The excitement of real sunshine and Thrifty’s top of the range mini-bus lasted just thirty-five minutes. For this was all this six geared Ford Transit, with sound doors and no scratches, lasted. Those infamous words Gater we have a problem were issued at a roundabout close to the turn off to Lyme Regis, the bus free wheeled into a restricted hard shoulder. The MAYDAY call was made at ten past three and after contact with a number of different organisations the final eight members of the party were airlifted to Yeovil at ten past five. The A30/A35 Incident Support unit were thanked and had provided much needed protection. Airlifted is a slight exaggeration as although Yeovil is a manufacturing base for helicopters it was a green VW with no SatNav nor an A-Z of the town. Thommo had won the sweep stake. Frantic calls were made to ensure that the Thrifty Yeovil branch would still be open – past six o’clock. This was not Christmas weather the sun was shining over Axminster with a faultless blue sky; it was never like that when we played there! It was hot and all that was needed was an eight hour journey. The replacement mini-bus was found, the Town were of course at home and we were back on the road by twenty to seven. An hour later we were back on our route. The Sportsman was cancelled, the Little Chef replaced. Miles Lenygon had won the guess the weight of the cake competition; the attractive brunette waitress was eighteen. We reached the Hickstead just before eleven – the players as they have been all season in adversary had been exemplary. Toby Ingham commenced his apprenticeship on the Ipod with real potential just one major error and compared with the homeward trip his selection out of the top drawer.

The Hickstead won the acclaimed Breakfast of the Year 2009 award and the short trip to Blackstone was undertaken with little mishap. The delightful French Groundsman had departed but crucially so had last year’s caterers! Matt Hickey won the toss and Devon batted. Zak Bess played an impeccable cover drive which disappointingly did not reach the boundary. The three resulted him in facing Glover for the first time. He nicked his first ball to third slip (yes third slip) and he was on his way back. A leave might have been more appropriate. From 6-1 Devon advanced to 33 against a pumped up attack with a side that had a well rehearsed appeal. Alex Brown was on the end of a couple and third time unlucky when he was leg before to Cooke to be his only victim of the game as he was not involved after his eighth over. The anchor, Matt Thompson, fell next at 40 when he was also leg before to off spinner Parsons. Will Gater lasted two balls and watched his captain add a run before he was caught by Davies off Endersby - whose first name is Devon!. Any disappointment Sussex might have had at losing the loss had now evaporarted. Miles Lenygon and the captain advanced the score to 65 when the fifth wicket fell. Lenygon was Endersby second victim. Hickey and Huxtable batted to lunch as Devon ate their baked potatoes at 84-5 off thirty-three overs. Post lunch another three runs were added before Huxtable departed for 17 caught Endersby bowled Glover. The sight of Luke Tuckett appeared to put real  fear into the captain, who had been batting very sensibly, as he gave Parsons the charge to give a catch to slip. Devon was now in it right up to their necks – 90-7 on what appeared to be a decent track. Luke Tuckett then demonstrated why he should be one of the first names on the team sheet and not the 2009 standby player. In the company of the mature under 16 Connor Bryan he started a minor recovery. As has been proven in the past occupation of the crease in the two day game is a vital ingredient in any batsman's armoury and both these two demonstrated what is an important skill. They faced 70 balls in putting on 40 vital runs. After 58 minutes at the crease facing 70 balls Tuckett became the third leg before bowled by spinner Taylor for an important 29. Devon was twenty short of a batting point. Occupation and support for Connor was now needed. Tom Field lasted ten balls hitting three fours, Tom Durman twelve balls for 5 leaving the gallant Bryan unbeaten after an hour and eight minutes diligence on 15. A bonus point was acquired but the final product of 161 on one of the year’s better days was well below par with spinner Jack Parsons, who had taken eight against Kent, taking 4-41 off the penultimate ball of his full day’s quota of 25 overs. Tea was taken early as the last wicket fell in the prescribed time.

