Paddy Considine bowling for Bovey against Barton in 1986

FORMER Devon captain Nick Folland has led tributes to ex-club and county team-mate Paddy Considine, who has died aged 77.

Considine was one of the most prolific spin bowlers to play Devon League cricket, mostly for Exmouth but also with Bovey Tracey.

The Liverpool-born left-armer, who had played Minor Counties cricket for Gloucestershire in his teens and early 20s, the Bedfordshire in 1971 arrived in Devon in 1972.

By 1975 Considine was pilling up the wickets for Exmouth – 44 in total that season including seven for 15 against Paignton and a brace of sixes against South Devon and Plymouth.

Considine took 50-plus wickets in 1976 and 1977 – and a whopping 67 in 1980.

By then Considine was playing fairly regularly for Devon, although work commitments limited his appearances, as did competition for the left-arm spinners slot from Tony Allin.

Considine played 39 times for Devon between 1975-1987, taking 139 wickets in 39 with best of seven for 111 against Cornwall at Torquay. He took three more wickets in the second innings for 10 in the match.

Having skippered Exmouth to their first Devon League title in 1981, Considine was ousted as captain during the winter after a backroom row and moved to Bovey Tracey. Over the next three seasons bagged 75, 91 and 49 wickets respectively.

His last season at Bovey was 1986 when 61 wickets were taken at an average around 14.

Considine returned to Exmouth to close out his career, appearing in 13 matches and taking 32 wickets, with one final hurrah against Plymstock of six for 35.

That was almost it for Considine as far as cricket was concerned, but not quite!

Clyst St George persuaded Considine to start playing again aged 60 during the 2001 season – and in his first game back he took five for 26 against Hatherleigh.

Folland, who went on to become Devon’s leading run-scorer of all time, was at the start of his career when he came under Considine’s leadership as Exmouth captain.

“Paddy was a quality left-arm spinner and a genuine spinner of the ball,” said Folland.

Folland, who followed Considine into the Devon side, remembers him as a serious cricketer who always remembered is was just a game.Paddy Considine (second left) at the opening of his sports shop with Jeff (left) and Roger Tolchard (right)

“He and Graham Smith, a very useful off spinner, spun us to our first league title.

“They were the cornerstone of the side and because wickets turned at Exmouth then, they bowled the majority of the overs.

“Paddy played the game with a charm and a smile on his face.

“He loved a laugh and a joke and although fiercely competitive, he always seemed to keep things in perspective, always displayed modesty and enjoyed the bad days just as much as the good ones.”

Folland said Considine dropped him from the Exmouth 1st XI the day before he was due to make his Minor Counties debut for Devon.

“I hadn't been scoring too many runs so fair enough,” said Folland.

“It was probably a tough call for him, but he didn't shy away from hard cricketing decisions and always thought of the team.”

Considine owned and ran a sports shop in Exeter for a number of years then opened a snooker club in Exmouth.

After selling the snooker club he turned his attention to matters nautical, in particular running a charter boat out of Exmouth.

An enjoyable sideline was running charter trips round the Greek islands during the summer months.

Paddy Considine, a divorcee, lived with long-time partner Ingrid. He had a son from his marriage. His funeral was a private occasion at the request of his family.

Other former team-mates of Considine’s have paid their own tributes.

“A talented spinner with a fantastic sense of humour,” said Tim Ward. “One of the old school and a sad loss.”

Barrie Matthews, who was Devon captain for most of Considine’s career, said: “He was a great member of my county side.”

Vaughan Hosking, a rival with Torquay CC in the 70s and 80s, said: “So sorry to lose such a great cricketer."