Devon Tour 2007
This was our 30th tour and the 24th in Devon, with 19 tourists and two (more than useful) additional players. The tour is once again in a state of rude health - and sometimes very rude indeed. Once more the social side of the tour was the best, reaching its usual climax at Cornwood, with renderings of the Wild Rover and Waltzing Matilda from Brian, and a still ruder version than last year's of Old MacDonald by the perverts of society (otherwise known as Cornwood C.C.). The challenge for the winter season is to produce a Hale Barns Touring Song that can rival theirs on our next visit.
It was a good job the social side was good because we missed the beginning of summer by one week, and were only able to enjoy two full matches and one evening match out of our programme of four and a half games. We had our usual mixed fortune: won at Cornwood, just lost at Kingsbridge (by four runs) and came a rather distant second in the final evening fixture at Stoke Gabriel's attractive ground. Then the rain poured down, we managed a tour photo in front of a sodden locked pavilion at Dartington, and never got closer than the New Inn to Broadclyst's ground which by that stage was inaccessible by road. Still, let's hope for better luck in 2008.
The Kingsbridge game was very close. Tight bowling kept Kingsbridge to a gettable total of 218, even with two innings of 71 and 100 not out. Despite the absence on cup duty at Hale Barns of Jenks and Deano we only fell short by 4 runs. Liam, 34, and Huffy with a dashing 53 led the way, and Pav almost saw us home in the last 15 overs with an almost dashing 41, but was out with two boundaries meeded in the last over. It was one of the closest opening matches of recent years, and the Kingsbridge ladies put on the usual superb tea to complete a great day.
Our victory at Cornwood.was well-earned, against a side with a blend of experience (two over 60) and youth (three U15 and three U18) who were all pretty useful. We scraped together 136 in the 36 overs available, with a very useful partnership of 69 by Fretters and Rick (40 runs each) and once more tight bowling by everyone, especially Payno with 3 for 19 in 7 overs, restricted Cornwood's scoring rate. Wickets fell steadily and we ran out winners by 17 runs.
Our first visit to Stoke Gabriel's superb ground (eventually found at the back end of nowhere, well navigated Finers) was as enjoyable as all evening fixtures after an afternoon in the Irish Bar. The cricket was equally predictable, and we just about managed to set a target of three figures after 20 overs. Jenks (48) and Marcus (27) were apparently the only two batsmen who saw one ball each delivery. The target was easily reached with four overs to spare and the help of a large number of wides as our bowlers (apart from Stuart with a remarkable 3 for 6 in 2 overs) worked out which set of wickets to aim at. The most memorable part of the evening was provided by our batsmen's magnificent hairpieces. Everyone seemed to enjoy the occasion and we hope to be welcomed back next year.
And that was it. It rained all day during our visit to Dartington while it was dry in Broadclyst, then rained all morning in Broadclyst while it was relatively dry in Torquay. The two evenings were sunny, but during the second we were well on our way back to Cheshire through the flooded West Midlands.
The tour averages are put together from a limited number of inputs, but they show Pav's epic 41 at Kingsbridge placing him at the top of the batting, and Adam Payne just pipping Stu in the bowling.
BATTING
Innings Not out Runs Average
Steve Goron ....... 1 ...... 0 .... 41 ... 41
Steve Jenkins ..... 2 ...... 0 .... 60 ... 30
Marcus Dean ....... 1 ...... 0 .... 27 ... 27
Steve Hough ....... 2 ...... 0 .... 53 ... 26.5
Richard Fretwell .. 3 ...... 1 .... 47 ... 23.5
Liam Aspden ....... 2 ...... 0 .... 40 ... 20
Joe Fretwell-Walsh 2 ...... 1 .... 18 ... 18
Richard Bowie ..... 3 ...... 0 .... 49 ... 16.3
John Pope ......... 2 ...... 1 .... 16 ... 16
Dave Saddington ... 2 ...... 0 .... 22 ... 11
Jordan Collins .... 2 ...... 0 .... 16 .... 8
Robin Grinter ..... 1 ...... 1 ..... 8 .... 8
John Petch ........ 2 ...... 0 .... 12 .... 6
Adam Payne ........ 3 ...... 0 .... 15 .... 5
Steve Kirkbright .. 1 ...... 0 ..... 2 .... 2
Steve Collins ..... 2 ...... 0 ..... 0 .... 0
BOWLING
Overs Runs Wickets Average
Adam Payne ....... 9 ... 33 .... 4 ..... 8.25
Stuart Collins ... 7 ... 29 .... 3 ..... 9.6
Dave Saddington . 14 ... 43 .... 4 .... 10.75
Jordan Collns .... 4 ... 22 .... 2 .... 11
Robin Grinter .... 4 ... 13 .... 1 .... 13
Steve Jenkins .... 4 ... 14 .... 1 .... 14
Liam Aspden ...... 4 ... 21 .... 1 .... 21
Richard Bowie ... 14 ... 44 .... 1 .... 44
John Finan ....... 8 ... 39 .... 0
Joe Fretwell-Walsh 7 ... 46 .... 0
Steve Goron ...... 7 ... 52 .... 0
Steve Hough ...... 2 .... 9 .... 0
John Petch ....... 9 ... 51 .... 0
