Deane Youngsters Earn Their Keep

With the sun out and the toss won, Taunton Captain Hugh Kelly had no hesitation in batting on first on a typical flat track at Gipsy Lane.

Openers Alex Sparks and James Cooper started watchfully against Robert Pryke and new ball partner Harry Smith. With a touch of green on the wicket and some moisture present, both extracted lateral movement off the seam, this combining with some early swing presented a good task for the Taunton openers.

Cooper was first to fall for 17, caught sharply by Sam Loud at gully off the bowling of Pryke. Fellow opener Sparks followed soon after, gloving a searing delivery from Smith (3-41) into the chest of wicket keeper Sam Shaikh who gladly claimed the rebound.

After conceding a boundary with the first ball of his next over, Smith then had new batsmen Ollie Sale comprehensively bowled with one that nipped back between bat and pad. The very next ball Smith defeated Taunton captain Hugh Kelly in identical fashion, the ball castling the top of middle stump to send the off and leg stumps cart-wheeling and the Deane fielders into jubilant celebration.

From 30-4, Will Abell provided good resistance and formed a useful partnership with Dan Quick (15) before he was stumped off the bowling of Shohel Rana. Off spinner Rana (3-13) then claimed his second wicket, Ben Osborne running in from the square leg boundary to take a well timed tumbling catch.

Abell threatened to kick on with some aggressive and well-timed strokes down the ground, but he succumbed soon after for 39 attempting an ill-conceived second run to Sam Loud patrolling the shorter off side boundary.

Liam Redrup (1-15), playing his first game since returning from a loan spell at Bridgwater CC, then accounted for Taunton stalwart Jon Kerslake, well caught at gully on the second attempt by the diving Luke Williams.

The returning Pryke (2-16) claimed his second wicket, keeper Sam Shaikh taking another ferocious delivery via the glove off the bewildered James Clark. Youngster Max Toohey was the last to fall as Rana had him caught behind from a mystery ball. Taunton all out for 116 in the 32nd over.

With the tea interval delayed by 15 overs, the Deane reply started well as openers Ali Warren and Sam Loud were pleased to accept the extras that came their way in otherwise testing conditions against the new ball.

Loud (11) fell first with a gentle tickle to keeper from the bowling of James Hayes (1-23), before number three Calvin Harrison came and went amidst a flurry of boundaries for a brisk 17, caught at point a couple of overs before the tea break.

Two overs later on the stroke of tea, Ali Warren was the third Deane wicket to fall, LBW to the impressive left arm spin of 15 year old Max Toohey. With the fall of two quick wickets, Taunton sensed they were still in the game. Tea was taken after 15 overs with the Deane 60-3 still requiring another 57 runs for victory.

After tea, new man in Harry Smith joined Deane skipper Harry Thomas and with a certain edginess entering the run chase, Taunton turned to spin at both ends to create pressure and squeeze the Deane batsmen.

The pressure soon told as Smith was the next fall, LBW to Toohey for 3. The run rate slowed and Thomas and new man Luke Williams were happy to take singles on offer, gradually working their way to the Taunton total. However, Captain Thomas then fell for 7, bowled by the probing Toohey to see the Deane fall from 40-1 to a somewhat perilous 77-5.

Sam Shaikh joined Williams and after a few ill placed boundaries, the two left handers brought up the Deane hundred. Content with not taking any further risks, the Deane victory was sealed without further alarm via a succession of singles and twos midway through the 25th over.

Whilst not the most convincing win, the Deane took 19 points from the game and will look back on a job well done for a young team who are improving with every game.

Thanks must go to groundsman Rob Hake and Taunton CC who provided a stunning setting and atmosphere for Premier League cricket, the condition of the ground and facilities certainly befitting of more precocious talent.

Next up for the Deane is a top of the table clash against Weston Super Mare, home at The Convent Field, 12.30pm start. A victory for the Deane will see them grace the top of the Premier 2 table for the first time since 2013, the season they were crowned League Champions at the expense of next weekend’s opponents.