DEVON have agreed to release dual-registered pace bowler Charlie Morris to play Minor Counties cricket for Herefordshire in the season ahead.

Morris, an army chaplain’s son, played for Budleigh Salterton (2009-12) and Devon (2011-12) around his studies at Oxford University. He made a one-off appearance for Devon in 2016 against Herefordshire in the one-day Unicorns Trophy.

Worcestershire offered the Hereford-born speedster a contract in 2013 and he has been on the New Road staff ever since. Devon retained his registration as a county of origin player.

“Charlie lives up there now and it makes sense for him to play for Herefordshire when he can as they are on his doorstep,” said Keith Donohue, Devon’s director of cricket.

The last two summers have not been hugely kind for Morris, whose cricket career started out in age-group cricket with Somerset, where future county captain Tom Abell was a team-mate in the under-17 side.

Morris, 25,  had to remodel his bowling action in 2016 after concerns were raised about the legality of his delivery.

Morris didn’t play a 1st XI game for Worcestershire in any of the three formats of the game last season, although he was a regular in the 2nd XI and captained the side on a number of occasions.

Saturday afternoons were occupied playing Birmingham Premier League cricket in Shropshire for Division One side Bridgnorth

Morris is contracted with Worcestershire until the end of the 2018 season. To get in the groove for the campaign ahead the 25 year old went out to Australia last autumn to play for Tuggeranong Valley and ACT Comets

A side strain brought a premature end to Morris’ time in Canberra and he retuned home for treatment. He had recovered sufficiently to start pre-season training and joined the Worcester squad for their pre-season tour to Abu Dhabi earlier this month.

One player Devon hope to welcome back this summer, at least in one-day and T20 formats, is Bradninch all-rounder Gary Chappell.

Chappell has been the stand-out player in the Tolchards Devon League for the past two seasons with bat and ball. In 2016 he scored 966 A Division runs at an average in the high 80s – and took 16 wickets.

Bradninch were back in the Premier Division last season and Chappell’s form flourished. He scored 867 runs and took 32 wickets.

Chappell played the last of his 13 one-day games for Devon in 2014, featuring in the Unicorns Trophy final win over Oxfordshire at Wormsley. Devon used Chappell as a left-arm spinner, in which guise he took 17 wickets at around 22 runs each.

Donohue said Chappell has indicated he will be available for the Unicorns Trophy competition and the revived Unicorns T20 tournament, which returns after a three-year absence.

Devon’s pre-season programme starts on Sunday, April 8 with a 50-over friendly against the University of Exeter at North Devon CC.

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