Drive and energy: qualities that Dan Pyle brings to the Devon side<br>credit: Conrad Sutcliffe - no re-use without copyright owner's consent

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

DEVON cricket captain James Horler is looking for a momentum-generating win over Herefordshire in the NV-Play Trophy curtain-raiser at Bovey Tracey on Sunday (11am).

There is a new look to the National Counties programme this season with the 50-over Trophy competition first on the fixture list, instead of Twenty20 group games.Fit: Kazi Szyma?ski

As the first three rounds are condensed into an eight-day time frame, there is a danger of being out of the running sooner rather than later. The Bank Holiday double-header – Wiltshire then Berkshire on successive days – could be make or break.

Horler believes it is time Devon’s fortunes in the 50-over competition improved, which means getting off to a winning start against Herefordshire.

“Wiltshire and Berkshire over the Bank Holiday – both away – will be tough, especially as the league season starts on the Saturday and that’s three games in as many days,” said Horler.

“It is important we start with a win over Herefordshire and we have to look to dominate by trying to put 350 on the board.”

A new weapon in Devon’s batting armoury this season is hard-hitting left-hander Dan Pyle, who is back in the team after an eight-year absence.

Uncomplicated

Pyle’s uncomplicated approach to batting is one of the reasons why club side Exmouth have been regular qualifiers for the latter stages of the ECB National Clubs’ Cup in recent seasons.

Horler, an Exmouth team-mate, is glad to have Pyle back on board.

“Dan brings drive and energy to the side and I am looking forward to seeing him open with Ben Privett,” said Horler.

“It is nice to have a player come back into the side having gone away and worked on his game. 

“Dan bowls seamer, too, which is a useful option to have.”

Devon, five times winners and nine-times finalists in the one-day competition, have not gone past the quarter-final stage since 2018. Horler said the bare statistics don’t do Devon justice.

“We have reached three quarter-finals and it’s been our own fault we have not gone further,” said Horler. “Dropped catches have cost a place in the semis.”

George GreenwayDevon have named a 12-man squad for the game with fit-again pacer Kazi Szymanski over a side strain. Lively seamer George Greenway has not been considered as he is playing for the England PD side.

Herefordshire’s side contains five debutants, among them all-rounder George Rhodes, 32, who has joined Herefordshire from Suffolk after a long first-class career with Worcestershire and Leicestershire.

Leading the newcomers is all-rounder George Rhodes, 32, who has joined Herefordshire from Suffolk after a long first-class career with Worcestershire and Leicestershire.

Rhodes, who bats in the middle-order and bowls off-spin, will help to replace some of the top-flight experience lost following former skipper Matt Pardoe’s move to Buckinghamshire.There will be another new face at the top of the batting order with the arrival of Old Hill opener Hasan Ahmed, 22.

In the middle-order, Barnards Green batsman Sam Clements is also making his bow, while left-arm paceman Theo Barker joins the attack.

Barker, 21, has moved to the area from Sussex where he played Premier League cricket with Cuckfield, and has joined Brockhampton.

Devon (from): D R Pyle, B H Privett, J D Horler, M W Thompson, S J Linnitt, C F Harvey, S O Read, H J Passenger, M G Whalley, C D Penberthy, C W B Ward, K B Szymanski.

Herefordshire: L A Tulacz, H Mahmood, H Ahmed, G H Rhodes, L J Powell, S Clements, J W Rudge, R Venkataraman, C M Baker-Smith, T Barker, O J Langford.

Umpires: S E Lavis, P A Smith.