Fortunately Sussex did little better and this was with the assistance of two regulation dropped catches – opener under 15 captain Kalidasan the beneficiary. He would have been a useful early dismissal. As last year it was a run out that set Devon up, last year it was JJ Debenham, whose driving test failure had filtered down to Sussex by the sea, this year it was the senior pro Toby Ingham who got a finger on a hard hit drive from Kalidasan. His fellow opener Owain Jones was out of his ground. This was a reasonable scalp as Jones had taken Surrey for 197. He had been resting up all day icing an injury so he had not had the best of days and his only involvement in the game apart from an over fielding lasted six balls. It is hoped he would be fit for the national under 16 festival at Loughborough. The second wicket partnership put on 28 when Johnson was trapped in front by the captain. One run later the home side’s captain –England batsman keeper Davies was back in the timber pavilion. Tuckett dived forward to take a splendid catch – a really important wicket off William Gater. Having failed to dismiss Kalidasan he helped take the score up to 48 when Gater made amends for the previous lapses and bowled him. Gater was in fine form, continuing where he had left off at Totton. The captain had turned to the two Toms –Durman and Field and the importance of taking all chances was demonstrated when Endersby smashed Field to short mid wicket for Gater to take a fine catch. A subsequent nod from batter to fielder demonstrated respect! Not the bravest though as Gater rushed off to have a minute cut, a result of the catch, attended too. He subsequently held his heavily bandaged finger for all to admire. The next day he removed the bandage and milked a bite! This is where Devon missed their first trick. In not ideal light Will Gater should have been brought back into the attack to help try and pick up another couple or more wickets before close of play. Rightly Hickey brought himself back at the top end with immediate effect castleing Richards – Sussex precariously placed at 83-3. Concerted pressure in the form of Gater from the pavilion end might have squeezed another wicket or two as it was Devon meandered for the final thirty minutes making little impression allowing Sussex to take their score up to 100. At close of play, the coach voiced his justifiable concern, as shown by the subsequent developments the next day this was the critical period of the match.

The Sportsman, under new management, opened that week – no specials yet but the board was up. Not as large meals as last year, perhaps they had been too generous, hence the ram raid but Tuckett was back in place for the ten minute drive. The rain of course followed us, it rained really heavily from around 5.00am and large puddles welcomed the early breakfasters. Huxtable and Brown though had not been caught out for a second time. The start was delayed by an hour and Sussex needed another 62 for ten points. It took them until five minutes after lunch. In the form of under 15 and under 14 Willway and Finch progressed with little alarm in the two hour session. Unreasonably an umpire did not allow Gater to bowl what would have been a critical spell as he had been off the field. This was the second important trick missed by Devon as they have played this cricket long enough to know that the twelfth player can play an immediate part. The issue should have been pressed and if necessary the coach or manager should have been involved. The need for an early wicket was shown as soon as the two overnight batsmen were removed by Hickey - there was nothing else. Thompson took three catches, Bryan another as Sussex were bowled out off the first ball of the ninety-ninth over for 208. If only.

The inner fear was that Devon batting again might now cock up. At 4-2 the fear was no longer inner but at the forefront of thoughts. Thompson lasted 2 balls and was an identical repeat of the Bess dismissal the previous day -caught third slip, same bowler, same fielder. The promoted Lenygon found Endersby bounce difficult to handle. Fortunately Bess and Hickey recovered the situation. The captain cleared the pavilion and landed well inside the second ground with a massive six. He was unbeaten on 44 and Bess reached 34. Gater was concerned about fantasy points as Hickey increased his personal haul. The management missed the final trick as they agreed to a 6.15pm close. They should have agreed a hundred runs – this would have allowed a personal milestone in his final appearance and another point which would have put us on the same points as Somerset.

The captain played his valedictory request hour, we sampled a different McDonalds. Tuckett excreted some revenge for the late calls ups by playing some absolute rubbish. Gater was bored by the manager’s farewell and departed whist he was in mid stream. Three days on the road reminded everyone what had been lost in the summer of 2009.

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