Clyst old boys (left to right) Sam Read (Devon CCC), Ben Green (Somerset CCC) and Ed Middleton (Gloucestershire) get together during a representative game at Bovey Tracey<br>credit: Conrad Sutcliffe - no re-use without copyright owner's consent

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

CLYST St George have signed potential match-winner Morgan Potgieter as their overseas player for their 2024 season back in the Tolchards DCL B Division.

Clyst were unable to consolidate in the A Division following promotion in 2022 and returned to the B Division at the end of it.

The Bohea Field outfit remain keen to play at the highest level possible and signing Potgieter is concrete evidence that they will mean business in 2024.

Potgieter had a hugely successful season in for Woodley in Division One of the Derbyshire & Cheshire Cricket League last season. He made nearly 500 league and cup runs – with three 50s and a ton against Hayfield – and bagged 34 wickets at around 14 runs each in the side that won the division.

Having played half a season for Little Common in Sussex back in 2019, 24-year-old Potgieter knows his way around UK league cricket,

Dan Kendall, the Clyst captain, said there is more to Potgieter than match-winning performances.

The village church of St George which overlooks the Bohea Field home of the club that shares its name

“Morgan brings coaching experience too, so we're confident he will be a great asset to the club, both on and off the field,” said Kendall.

“Promotion is the ambition, but we are expecting it to be a tougher B Division than the one we left two years ago.

“If we can get a player or two in then that would give us the depth required to challenge at the top.”

Although Clyst St George may be perceived as a village club, its track record for developing young talent is up there with the biggest clubs in Devon.

Somerset’s Ben Green and Gloucestershire’s Ed Middleton both started out with Clyst before being talent spotted for greater things.

Sam Read, another Clyst old boy, currently features for Devon in one-day, three-day and Twenty20 cricket.

Kendall said as part of the club’s on-going youth programme, all under-25s will be exempt from playing subscription fees this season.

“It’s part of our mission to keep young people involved in cricket,” said Kendall. “Alongside our booming junior section, this will help us feed more players into our first and second teams.

“So many stars have come through the ranks at Clyst St George, and we want to continue to be one of the best clubs in Devon to develop young talent.”

Winter nets have already started at the University of Exeter on Sunday evenings between 8-10pm.

Contact either Kendall (07756 279392) or Steve Bourke (07904 242912) for more details of nets.