Devon Cricket Board - Devon forced into late changes

Devon forced into late changes

DEVON have had their plans for today's pre-season friendly against Cardiff MCCU at Blundell's School, Tiverton (11am) disrupted by the loss of two key players.
Sidmouth's Will Gater had been brought into the side as a bowling option as Devon need to replace Scott Barlow, Ian Bishop and Neil Hancock from last season's one-day squad.
Gater should have been competing for a place against Hertfordshire at Welwyn a week today in the first round of the MCCA Trophy, but rang Devon skipper Chris Bradley yesterday to say he could not bowl due to a bad ankle.
Bradley had only just put the phone down when it rang again. This time it was Paignton's batting all-rounder Seb Benton, who also has a bad back and can't play.
Said Benton: 'It is something I have done playing in Australia over the winter and I realised at training on Thursday night I had no chance of playing against Cardiff - and probably not against Hertfordshire either.
'If I play with a straight bat I am fine, but anything which involves a cross-batted stroke or bowling is out of the question.
'At first I was worried it might be something serious like curvature of the spine, but one of my uncles is a physiotherapist and he thinks it is a stress fracture.
'I am hoping to have a scan at some stage, then I will know one way or the other.
'With a bit of luck I should be okay for the start of the league season in a couple of weeks.
'It is really disappointing to miss this game as I was part of the Cardiff set up for three years and would have liked to get some runs against them.'
Devon started the week with 12 men, brought Gater in when Dan Milligan dropped out due work commitments and with Gater and Benton out were down to 10 last night.
Bradley said it was not an ideal situation when he and the selectors are trying to fine-tune the side for the Trophy opener, but not the end of the world either.
'We have our Lions development programme and the high-performance squad and the way I see it an opportunity has been made for someone to come in and show what they can do,' said Bradley.
'Cardiff MCCU play regularly against the First Class counties so a good performance against them will count for something.'
Players likely to be in the selectors' thoughts include Bovey Tracey's Ryan Bougourd and Exmouth's Max Curtis.
Gater hasn't bee written off completely either. He has been told to turn up if he feels it is worth taking a fitness test before the game.
Milligan, ex-Cumbria and Lancashire U19s, is a mystery man as far as Devon are concerned as he has only recently moved to the area.
Devon need opening and first-change bowlers right now and Milligan fits the job description.
However, he has to work today and could not get time off at relatively short notice.
Roger Newman, Devon's director of cricket, was due to watch Milligan play for new club Bradninch yesterday in a friendly against the University of Exeter to see what he is capable of.
Devon (from): R J Woodman (Taunton), J E Burke (Budleigh), R J Holman (Exeter), D F Lye (Exmouth), J J Bess (Sidmouth), P J Randerson (Sidmouth), M W Thompson (Torquay), G R Chappell (Bradninch), T S Anning (Exmouth), C Bradley (Bovey Tracey), A N Other.

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