SHEBBEAR College pupil Gareth Tidball from Hatherleigh was chosen last September to tour South Africa in February with the Devon Development Squad (U14 and U15). The squad comprised 14 players and the tour consisted of eight matches including a two-day game. The tour was split into two parts with six games in and around Cape Town followed by two in the Kruger Park. The Cape Town games culminated in a match against Western Province Under 15s who included six international players in their ranks. Gareth?s own performances with the bat were consistent with a top score of 24. Against Western Province he opened the batting and batted for 80 minutes against some very fast and hostile bowling. Due to an injury to the wicketkeeper, Gareth actually kept wicket for most of the tour and so only managed eight overs of bowling but took one wicket for 24 runs. The highlight of the trip was a visit to the Newlands Cricket Ground on Gareth?s birthday when he was presented by the head groundsman with a stump used in the previous test match.
