Devon Cricket Board - Premier previews - Harris stands down + Piper bothered

CORNWOOD captain Craig Harris has bowed to the inevitable and stood down from the job due to injury.

Harris has been sidelined for more than a month by a shoulder injury sustained while fielding in a mid-week T20 game.

Jason Hall has been caretaker captain and is set to continue, although the appointment won’t be formalised until this Saturday’s game against Exmouth is out of the way.

“My injury has impacted my involvement with the playing side of things,” said Harris.

“Sadly, I can also confirm now that I am going to miss the remainder of the season too as my shoulder requires some surgery and rehabilitation to get it to full strength.

“Things will be formalised in the next week or so, but Jason will continue to captain in my absence this week.”

Conwood didn’t play last Saturday – their game against Plymouth was rained off – and the six points earned were not enough to stop them dropping into the bottom two.

Harris’s last comments as a captain were a rallying call to the team to back themselves to get out of trouble.

“What we need to do is remain in touch with the group above us and the only way we will do this is by picking up points along the way,” said Harris.

“This is the last game in the first half and against a very good Exmouth team.

“We hope to play positively and confidently. If we do this and add to our tally it will set up a good countdown to the end of the season.

“We don't want to be chasing the game and we know that nobody will do the work for us, so it’s down to the lads to dig deep and pull it together as a team for the club.”

Team news is Andy Bees returns with Duncan Boase, Richard Conn drops down to the 2nd XI and Ryan Rickard is unavailable.

Exmouth’s George Greenway has been relegated to the seconds on form grounds and Devon batsman Seb Benton is on holiday in Turkey – not dropped as had been rumoured.

Exmouth have lost their last two games – Bovey and North Devon – dropping down to third in the process,.

Skipper Richard Baggs is looking for a response back at the Maer.

IT’S back to he-bread-and butter stuff for Plymouth pair Callum Whittaker and James Toms when Exeter visit Mount Wise.

Toms made a debut ton against Wales on Monday while Whittaker marked his county call with a fine 68.

Plymouth captain Matt Hooper, while proud of his players’ achievements, is now focused totally on making up lost ground.

“We felt a little hard done last weekend through no fault of anyone's.

“Had we beaten Cornwood, which our league position suggests we would, we would be right in the title race.

“It is ridiculous that you only get six points for a rain off, both us and Cornwood lost out really.

“We will be looking to push ourselves back into it on Saturday.

“Confidence is building in our team and I think we are starting to believe we can be right up there at the end of the season.”

Exeter can’t put a foot wrong right now, or so it seems, as they are up to fifth thanks to wins over Sidmouth, Bradninch then Budleigh.

“I think it is brilliant that we are fighting for a top-four finish, considering the age and inexperience of our side,” said acting captain Tom Viljoen.

“I don’t think we could be asking for much more right now.

“Last week was a battle, but that will hopefully prepare us for tight games in the future, games where the hard runs count for a lot more.

“We know Plymouth have a very strong, destructive batting line - and considering the confidence their Devon players bring back from Wales - we will have to make sure we bowl and field with the same level of discipline we did last week.

Whatever happens, we know that on the day we, if we stay positive and play the way we have been, we can move into the second half of the season with another win behind our name.”

BUDLEIGH Salterton skipper Joel Murphy is hoping the derby factor will inspire his side to claim their first Premiership win of the season when Sidmouth visit Ottermouth on Saturday.

Last Saturday’s four-wicket defeat by Exeter was the eighth on the trot for Budleigh, who are rock bottom in the Premier table 28 points adrift of safety.

Murphy said compared to the 10-wicket hiding handed out at Torquay seven days earlier, the result was an improvement.

“We were rank against Torquay, but against Exeter we looked a lot more together,” said Murphy.

“I don’t like losing but I can accept it if we are showing signs of getting better, and I think we are.

“We didn’t get enough runs, but another 30 or so would have made us much more competitive. It only needs one batsman to get a score and we are there.

Budleigh’s position does not look good, but Murphy says there is time to turn it round.

“We’ve got Sidmouth this Saturday and that’s a derby game that always brings out the best in us,” said Murphy.

“Ours is a young and largely inexperienced side which will only get better by playing.

‘We have to keep believing and I feel it will only take one win for us to start moving in the right direction.

BRADNINCH captain Tim Piper has warned his players they can’t afford too many performances like the seven-wicket defeat by Torquay last Saturday if the want to steer clear of relegation trouble.”

Piper thought Bradninch underperformed in almost every department.

“We felt the wicket was probably a 160 deck, but we batted poorly on it,” said Piper.

“Obviously missing Jackson and Joe Webb from the top 6 doesn't help, but that's no excuse for the score we stumbled to.

“Danny and Ross both looked good and it was a shame neither could go on and get us to a decent total.

“Although only defending 90, it wasn't out of the question. Once we had both openers out without scoring, we were well in it.

“Mickey Wilkinson batted pretty well on a tough deck to be honest, but our bowlers didn't put him or Max Waller (35no) under enough pressure.

“We dropped Waller, which would've had them 35 for three. Dropping catches like that keeps happening and is costing us games.

“It's a game to put behind us. It is now very tight around the bottom of the league, but it only takes a couple of good results to be out of that.”

Sidmouth skipper Will Murray is also clear on the derby factor, and the dangers it brings.

“You look at Budleigh’s side and wonder why they are down there?” said Murray.

“Bob Dawson and James Burke opening are two of the best batsman in our division – and in the bowling they have Minor County standard players like Burkie and Matt Kidd, as well as a Devon Lion in Matt Plowman.

“It is a mystery to me why Budleigh haven’t won a match. Sooner or later they are going to come good and we have to make sure that isn’t against us.”

With Adam Dibble not released by Somerset for the game, Murray has called up young spinner Dominic Bess for his debut.

North Devon captain Matt Dart has his sights set on another win at Torquay tomorrow as his team aim to clamber further away from the drop zone.

Wins over Cornwood and Exmouth have done wonders for the mood at Instow – as has the return of fast-bowling all-rounder Tom Allin from Warwickshire at weekends.

Said Dart: “There have been plenty of positives over the last two weeks – but we can still play better.

“If we can make it four wins out of the first half of the season that is half respectable.

“And if we play as we have been for the past couple of weeks I am confident of a positive outcome.”