By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

DEVON cricket captain James Horler is confident his Western Division title holders will be back among the Clubberly NCCA Championship contenders again this season.

Only one game of the 10 on last season’s weather-ruined Division One fixture list produced a result – and that was Devon’s round-three win over Cornwall at Cornwood.

That six-wicket win, chasing 78 to win in the fourth innings, was enough to give Devon top spot for the second time in three seasons.

Devon went on to lose the Championship final against Eastern Division headliners Buckinghamshire in Birmingham, which was exactly what happened the previous time they won in the West.

Horler, who played in both finals, said the progression Devon have made since regaining Division One status shows they have to be taken seriously as challengers.

“Last year was exceptional and I doubt very much one win will be enough to win the Western Division this season,” said Horler, who will lead Devon out against Herefordshire at Sidmouth tomorrow (Sunday).

“We go into this season with plenty of confidence having reached two finals in three years. The next step is to win one.

“There is plenty of confidence in the group at the moment because of good white-ball campaign. We only lost three of the 12 games we played in both formats and are through to the Twenty20 Super12s for the first time.”

Although confidence is hard to measure, Horler feels there are more tangible facets to Devon’s game.

“We have so many all-rounders in the side there are guys batting at nine and ten who have scored hundreds in the Devon League on a Saturday afternoon,” said Horler, who probably had debutant George Daldorph in mind.

“Our batting is definitely strong enough chase totals and set tough ones, if we bat our first-innings overs. You have to bat 80-plus of the 90.

“The strength of our bowling is the variety – seamers, different types of spinners bowling left and right-arm – that can defend totals. I would say our bowling is one of the best in National Counties cricket.”

Three of the players who featured in the defeat by Buckinghamshire at the end of last season – Matt Jeacock, George Greenway and Craig Penberthy – are all sidelined due to injury. All are seam bowlers.

Daldorph and Gloucestershire Academy all-rounder James Matravers come in as seamers with Ben Privett the third in the armoury.

Matt Whalley, a spin-bowling all-rounder, comes in for his debut.

Herefordshire have named four debutants in their side including Malvern College batter Henry Hardinges, the son of former Gloucestershire all-rounder Mark.

Worcester Academy batter Joe Porter, Kidderminster leg-spinner Ali Latif and Freddie Ammonds, a product of Herefordshire’s pathway programme, are the other newcomers.

Devon: J D Horler, J R Matravers, C H Harvey, L S Walker, M W Thompson., M G Whalley, S O Read, G H Daldorph, E H Hamilton, S J Linnitt, B H Privett. 12th: H J Passenger.

Herefordshire: B J Chapman-Lilley, H J Hardinges, G H Rhodes, L A Tulacz, J D Porter, L J Powell, J W Rudge, E Smith, F D S Ammonds, A Latiff, T Barker.

Umpires: N J Piper, P J Sparshott.