South Devon welcome back corps of captains following promotion | Brixham determined to halt slide down league

George Yabsley - back bowling for Ashburton this season

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

SOUTH Devon make their belated return to the C Division on Saturday when they visit Brixham.

James Allen’s side won promotion in 2019, but had to cool their heels last year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Promotion has lured back some seasoned campaigners with hundreds of A Division games under their belts from South Devon’s good old days, among them former captains David Knowles, Ali Wright and Henry Burningham.

“That’s three batters and two spin bowlers with bags of experience between them,” said current captain James Allen.

James AllenBatter Paul Hooper, who reappeared last season after a break, has committed to the summer ahead.

South Devon had hoped to bring over Sri Lankan all-rounder Kavisha Anjula as their overseas player, but red tape has prevented him setting off.

“It’s a paperwork problem at this end and it could be late June if he gets here at all,” said Allen.

Having shuttled up and down between the A, B, C and D Divisions in the past decade, Allen is making no predictions at all on South Devon’s behalf.

“What I would say is there will be chances for young players like Otty Yip, the Hargreaves brothers and my brother Jack to show what they can do this season,” said Allen.

BRIXHAM have belatedly arrived in the C Division from the other direction – they were a B Division side in 2019 and an A Division team the year before – and don’t want to fall any further.

“We are hoping to consolidate our position in the C Division this year and will try to bring in the older colts to build for the future,” said team manager George Breyley.

ASHBURTON are at home to Stoke Gabriel in their first league game, which might just be easier than some of their warm-up matches.

The Ashes have tackled A Division sides Budleigh Salterton and Bradninch during pre-season and found the experience challenging.

“We have really enjoyed ourselves against some opposition from higher divisions, albeit a tough pre-season run,” said skipper Ashley Berry.

Ashburton are another side whose overseas player is staying at home and they are going to go without one.

“We had signed Fergus Martin – an opening swing bowler from New Zealand but he won't be joining due to how well NZ has dealt with the virus,” said Berry.

George Yabsley is back at Ashburton after a spell up the A38 with Bovey Tracey and Berry is pleased to welcome him ‘home’.

“George will get a great opportunity with both bat and ball and has already hit the ground running and looked superb in pre-season,” said Berry.

The prodigal son said: “I feel very lucky to have played at Bovey and I have lots of happy memories there. 

"I have been associated with both Bovey and Ashburton CC all my life, and I am looking forward to the season ahead with Ashes.”

Ashburton were a distant second behind promoted Dartington & Totnes in 2019. Not surprisingly there are no rash predictions from skipper Berry in a division with just one promotion place.

“As always, we'll look to enjoy our cricket from the outset and see where the season takes us,” said Berry.

STOKE Gabriel skipper Jack Tolley is keeping a low profile ahead of the new season.

Talented all-rounder Seb Ansley has left for Bovey Tracey and it will be a while before free-scoring batter Andy Kingdon makes his seasonal bow.

Kingdon is on the sports staff at Blundell’s School in Tiverton and his Saturday afternoons will be occupied by cricket coaching and team management duties.

A new face in the dressing room belongs to South African batter Joshua Arendse, who was with Premier side Exeter in 2019. He more than held his own in the top-flight, making 374 runs at an average in the mid-20s with a season’s best of 72 against Sidmouth.

Back at Stoke Gabriel for another stint is spinner Dan Bullock.

For Tolley the key this season will be scoring runs. “If we bat well we will be a good side,” he said.

NEW Teigmouth & Shaldon captain Carl Woolnough has an old problem to wrestle with.

The side formerly known as Shaldon Optimists is a member of the C Division West.

Level four is where regionalisation starts in the Devon League and means only the C Division champions go up.

“It's a notoriously tough division to get out of with just the one promotion spot,” said Woolnough.

“I think we have the talent at our disposal, but we need to show maturity and, more importantly, consistency throughout the season. If we do I believe we can be up there in the fight.”

Teignmouth & Shaldon have most of the squad that played under Todd Ballman last season still available.

Woolnough wants to bring in the younger players like Ben Coen, the Linnitts and the Couch brothers as ‘they are showing immense talent’.

Added Woolnough: “We won't be seeing much of Richie Fisher due to work commitments but hopefully the likes of myself, Seamus McKenna, Karl Blackburn and Tsepho Legodi can play a pivotal role as the experienced guys in the team.”

Teignmouth & Shaldon get the party started away to Paignton 2nd XI.