JAMES Burke returns to Devon’s side after an absence of nearly three years for the three-day Minor Counties Championship game against Oxfordshire.
Burke, last played three-day cricket for Devon in 2013 and appeared in the Unicorns Trophy-winning side of 2014.
Burke left Somerset to join Surrey in 2015 and was loaned out to Leicestershire at the start of the summer.
The former Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth and Sidmouth all-rounder is back at Surrey, who have released him to play for Devon to get some match action having been laid low by a virus for some time.
As Devon have problems of their own at the moment, giving Burke a helping hand does them a favour too.
Jack Dart (exams), Dan Pyle (groin) and Jack Popham (hamstring) are out for one reason or another and work commitments claim keeper Matt Thompson. Somerset need Ben Green for 2nd XI cricket and, it seems, Dom Bess has moved out of Devon’s orbit for the time being following his selection for the England Lions.
Somerset are happy for Academician Tom Lammonby to play, which offers a left-arm seam option on top of his batting. He just needs to get time off school.
When Burke said he could be available, Devon were quick to take him up on the offer.
“We are a few experienced batters light for one reason or another, which makes James’ availability timely,” said Donohue.
“He had a virus and developed a secondary illness as a result of it and has barely played a game since early April.
“James tells me he is back at Surrey training hard and keen to get some runs. If we can help him achieve is aim, it will definitely help us in the batting department.:
Max Curtis, currently assisting WEPL side Clevedon but still attached to North Devon, fills one of the vacant batting slots.
With Popham out until further notice, Donohue gets the chance to pick a player he has wanted to have a look at for a long time.
Paignton paceman George Benton has had an encouraging start to the league season 10 wickets at around 20 runs each.
Devon have had an eye on Benton for a while and the hierarchy were disappointed when he decided in mid-2015 to spend 18 months in Australia travelling the country.
“We were keen to look at George before he went to Australia as he was doing a lot of the right things then,” said Donohue.
“What I like about George is he is a competitor and those are the people you want in the team.
“With Jack Popham injured and Ben Green unavailable to us due to Somerset commitments, it is a chance for George to show what he can do.”
The Benton name has a long association with Devon CCC, going way back to 1949 when Norman Keith Benton played for the team.
Norman was the uncle of Keith Benton, who played for Devon between 1978 and 1988. He was a member of the first Devon team to win the Minor Counties Championship in 1978. It was his third game, also bowling slow left-arm.
Benton number three is Seb Benton, Keith’s son and George’s brother, who played for Devon 2009-12. He was, and still, is a batsman, who played West of England Premier cricket for Bath last summer.
Devon (from): J J Bess (Sidmouth), A W R Barrow (Exeter), M H Curtis (Clevedon), L F O Bess (Sidmouth), J E Burke (Surrey), M C Golding (Bovey Tracey), Z G G Bess (Sidmouth), T A Lammonby (Exeter) J A Stephens (Falmouth), H M Whitlock, T R J Codd (both Bovey), G Benton (Paignton).
