplings' captain, eager to capitalise on their strength, pushed for his team to take the first strike on what seemed like a batting-friendly pitch.

SOA opened their bowling attack with pace from both ends, fielding the 18-year-old Ramearo Samuel and the slightly older Neil Wilkins. Samuel impressed with his raw pace, while Wilkins delivered a remarkable spell, bowling 11 overs on the bounce. His efforts were rewarded with a wicket, although he was left frustrated when a straightforward catch was dropped by his own son, a moment that could have shifted the momentum further in SOA's favor.

Devon Dumplings, however, batted cautiously but perhaps for too long, eventually declaring their innings at 275 after 47 overs when opener Jeremy Tojy reached a slow century. The declaration left SOA with a challenging 37 overs to either chase down the target or survive for a draw.

The Dumplings' strategy seemed influenced by their past failures, including losses in the last two years and the memory of last year’s reverse fixture where SOA’s Frankie Crouch single-handedly dismantled them in a memorable encounter. This year, Frankie once again looked dangerous, playing with flair and aggression, as he raced to another superb century. However, wickets kept tumbling around him, leaving SOA with no choice but to adopt a defensive approach and attempt to block out for the draw.

In the end, the Dumplings' persistence paid off, as they managed to take the final SOA wicket with just eight balls remaining in the day, sealing a hard-fought victory. It was yet another thrilling encounter between these two sides, with both teams showing great skill and determination.

Special thanks were extended to Bob for his impeccable umpiring and Josh for his diligent scoring, both of whom contributed to making this fixture a great success.