EVO – THE CLUB SCORER (AND VERY MUCH MORE) AT 700 (part 7 - 2014 to 2017)
Just a year later another tick on the bucket list was also missed by Evo – scoring for a match in the Premier League with a female player involved, For the two previous weeks, Andy Fairbairn the Bovey Tracey skipper had picked his better half, a former England test cricketer but then dropped her for the match against Torquay! Evo does always wonder if Ellie Fielding, who in the club’s hour of need skippered the 2nd XI in 2008, before going up to Cambridge University and skippering their Women’s team, would have given him the tick on his bucket list if she had returned to the Bay.
2014 though will always be remembered though for Evo for the Celebratory Match for 500 League Matches (sadly Plymouth CC didn’t read the script the day before and beat Torquay CC in the 500th match) when he coined the phrase “younger legs” – basically some youngsters were selected so rolling substitute fielders could be used to save some of the those advancing in years such as Sam Wakeham, subbing for his dad Keith “Wally” Wakeham. The four memories that stick in Evo’s mind was the respect from Adam Gribble who pulled out of a competitive match for Exeter CC (taking 4 wickets certainly made making him Player of the Match even easier) to play in the match, Justin Yau for keeping the secret of the Mystery Player (Des Kruger) even from his parents, Blaise Baker for giving his parents an early morning wake-up call as “I’m a mascot today” and finally raising “£500 for 500 matches” for the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
There was for a brief moment a scary prequel to the match though, Evo got called by Bakes at work – heart in mouth was he about to lose a player and / or mascots for the match. Evo need not fear, Bakes had been speaking to the star of Cricketfield Road 1997, Steve Short, who was “desperate to play” in the match. Come final selection, Evo was actually glad Devon and Devon Lions both had matches which ruled out a few players – finding two squads of 15 was never a problem.
Evo’s trip to his spiritual home, Australia, in early 2015, has a few club related stories. First up Evo got to see Mitch Pugh play in Sydney – will Mitch be the only club player Evo sees play club cricket on two different continents? Evo can always remember Adelaide though – first up he heard his “Summer House” was going all mod as in electronic and secondly he got a message “Pethy is joining Torquay” to which he responded, “didn’t know we were staring a veterans team” – ok course it was actually Little Pethy who was joining and what an impact he soon had with his spin twin, Max Waller. (There is also a third story from Adelaide but all Evo will say is”JFT97.”)
Finally, to win a DCL title without having to win the match. The venue for this momentous match another Rec – this time Bovey Tracey’s. Evo was in the box that for so many years had been the home of the legendary Harold Shaw – do well you get praised do badly and you got told. He had been so respected by all. To put this in perspective, when Bovey Tracey won the league back in 2002, it is the only time Evo has phoned a scorer to congratulate them. By 2015 though their “new” scorer was a marmite character and let’s just say Evo isn’t a fan of marmite. The plan was simple just win the league and then open a can of lager once it happened. Evo having been following the North Devon CC v Sidmouth CC weather delayed match online, he can always remember his “confirm what I believe” text to Dave Petherbridge (dad of “Little Pethy” – explanation later) who came back with just one word “Champions.” With enough points achieved – Evo restrained himself for a while but then couldn’t resist. For once “Mr Marmite” apparently didn’t bit (unfortunately)!
Having mentioned Harold Shaw or as Mike Pugh would always say, “Mr Shaw Sir”, Evo couldn’t miss the opportunity of a good “clean” story about the late great Harold. It actually goes all the way back to his first season with the 1st XI and a match away to Bovey Tracey. Nigel Mountford the current CEO of Devon CCC was at the crease having never scored a league century for either club. Nigel was on 96 and hit this ball to the boundary, Harold immediately shouted out “Well batted Nigel”. Unfortunately, there is a blind spot for scorers at the ground and the ball had actually been stopped on the boundary! It didn’t fortunately mate as Nigel soon was raising his bat to celebrate his century.
The following season, 2016, was really a case of after the Lord Mayor’s Show. However, progression in the ECB T20 Competition meant a first for Evo. The only time he has scored for the club on foreign soil as Newport CC hosted the Area Finals actually in a unique scorebox. Newport CC had pitches side by side so the score box was a first for Evo as it covered both squares being at an acute angle.
Whilst on the field it might have been disappointing off the field, new committee member, Evo, was on a mission to get a true club legend, Ken Jeffery, who had organised Evo’s Celebratory Match in 2015, the recognition he deserved. Evo spent three months of his life preparing Ken’s nomination for BBC Sports Personality of the Year Unsung Hero, off his own back and virtually single handily – even working on it while sailing out of Lisbon on P&O Britannia. Ken who like Keith “Wally” Wakeham, Evo knew pre- cricket as he was the manager of the Lloyds Bank branch where his father had been first cashier, asked Evo afterwards was he disappointed with the outcome. Evo responded with, “just to get you short listed, anything more would have been a bonus.” It did though prove when Evo is on a mission, he is a totally different beast even restricting Yauy to just 50 words in the final citation.
Talking of the cruise on P&O Britannia. Whilst on it, Evo got notified he had won the Outstanding Services to Cricket Award (OSCA) for Devon in the Officiating which meant a trip to Lords although he didn’t win the National Award. (Evo can’t possibly think how but Ken Jeffery had also been shortlisted for the Lifetime Achievement Award.)
Are yes, the “Ice Cream Match” against Cornwood CC at The Rec in 2017. Cornwood alternate the 1st XI scorers and Lynne Whitfield scored for their 2nd XI the previous year at The Rec (Torquay’s 1st XI were playing at Queens Park) and found Evo’s refreshment supply! The following season Lynne was going to do the 1st XI fixture at The Rec, and the message came on what turned out to be a very hot day, “any ice cream.” Evo took this as a challenge, and ice cream was consumed during the afternoon in the box. On the playing front, Mitchell Pugh had a rather goof day with bat and ball – let’s just say if Mitch had been playing for Cornwood, all you could have said was “well done.” The icing on the cake for Mitch was that his father was over from Australia watching – certainly better than the previous season when he was over as the match against Exeter CC had little or no play.
North Devon certainly seems to be a recurring theme in Evo’s memories (he won’t comment on 2021 though). However, 2017, despite being the day the 1st XI got relegated it was also the day a future England test cricketer served Evo a pint – again a certain Craig Overton who just days later was announced in The Ashes squad.
Early in the 2017 season though there were happier times with “that kick” by Henry Slade in the Premiership semi-final against Saracens. The 1st XI was away to Exmouth CC 1st XI. With time running out, Evo a Chiefs fan walked despondently back to the scorebox. He tuned in on Radio Devon more in hope then expectation just as Henry Slade found the perfect touch with a 65m kick – the rest is history!
Staying on the rugby theme in 2017 there was the mad dash on a Saturday to a hotel at Twickenham. Nothing to do with rugby but as a replay in the ECB T20 cup was needed as a result of an unclear ruling by the ECB – no comment. It ended in a defeat for Torquay and Evo expected to have to return home and complete uploading the score from Saturday’s league match home to Exeter CC. However, Evo could just put his feet up as Exeter’s secretary, Derek Taylor, had done it for him – the phone conversation went something like, “you have done us enough favours.”