Seb Linnitt – one of two young Devon cricketers picked to play in this year's Bunbury Festival<br>credit: conrad Sutcliffe

SANDFORD cricket James Theedom Exeter’s Seb Linnitt are the latest Devon youth cricketers to be selected for the annual Bunbury Festival.

The festival, started nearly 40 years ago, is a combination of shop window and proving ground for around 60 under-15 cricketers from all over the country.

During a series of matches played over a week, this year on grounds at Loughborough University, the best play the best in front of talent spotters from the professional counties.Luke Bess - a Bunbury Festival graduate

All-rounder Theedom and off-spinning batter Linnitt will be joining some illustrious company on the list of Bunbury alumni.

England captains past and present, Joe Root and Ben Stokes, are Bunbury graduates along with Devonians such as Tom Lammonby and Ben Green (both Somerset),

Ben Beaumont (Cornwood) and Sonny Baker (Torquay and Somerset) were festival-goers in 2018. The 2021 festival featured Harry Southgate (Blundell’s and Heathcoat) and Fin Hill (Exeter and King’s Taunton).

Other Devon youngsters to take part in the Bunbury Festival include Justin Yau, Matt Cooke and James Fraser in the same year, Kazi Szymanski, Marc Bettis, Matt Hickey, David Lye, Kevin Barrett, Lewis Gregory, Matt Wood, Shane Evenden, Luke Bess, Chris Read, Steve Edmonds, Sam Wyatt-Haines, Dom Bess and Sam Maunder.

More than a hundred Bunburians have gone on to play for England – including 10 of the 11 players in the 2019 World Cup-winning side. At the last count the number of future First-Class players to appear at the festival topped 700.

Liam Lewis, the Heathcoat and former Devon batsman and teacher at Blundell’s, was a Bunbury player back in 2002.

Lewis said Theedom and Linnitt, whom he coaches at school, can only benefit from testing themselves in elite company.

Liam Lewis – A Bunburian in 2002“Everything about at Bunbury is a good experience,” said Lewis.

“The cricket is at a higher level and as batsmen you realise the sort of mental toughness you need to succeed in the game.

“Batters aren’t satisfied with 70s or 80s: they are looking to turn them into hundreds.

“And you are expected to be like an athlete in the field.

“It takes you out of your comfort zone and you play against players you have not encountered before.”

Moeen Ali (Worcestershire and England) was an opponent at Billericay when Lewis made his Bunbury bow. Other players who went on to build careers in the game included: Adul Rashid (Yorkshire and England), Huw Waiters (Glamorgan), Arun Harinath (Surrey), Varun Chopra (Essex, Warwickshire, Sussex and Middlesex), Mike Thorneley (Sussex), Karl Brown (Lancashire) and Steven Mullaney, who is still going strong with Nottinghamshire.

“There was also a tall left-arm quick bowler from Shropshire called Joe Hart, who went to two Bunbury Festivals (2001 and 2002) who was a decent cricketer but chose football instead,” said Lewis.

Hart flirted with Worcestershire CCC for a couple of summers, but opted for a football career instead and went on to play in goal 75 times for England between 2008-2017.

The festival starts this Saturday (July 30) and continues until Friday, August 5.