ALL change! It may be the deep midwinter but Tolchards Devon Cricket League clubs are already strengthening their squad for the 2019 season.
Bovey Tracey, deposed as champions by Sidmouth, have confirmed that Zimbabwean Test opener Brian Chari will be their overseas professional in 2019.
Chari, who is 26, has appeared in seven Tests and 10 one-day internationals for Zimbabwe since 2014. He has made four first-class centuries and averages 24.46 in that form of cricket. He bowls off-spin too.
The piece of elastic attached to Ryan Bougourd has pulled him back to Bovey Tracey a second time after a summer in the lower divisions with Shaldon Optimists.
With Hugo Whitlock fully fit again after a season on the sidelines due to injury, Bovey’s bowling attack looks far sharper.
Fred King, the 22-year-old younger brother of Devon seamer Josh King, has left Bideford to team up with his older sibling at Premier Division North Devon.
Premier champs Sidmouth have signed opening batsman Rory Thomas from Bradninch and re-signed Somerset and England spin-bowling all-rounder Dom Bess.
Bess, who played in two Test matches for England last summer, was registered in the West of England Premier Division with Clevedon last season.
Bess only played twice for Clevedon in an 18-game season and Sidmouth will be fortunate to see much more of him if he is in the Somerset 1st XI.
Thomas had a respectable season for Bradninch even though they were relegated from the Premier Division. He made 446 league runs with a top score of 108 not out in the 10-wicket win over Sandford.
New Sidmouth skipper Nick Gingell has other signings in the pipeline and hopes to announce another at Friday night’s annual dinner and awards evening.
Craig Penberthy, who left Chagford during the 2018 season for Hatherleigh, is on the move again, this time to Bradninch. Also on the way to Kensham Park is Kentisbeare’s young spin bowler Josh Farley.
Farley has gone through the Devon youth system and featured prominently in the under-15 side that reached the ECB Cup final last season.
Kieron Soper has left Filleigh to join North Devon.
