Devon register Somerset Academy keeper Jamie Baird to solve selection headache

Jamie Baird - the Somerset Academy keeper-batter registered by Devon for the rest of the season

DEVON have registered Somerset keeper-batter Jamie Baird with the intention of playing him in the game against Cheshire at Alderley Edge.

Devon have run into a keeping crisis for the fourth game in their Unicorns Championship programme due to injuries and availability issues.

First-choice stumper Matt Thompson has work commitments that rule him out of the three-day game starting a week today (August 4).

Injured - George AllenGeorge Allen, who has deputised for Thompson in the past, broke two fingers in the county game against Wiltshire this week.

Devon captain Alex Barrow is also an experienced keeper, a role he filled regularly during his time on the staff at Somerset. He is not available for this game either.

Heathcoat keeper-batsman Peter Randerson has played occasional games for Devon since 2011, but he is also nursing broken fingers.

Realising he had a sizeable problem looming. Devon team chief asked Somerset’s Andy Hurry for a helping hand.

Said Tall: “Somerset have helped us out of a difficult situation and I appreciate their assistance.

“Jamie is a young lad at the start of his career and playing three-day cricket for us will be an experience that should help him develop as a player.”

Baird, who is 18, is a pupil at Millfield School, was selected to play in last summer’s Bunbury Festival, which is seen as a stepping-stone to the professional game.

He plays WEPL cricket in Premier Division Two for North Perrott and has been a 1stXI regular for the past two seasons.

Somerset offered Baird a place on their academy programme last year. One of the coaches working with him as a keeper is Barrow.

Tall is still working on the squad for the trip to Cheshire as he has to find cover for Barrow, James Burke and Thompson as a batter. Allen and Barrow shared wicket-keeping duties in the four-wicket defeat by Wiltshire at Sandford.

Devon, 44 runs ahead on first innings, were bowled out second time around for 207 before lunch on day three, which left Wiltshire the rest of the day to make 252 to win.

Highlights for Devon were a career-best 132 for Thompson in Devon’s first innings and a match haul of 10 for 126 for match pro Wayne White.

Devon are now sixth in the Western Division table of 10, below the top-five target to avoid being placed in a new second division next season.