South West Tour 2007 ...
(Somerset / Devon) August 20-23, 2007
Written by Kevin Pichowski (ECAD’s Tour Manager)
Photos taken by James Dixon (ECAD Playing Member)
Click here to download a PDF (228 KB) copy of the tour report
Monday 20th & Tuesday (am) 21st August 2007
England squad training at Somerset County Cricket Club, The County Ground, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1JT.
New players, ECAD’s current playing members from the Development/Full squad joined the intensive 2-day training course at Taunton to help warm up for the tour ahead in Devon.
Special thanks must go to the new players; Mike Kelly (Birmingham) and Luke O’Connor (Wales) whom we hope to see more of in the future. Ejaz Hussain (Bradford) is a former player who joined in the training and we hope to see Ejaz again in the future with his fellow Bradford deaf cricketers.
Somerset CCC has kindly provided a Level III coach to assist our ECAD coaches, Ron Young and Blyth Duncan. ECAD appreciates and acknowledges their persistent help towards our deaf cricketers. Sula Gleeson (interpreter) and Kate Peckham (physio) were excellent as ever. Umesh Valjee, who has aspirations to become a full time coach for deaf cricketers in the future, has also provided long sessions coaching our batsmen in the nets with the bowling machine.
Ron Young (ECAD Head Coach) provides tips for one of the up and coming young players, Saul Allison. Luke O’Connor (yellow top) watches on.
The squad standing in front of the Ian Botham Stand at Taunton after the training session.
Tuesday 22 nd August 2007
English Riviera Select XI vs ECAD (Twenty/20)
20/20 cricket is a very popular competition in Devon and there were many fine players in the local team's squad.
The pitch was very slow and after a huge downfall of rain which covered the entire ground under the water, but owing to the huge efforts of the ground staff the match went on. The Select XI batted first, the opening attack for England was Woodman and Sykes whom both got early wickets.
Blyth Duncan then came on in an eventful over where he got hit for two fours before taking a wicket. Steve George in his first over took a wicket and the score was 36 for 4. After 8 overs it was 39 for 5 as Duncan caught and bowled Pugh.
The English Riviera Select XI staged a recovery with Gavin Ewing (a Zimbabwe international test cricketer) reached an unbeaten 45. Imran Abbas got 32 and Usman Malvi scored 30. The home side finished with 121 for 6.
Umesh Valjee, England captain had some difficult decisions to make during the break. He decided that he and Ben Young would open the batting. The difficult conditions prevailed but the two openers made a slow but steady start and after 6 overs with 26 runs on the board.
Then Young tried to break the bowler’s rhythm before being bowled by a ball that kept low. At the halfway mark the England team were 43 for 1, Valjee was bowled for 28 as was Mike O’ Mahony for 11.
Chris Hughes went for 20 being caught after hitting out. The home side slow bowlers took the pace off the ball and made it very difficult for the visitors to accelerate. Eventually England was all out for 90 in a desperate attempt to reach the low total on a difficult slow wicket.
Gavin Ewing the Zimbabwe international was man of the match with 46 runs and 2 wickets. He said after the game that it had been a deliberate strategy to bowl the slow spinners. He thought it was a good game considering the conditions.
Wednesday 22nd August 2007
Paignton President’s Select XI vs ECAD (50 overs match)
ECAD batted first and lost three quick wickets. Ron Young, England coach, felt they could have applied themselves better even through the ball was keeping low. Andrew Wood and Umesh Valjee led a recovery and they worked hard to get the score to 75 runs. Then Valjee rather unnecessarily got caught pulling to the deep off a full toss. ECAD’s Saul Allison playing for the opposition caught Valjee.
England got to lunch with Stefan Pichowski and Andrew Wood batting well. The score at this point was 125 for 5. At lunch the coaches talked to the team about playing in the same way they had before lunch. The target was 180-200 runs. Unfortunately Pichowski got out straight after lunch and England only made 160 runs with 8 overs left unused. Saul Allison took 4 wickets for 29 runs.
The President’s Select XI started well despite tight bowling by Mark Woodman, Blyth Duncan, Stephen George and Stefan Pichowski. Sev Benton batted well for 63 but James Dixon had him caught by Wood. Then Rhiann Jeggels the South African batted very well and got a well deserved half century. The home side got the runs quite comfortably.
Sev Benton, man of the match, afterwards said, he felt that the opposition adapted better to the conditions. He thought that England made the mistake of batting on the back-foot. The wicket had a low bounce and too many England players were cutting and pulling and getting themselves out.
The President’s XI deliberately waited for Steve George and Mark Woodman to come off as they realised as local players they would know how to bowl on the Paignton wicket. He felt Andy Wood batted well of 71 runs. Sev’s advice for the next day was to bowl first.
The players to walk down to the beach for a cool-down after the game!
Andrew Wood walks off after his knock of 71.
Thursday 23rd August 2007
Devon League Overseas Select XI vs ECAD (50overs match)
This was by and far the toughest opposition the England team had played on the Devon tour, although all sides were strong and a very good test for the visitors.
Woodman and George again opened the bowling and used the local conditions well. Woodman, the ex-Devon player got two early wickets, one stumped by Ben Young and the second caught by Chris Hughes.
After 10 overs, the Overseas XI had only 30 runs. This was a good start for the England bowlers. The two Australia batsmen were patient and stayed put. They made a very good opening stand. Eventually Mat Makepeace was caught by a terrific catch by Mike O’Mahony, he had to run 10 yards to catch the ball which was then followed by a rolling dive. Makepeace scored 52 runs and the bowler was James Dixon.
Sam Hughes, the other Australian opener continued to play well but eventually was bowled by Steve George after lunch for 70 runs. The score at this point was 165 for 4.
Sergio Feddee from the Leeward Islands then came in. He hit a brisk 36 runs just at the right time during the last 20 overs. Stephen George, however managed to bowl a tight spell. He then struck again and finished Feddee’s innings with James Dixon managing to take a good catch to assist George. Steve Bowen then came in a hit a quick 30 runs and things started to get out of hand and the England team couldn’t managed to turn the tide of quick runs. The Overseas XI finished with 223 for 6.
Chris Hughes and Umesh Valjee opened the England innings and got off to a steady start. England lost no wickets and after 10 overs for 30 runs. A similar total for the opposition at the same stage. At tea, the score was 46 runs for no wickets. The England innings was set for a big onslaught in the remaining 34 overs.
The strategy worked briefly, with 22 overs left England were 106 for 0 wickets. Both opening batsmen had got themselves in. England could now afford to launch a belligerent attack on the professional bowlers.
After this point wickets began to fall while the score crept up to 162 for 4 with 10 overs left. With 8 overs to go Chris Hughes completed a magnificent 100. The team was 182 runs at this point needing 42 runs to win. Then it was 186 for 6 wickets with Chris Hughes dismissed for 103. After this, the England’s brave attempt at reaching the overseas total wilted away.
James Dixon’s wicket fell almost immediately and England appeared to be out of the hunt. Wickets fell rapidly as the England team attempted to score those last few runs, eventually they were all out for 190 runs.
A brave attempt at winning the match, the man of the match performance undoubtedly, came from England’s Chris Hughes (pictured left).
The beautiful settings taken from the Paignton Cricket Club’s pavilion.
Presentations were made to the volunteers that made an excellent cricket week in the South West.
A special thank must to go to Nigel George (Stephen’s father – left photo) who organized the tour and raised £500 each for ECAD and the local cricket club, Paignton.
