Left to right are Lynn Strawbridge, Gareth Tidball, Sue Tidball and (seated) Richard Tidball - the cricket-loving directors of Richard Tidball Insurance Services

THE Devon League’s new T20 cup competition for clubs in the lower divisions has now got a Hatherleigh company as its first sponsor.

The Division E-H competition will be known as the Richard Tidball Insurance Services Cup.

If the name is familiar that’s hardly surprising as Richard Tidball has been playing league cricket for Hatherleigh since the 1980s. Son Gareth, a director in the company, has followed his dad into the cricket team as well as the business. And Richard's wife Sue, also a director, is the long-serving custodian of the scorebook at the club.

Richard’s company has been providing bespoke insurance policies for cricket clubs and the full range of other products for more than 30 years.

 “As long-term supporters of the Devon Cricket League and Devon Cricket in general we are pleased to enhance that relationship, said Tidball.

“We are delighted to be the first sponsors of this new cup competition.

Nick Rogers, the league chairman, said: “We are thrilled to have Tidball Insurance Services as part of our cup sponsorship portfolio.

“Their sponsorship will be the ‘icing on the cake’ for this new competition.”

RTIS has sponsored the cricket league in one form or another since 1988. The first sponsorship was for pewter tankards presented to the leading batsmen and bowlers in each of the league’s 12 divisions.

The new competition has attracted an entry of 16 teams, a number of which are 2nd XIs who previously had few opportunities to play in knockout-style T20 cricket.

The first round of the new competition will be completed by June 30 and the results will be posted on the League’s Play-Cricket.com website.

Richard Tidball Insurance Services arranges every type of insurance with commercial, agricultural and thatch insurance being specialist areas.

The directors are Richard Tidball, his wife Sue, son Gareth and Lynn Strawbridge.

The business started in 1985 and moved to the former Royal Oak pub in 1996.