The game with Gloucestershire at the very attractive Newent ground, a known high scoring venue, was record breaking. The most difficult conversation in cricket management was held before the toss and Tom Dyer, whose own bowling performances had appeared to have been affected by the captaincy, stood down for Josh Mailling to take over the reins. It was cold and overcast to start as Mailling won his first toss of the summer and batted. The captain opened with Mawgan Penrice and they put on a respectable sixty-seven which with two other partnerships in the innings were to be the best of the summer. The first wicket fell in the thirteenth over when Penrice was bowled for twenty-nine having been in for four minutes short of the hour. The decision to avoid losing wickets in pairs was forgotten as Devon now lost three in five overs bringing out the white board for an early appearance. Mailling, who should know better, fell at seventy-one and so did Rice. The old maxim to add on two wickets came out but fortunately not taken up by the AC. We needed a decent partnership and got a reasonable one of fifty-nine between Ollie Higgs and Jack Dart. Somewhat surprisingly this was the best fourth wicket partnership of the under sixteen summer. It was known that Higgs enjoyed playing against Gloucestershire, he had taken their fifteens for a match winning undefeated ninety-six a month earlier in extremely difficult personal circumstances. Dart fell at one hundred and thirty having contributed twenty-one. Jack Dart is another batter who will be fundamental to any success in 2012. He is well organised and can counter attack. Perhaps the side’s best counter attacker, Rhys Davies, was in next and the result was the second best fifth wicket partnership of the summer. Higgs contributed sixty-eight, passing his fifty in sixty-seven balls. He reached his hundred in two hours six minutes off only one hundred and fourteen balls – a brilliant knock. Higgs’ hundred was received with much emotion both on and off the field but unfortunately he did not bat on and was fifth out for the 105. Ollie’s hundred should not detract from Davies’s major contribution. Off soon to the Channel Isles and relatives flying in from New Zealand, this was to be final appearance in Devon colours in 2011. He has the ability to be one of the side’s most accomplished and vital performers but currently appears content with cameos. This was a more than decent cameo as he helped Devon reach 244 in sixty overs. This was a vital recovery but much ground had still to be made up. Rhys Davies was bowled sixteen runs later and Devon was still below par at 260-6 but vitally this had been scored at over four an over. At 3.22pm enter Jack Cherrington to join Sam Wyatt-Haines. They completed a record breaking seventh wicket partnership of 163, beating the previous one by fifty-nine. The previous record had been achieved in 2004, unbroken, by the current Torquay captain, Justin Yau, and a former under 16 coach, Jack Porter, against the Isle of Wight. The record breakers batted for only ninety-six minutes, facing one hundred and fifty-five balls, with Wyatt-Haines going from 5 to 107. His fifty was off sixty-three balls and his hundred came off only eighty-nine, one of the quickest at this age. At the fall of Wyatt-Haines for 112, Cherrington was still five short of a maiden county fifty. The partnership had been exhilarating, youth cricket at its best, as they took a tired Gloucestershire attack apart. They went past 300, then the previous record under 16 score (327-6 in 2004), they took Devon over 350 and then past 400! They then beat the best ever under 17 score (411 all out) and were within 27 of the highest ever youth score  (the under 19s’ 450-5, ten years earlier, against Berkshire) when Wyatt-Haines was out. The coach was now under pressure to advise Mailling to let Cherrington get his half century and to then call them in. Matt Wood, as it transpired wisely did not recommend a declaration. He knew the side were a bowler short with the AC still lame and his instructions to Dyer and Kerton was to get on with it. Cherrington reached his deserved fifty (98-minutes, 76–balls seven fours) but neither Dyer nor Kerton troubled the scorers. Jack Popham was not exposed and Devon declared on 428 off 89.5 overs at 4.76. The bowlers then completed the best possible day’s play, reducing their hosts to 59-4 off twelve overs – simply incredible! It was 6-3, captain Carson bowled captain Mailling, Smith bowled Popham, Whincup caught Rice (one of the safest pair of hands in the side) bowled Mailling. Forty-seven were added for the fourth wicket when Popham had Dannam leg before. This had been a truly memorable day’s play with some exceptional performances but more importantly real unity in the ranks. We had our own dining room, the meal was enjoyable until a message came through from Cornwall calling of our last one day game of the season due to be held at Cornwood the following week. This was bad enough as it would deprive some of the squad another opportunity to shine but this was also the third time in two years that we would have to advise Cornwood we would not be playing at their attractive ground. They are jinxed as they are the only club to experience such a problem in twenty-two years and they are wonderfully accommodating. The white board came out with more pluses than minuses. It was extremely unfortunate that Paul Heard's county season had come to an end. He was missed as he is unassuming but skilled, articulate but forthright, indeed he had been invaluable at both age groups and he was going to be difficult to replace as was clearly shown on the second day.

The sun was shining, Newent were again fantastic hosts, the crumbles in particular were unbelievable and the game was already won, it would just be a matter of time! In fact at a quarter to five Devon were on the edge of a most unexpected defeat with Gloucestershire needing just nine runs with two wickets in hand! Earlier in the day the fifth wicket had fallen at Nelson, Tom Dyer caught Grieshaber for a vital sixty-four to give Kerton his wicket. Would the follow on be enforced? Things started to go wrong when Higgs damaged a finger in dropping a catch. It could have been a break so as a precaution he went off to Gloucester Hospital. He was speedily attended to by a charming female Scottish doctor who had two rugby mad teenage sons but was not into cricket. Fortunately nothing serious was diagnosed which was a huge relief as even Ollie Higgs would have been of more use in the field than the AC standing at slip and struggling to walk the twenty-two yards every six balls. Not reading text messages meant that Higgs and his driver were oblivious to what was taking place at Newent, which was fortunate as the driving might have been affected. Devon took wicket six at one hundred and fifty-four when Cherrington’s direct hit ran out Bradley. Never has a family’s decision to foreshorten a holiday been more worthwhile! However the seventh wicket put on a staggering one hundred and ninety-eight in two hours ten, off one hundred and thirty balls. Gloucestershire had reached 352 when Sam Wyatt-Haines caught Willoughby off Tom Dyer for seventy-five. At this stage his partner, Golding was seven short of his 150! . The eighth wicket took their side up to 391, thirty-eight still needed for the last two wickets. Could this be an “out of the jaws of victory” event? Golding was still at the crease so anything was possible. The scorer’s new chauffer, the Board’s Chairman, arrived in the coach’s, now repaired automobile. Matt's expectant wife had not been well and here was his side keeping him away from his loved one! Twenty nine were added for the ninth wicket, the boundary was being paced, the dogs kicked and how were we going to keep the side positive when the massive 428 was passed. Paul Heard had really been missed as the other seamers had to put in some real graft and both spinners had gone for over five an over. The captain was in his seventh and final over of his spell when he worked some real magic. The first two balls had gone for five, nine needed with time to spare when Mailling bowled Cafearo and next ball did exactly the same taking out Roberts – one of the most memorable moments in twenty-two years – really exciting cricket. This had been a MAGNIFICENT game of cricket. The debrief was left to the coach and his assistant but I doubt if anyone who took part in this epic game will ever forget it. Golding was left stranded on 173 an epic innings. The chairmen took us home through Wales, revisiting the haunts that the seventeen’s and the West of England captain had attended recently and the trip went surprising quickly and even the music seemed less grating.