We don’t realise how luck we are. We take things for granted and are too materialistic. Perhaps there should be compulsory trips to such areas to put things into perspective- the odd 50 Rand hopefully will make a small difference. Tears of joy.
The next day, from one extreme to another Devon play WP Under 14’s at the privately owned Utzig, Cricket Ground, Constantia, with mountains in the background and vines growing on the boundary edge. The small colonial pavilion stands proud nestling amongst trees overlooking this picturesque ground. Team photos then the match, the best of the tour. The first 40 minutes Josh Bess (Sidmouth ) and James Fraser (Sandford) bat beautifully against some very useful bowling. The innings is brought to life first by Tim Piper (Clyst Hydon) 41 and then Jack Porter (Barton) 45 not out and Devon score 214-9 off their 50 overs. On a role, Ross Acton (Bradninch) then takes a wicket in his first over and then dramatically runs out the number 3 and WP- expecting to win- have an uphill fight. Pressure fielding and James Fraser (Sandford) finding his form 3-17 culminates in Devon winning a magnificent match by 92 runs.
West Indies
v Sri Lanka at Newlands on Friday afternoon will be remembered for the
Sarwan incident. Felled by a sickening blow to the head and then stretchered
off- then returning late in the game and almost dramatically winning the
match for the West Indies- raw courage from a diminutive figure. I hope
the Devon sponsors had their video set as the lads place themselves strategically
behind the batters and are all over the video reply screen for an hour
and a half-
phone calls from the UK confirm they are all over the TV- Sky eventually
move then back a few rows!
The last match
against WP Under 15’s A, short of their stars, is the tour’s
anticlimax. The heat, bugs and tiredness take their toll and Devon never
really compete on a belter of a track at Fairburn College- perhaps it
was the thoughts of home as jets from the airport constantly buss us.
Jack Horton (Plymstock) scored 50 but 162 all out was never going to be
enough. Afterwards it was off to Newlands and the Presidents Suite, to
present two Township clubs with full kit bags and a bursary to a young
Township orphan cricketer to buy books for his college studies. The t-
shirts given to the young players from Fish Hoek dwarfed them- plenty
of room for growth however. Continued
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