Sandford reveal four more new signings for 2022 | 'It will be great to have competition for places and cover when players are not available' – Richard Foan

Sandford CC

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

SANDFORD’S close-season signing spree shows no signs of slowing down as four more players have committed themselves to the Premier Division club for 2021.

The Morgan-Huggett twins, Tyler and Tudor, have been registered permanently having played as guests during the 2019 Covid season.

Tudor is a bowler who bats; Tyler is a batter who bowls. Both of them played for Chepstow in the South Wales Premier League 2nd XI division last season.

Jacob Griffiths, who is 28, has returned to Creedy Park after eight seasons in lower-division cricket with Chagford.

Griffiths, who averaged 54.75 with the bat in E Division West cricket in 2021, has been Chagford skipper during the Covid crisis.

“Jacob approached us to join as he is looking to play a higher level of cricket,” said Richard Foan, the Sandford captain.

“He played at Sandford as a colt so knows the club and some of the players.

“It is always good to have players wanting to join the club and with the new pitch under construction we will soon have the facilities to cater for all abilities.”

Sandford recently revealed plans to create a third-team playing area on ground adjacent to their Creedy Park home, which is being leased from the landowner for 10 years.

Ciaran Gray, a highly rated batsman who has travelled through the Devon youth ranks, is the fourth and so far latest new signing of the close season.

Gray has worked his way through the junior sides at Cornwood into men’s league cricket and made it into the first team for the Covid cut-down competition late in 2020. He played eight 1st XI games in 2021 and made a top score of 47 against Sidmouth on the Fortfield.

Said Foan: “Ciaran is talented young batter looking to improve his game.

“He worked closely with Jackson while at Cornwood, plays regular Devon youth cricket and will only improve going forward.

"Ciaran has school cricket early season at Wellington, but will be pushing the top-order batters when he is available.

“It will be great to have competition for places and cover when players are not available.”

Foan’s latest batch of recruits brings the new-faces tally to six so far. Previously, Sandford had snapped-up Bideford’s young all-rounder Jack Ford and Jackson Thompson, who was Cornwood’s 1stXI captain last season.