Torquay aim to improve on last year's early exit in ECB T20 regional final

Torquay celebrate after their  Servicemaster T20 Cup final win over Exmouth

TORQUAY are off to the NatWest ECB Club play-offs tomorrow (Sunday), hoping to improve on last year’s showing.

Victory over Exmouth two weeks ago in the Servicemaster Devon T20 saw Torquay retain the county title they won last year.

Last time Torquay got to the West final they made an early exit, bowing out to St Just by 22 runs.

Spool forward 12 months and Torquay are at play-off day again.

This time the hosts are Shapwick & Polden CC, who play near Bridgwater, and are the side Torquay have to meet in their area semi-final.

Win that and Torquay will play off against Penzance or Newport for a place in the national quarter-finals.

Go all the way – as Exmouth did in 2015 – and the national final is at Derbyshire’s County Ground on Monday, September 11.

For Torquay and their skipper Justin Yau, Sunday’s play-offs are a real trip into they unknown.

“We have Shapwick & Polden in the next round and your guess is as good as mine as to what they'll be like,” said Yau.

“I recognise one player - Ben Rudge - who I played against years ago in the county age groups but not much else.

“Really looking forward to the competition and hopefully we can go better than last time.

“Hopefully we will be able to play to our potential and win a game this year.”

As an ECB-run competition there are stricter rules on player eligibility, which mean overseas player Cody Gertze is ruled out.

Spinner Dan Wightman, a key man in the win over Exmouth to qualify, is on holiday.

Joe Thompson, man of the match in the 2016 Devon final win over Bradninch was playing for the county when Torquay beat Exmouth. He is free to play this time.