Good start essential says Exmouth captain

EXMOUTH captain Richard Baggs believes the first three games of the season will give a strong indication what his side’s title chances are.

Baggs led Exmouth to the Premier title in 2013, but the defending champions were a distant third behind Sidmouth and Plymouth last season.

Exmouth open up with Exeter at home, followed by North Devon away then a derby date with Sidmouth.

“The first three games are important because we need a good start to the season to get anywhere,” said Baggs.

“When we won the Premier Division and the A Division we had good starts and the rest were chasing us.

“There is nothing worse than playing catch-up all season – it wears you down.”

Baggs has been busy all winter squad strengthening and also dishing out job descriptions.

“We didn’t always have a settled side and because of that players didn’t always know their roles,” said Baggs.

“I would expect the side to be a lot more settled this season and the players have been briefed on what is expected of them.

“If we play to our potential – and avoid the games when we were 20 for five, which happened too often last season – we should be up there.”

Missing from last year are Chris Metters (Bradninch) and Seb Benton, who has joined Bath.

Incomers outnumber departures by a distance.

Top of the list is Bajun fast bowler Marques Clarke, who is reputed to hit 85 mph when he fires it in.

Jon Evennett, the former Exeter all-rounder, turned up at nets recently saying he wanted to start playing again after a break from the game.

Also on board for the summer are seam bowler Richard Sharples, batter Lee Evans and all-rounder Alvin Pollard.

Sharples is an opening bowler currently studying at the University of Exeter.

Evans, a Royal Marine, has played Combined Services cricket and Baggs has him pencilled in as a batting all-rounder.

Pollard is back for a second spell at Exmouth having been there previously in 2008. Last season he assisted Shobrooke Park having been with Alphington for the previous couple of seasons.

Arriving midway through the season is South African-born UK resident Mark Douglas, who bats in the middle order and bowls medium pace.


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