DEVON have had to deal with a clutch of late drop outs from the squad for the T20 double-date against Cornwall at Instow today (11am).

Since a 13-man squad was sketched out midweek, Somerset’s Tom Lammonby, spinner Jamie Stephens, and batsman James Burke have all withdrawn.

Burke told Devon team boss Dave Tall he could get time off for this game or the three-day fixture against Wales starting a week today. With another lengthy list of absentees already declared for Wales, Tall opted for that game not this one.

Tall had hoped to bring in Heathcoat batsman Liam Lewis but, like a long list of senior players, he is unavailable.

Somerset’s veteran all-rounder Peter Trego, who is dual-registered with Devon this season, is among the players unavailable.

Tall has gone for a 12-man squad of players, adding Bovey Tracey’s Josh Mailling and North Devon seamer Josh King to the 10 men left standing.

King and Mailling are regular squad members, although Mailling has not played a competitive game this season. He missed six weeks due to a hand injury sustained in a warm-up game.

Availability – and the lack of it – is making Tall’s life hard as he tries to juggle resources. Unusually, he is using the shortest form of the game to prepare for the longest one.

Batters need time in the middle, which is why Max Curtis has been picked, two years to the week since he last played in a three-day defeat by Oxfordshire. Curtis lives in Southampton now and plays for a club in Winchester.

Mailling has only had one comeback game for club side Bovey Tracey since his injury, hence his inclusion in the 12.

Hugo Whitlock, a club-mate of Mailling’s, is also included with an eye on the three-day fixture to get some competitive overs under his belt. He has been hampered by injury for the past two years.

Said Tall: ““Max can play in the first three-day game and this is a good way of easing him back in as it is a couple of years since he moved away and the team has changed.

“Again, with an eye on the three-day games, Hugo is coming in to show what he can do.

“I have watched him bowl and he seems to be close to where he wants to be. Talking to batsmen who have faced him, they say the same thing.

“It might be a bit early yet to consider Josh Mailling for the Wales game, but there is no doubt he will feature at some stage this season and this is a way of easing him back.”

The only thing to play for at Instow today is avoiding finishing bottom of the qualifying pool.

Devon are bottom of the pool with a tie and five losses in six outings.

Cornwall are one off the bottom of the pool thanks to a couple of wins, but Devon will go past them if they win both games in what is the final round of fixtures.

Cornwall are much-changed from the side that lost twice in a day to table-topping Dorset at Wimborne last time out.

Archie Pascoe (St Just) and Chris Davies (Callington) have been called up for the first time. Mark Gribble, Jonny Ludlam and Jack Paull have also been recalled. They replace Tom Rowe, James Turpin, Christian Purchase, Tommy Sturgess and Charlie Kent from the 12 on duty at the Leaze last weekend. 

Kent and Turpin will probably be in action for their respective clubs as Truro host Wadebridge in a Royal London Cup third-round tie. 

The original clash was abandoned due to a hailstorm that flooded Boscawen Park last Sunday with Wadebridge 58 for four from 19 overs. 

Devon: A W R Barrow, Z G G Bess (both Sidmouth), M W Thompson (St Fagins), B G F Green (Exeter), J H G Degg (Torquay), M H Curtis (St Cross Symondians), D J Goodey (Bashley), H M Whitlock, J H J Mailling, T J R Codd (all Bovey Tracey), E W O Middleton (Exeter).

Cornwall: Cornwall (from): M H Rowe (Henley-on-Thames), G M Smith, T J Wells, J A Paull, S A Harvey, J P Ludlam (all Penzance), M H Gribble, M L Robins , T J Dinnis (all Werrington), L P Goldsworthy, A Pascoe  (both St Just), C Davies (Callington).