By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

EXMOUTH have signalled they are serious about a prompt return to the Devon Premier Division by signing South African all-rounder Jason Niemand.

Niemand, who played for South Africa in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, will be joining Exmouth as player-coach for the 2022 Tolchards Devon Cricket League season.

Exmouth were relegated on the final day of the 2021 season – a defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Hatherleigh sent them down – and don’t intend to linger long in the A Division.

Mark Davies, the Exmouth chairman, said: “We see ourselves as a Premier club and want to go straight back up if we can.

“No one has a divine right to play Premier cricket, but we intend to prove we should be there on merit.

“Jason is a genuine all-rounder whose stats in First Class cricket for Border show what a good player he is. And to captain his State side at the age of 22 tells you how highly rated he is.”

Niemand played in nine ODI for South Africa as well as a 50-over match against England at Chester-le-Street in 2018.

When South Africa under-10s came toured England in 2018 Niemand came over two months early to gain extra experience playing in the Derbyshire League for Premier side Rolleston CC. He scored 568 runs and took 22 wickets in league and cup action.

Niemand has scored more than 2,000 runs in First Class and white-ball cricket for Border with a career-best score of 165. Overall, he averages more than 30.

The 22-year-old harbours ambitions to play Test cricket for South Africa. He follows former Border team-mate Marco Marais to Devon. 

Marais scored nearly 2000 league runs for Lewdown during a season and a half with Lewdown (2013-2014) before injury forced his early return to South Africa. Brixham signed Marais for the 2017 season, but the agreement was cancelled when the South African Cricket Board withdrew his permission to travel to the UK.

Exmouth have also signed young all-rounder Cameron Kidd, who has skippered Whimple 1st XI for the past two seasons.

Kidd, a former Devon League young player of the year, was a member of the Exmouth under-15 side that reached the ECB national finals in 2017. They finished third in the country.

Although Kidd continued to play Saturday afternoon league cricket for Whimple, Exmouth always hoped he would join them full-time one day. 

Said Davies: "Cam stayed loyal to Whimple for a long time but has now reached that point where he wants to push himself and, as a talented all-rounder, we are delighted to welcome him to Exmouth again."