DEVON have made a couple of late changes to their 12-man squad for Sunday’s Unicorns KO Trophy clash against Wiltshire at Warminster.
Although Somerset’s dual-registered all-rounder Peter Trego will be making his Devon debut, two Taunton team-mates who have featured previously have dropped out.
Devon had hoped to included two of Trego’s Somerset colleagues, Ben Green and Tom Lammonby, but both have been ruled out.
Green has an injury and Lammonby is being rested after a tough week playing for Somerset 2ndXI.
Kasey Aldridge, the England Under-19 pace bowler on an Academy contract at Somerset is still in the squad.
Batsman Liam Lewis comes back into the 12 and Toby Codd is brought in as a third spinning option for skipper Alex Barrow.
The 50-over KO Cup represents a fresh start for Devon, whose Unicorns T20 Cup campaign has been an unqualified disaster. A group record of played six, lost five, tied is unimpressive.
Dave Tall, Devon’s director of cricket, said there are mitigating factors for the county’s lacklustre start to the white-ball part of the summer.
“Josh Bess and Gary Chappell have gone from last year’s side and leave a substantial hole,” said Tall.
“Both are proper all-rounders and vastly experienced. It is like losing two batsmen and two bowlers.
“We are bringing in young players – 17, 18 and 19 year olds – to replace two grizzled campaigners and you cannot expect them to turn it on in the same way from ball one.”
If Devon beat Wiltshire they will be away to either Oxfordshire or Wales in the quarter-finals.
Wiltshire:T I Morton, J Goodwin, U A Qureshi, E G C Young, N J Clark, J B Lintott, B C Dawson, T G Afridi, A B F Godsal, L A Evans, J M King.12th J O Haines.
Devon:A W R Barrow (Sidmouth), M W Thompson (St Fagans), P D Trego (Weston), L J Lewis (Heathcoat), Z G G Bess (Sidmouth), J E Burke (Plymouth), M C Golding (Old Wilsonians), K L Aldridge (Brislington), J A Stephens (Taunton Deane), J O Hagan-Burt (Plymouth), E W O Middleton (Exeter), T J R Codd (Bovey Tracey).
Umpires: D Daniels, R C Hampshire.
