BUDLEIGH Salterton have asked former Devon all-rounder Trevor Anning to skipper the side next season as they try again to end their A Division exile.

Anning joined Budleigh from Exmouth a week before the transfer deadline last summer, ending a seven-year association with the Maer Ground club.

He took 206 league wickets for Exmouth – average 17.4 – and scored more than 2,000 runs at an average in the low 20s.

Anning’s previous clubs were Feniton, Sidmouth and Sandford.

Devon first picked Anning in 2001 and he played more than 120 matches for the county, winning two Unicorns Trophies and three Minor Counties titles.

Budleigh missed out on promotion last season, finishing third for the third time since they were relegated in 2013.

Anning was acting captain by the end of the season as elected skipper Joel Murphy was sidelined with a back injury.

Murphy has since had an operation to resolve the sciatica problem that left him semi-housebound for four months.

Having been skipper almost continuously since 2012 – he had a brief break in 2015 – Murphy feels the time is right to stand down.

And Murphy feels Anning is the perfect replacement for Budleigh in their quest to bring Premier cricket back to Ottermouth.

“I think it is a good move for the club and the team to get Trevor to captain,” said Murphy.

“After five years some new ideas are probably needed – and I definitely need a break from it.

“I was skipper at Bradninch for three seasons (2007-09) and that is a lot of captaining.

“When I do get back to playing, which I hope to do eventually, I shall look forward to bowling and batting and not having to think about all the other parts of the game.”