- South Dartmoor back to winning ways in cups
- Tom Allin tournament raised more than £5,000 for air ambulance
- Taverners kit bag delivered to Sri Lankan youngsters
- Devon trying to contact the class of 56
- Paceman Tshepo running in Virgin London Marathon
- Five Devon women in Western Storm squad for Kia Super League
- Registration night for all ages at Topsham on Monday
- Lots pouring in for auction at Allin Memorial tournament
- Thames Valley Gentlemen Cricket Club
- Bradninch add Argentinian flavour to Devon League
- Ipplepen youth registration night on Friday
- Final call for Groundsmans first seminar this year
- Devon League official tackling London Marathon for charity
- Bovey on familiar territory in Aaron Printers Cup
- Brockman Cup - Cup Kings lie in wait for holders
- Shepherd Trust helps Kingsbridge build for sustainable future
- DCL - Umpire Appointments 2016 (May 7th - July 2nd)
- Long standing records beaten
- North Devon see off Paignton chase
THE best young cricketers from Devon jet out to South African next month on the tour they will never forget.
Devon have been sending a development squad of U15 players to South Africa for the past 12 years with the aim of broadening their cricket education.
Previous tourists include the Overton twins, Lewis Gregory and Adam Dibble, (left) who have all broken into the professional game with Somerset.
Gregory has since captained England U19s while Jamie Overton made it into the full England one-day squad last season.
The 14-man playing squad will be flying out from Heathrow to Johannesburg on February 6.
Ahead of the youngsters are six matches – some one-day, others two-day games – against District and Provincial sides.
After a week in and around the Kruger National Park, the tour party transfers to Cape Town, where games against Boland and Western Province lie in wait.
The coaching team travelling with the boys includes former England wicketkeeper and current Notts’ captain Chris Read.
Read came up through Devon’s youth ranks with Paignton before breaking into the professional game with Gloucestershire.
Devon’s team manager view the tour as part of the lads’ development. Results can go against them, but dealing with adversity is built in as part of the experience.
“The message to the players, as in previous years, is the cricket will be tough and a test of your resolve,” said team manager Alan Swift.
“This tour, like the previous 12, offers young cricketers the chance to interact with local people in a way not usually possible through high street travel agents or glossy brochures.”
One of last year’s South African tourists was Paignton’s Dan Wolf, who said his horizons were broadened on and off the pitch.
“The people we met, he activities we took part in and of course the cricket played on beautiful grounds was all amazing,” said Wolf.
“The standard of youth cricket is exceptionally high. They receive so much satisfaction and joy from playing a game of cricket and making the matches more competitive than in England.
“We competed well in every game we played – we needed to because team spirit is prevalent everywhere in South Africa.
“Overall the trip was amazing and a great experience for everyone involved.
“We didn’t always get the results we wanted, but we still played fantastically well as a team despite the extreme heat.
“I am sure the whole squad would agree it was a trip of a lifetime.”
Touring party: Will Christophers (Bovey Tracey), Owen Gammon (Plympton), Joe Hagan-Burt (Plymouth), Alex Hannam (Bideford), Jack Lockwood (Heathcoat), Finlay Marks (Exmouth),Matt Petherbrige (Cornwood), Ben Phillips (Thorverton),Oli Reed, Billy Rudolph (both Ottery), Harvey Sargent (Sidmouth), Kazi Szymanski (Chelston), Harry Ward, Noah Wright (both Paignton).
Fixtures
February 9-10: Nelspruit (Skukuzza CC), 12: Vereening Gymnasium (Skukuzza CC), 14: Western Province Development (Bergvliet HS), 16: Boland (TBC), 18: Western Province Invitaton XI (Belville CC), 19-20: Western Province U14s (Vineyard Oval).