- 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
DEVON captain Neil Hancock has not been selected for the Minor Counties Championship play-off game against Cambridgeshire, fuelling speculation he will resign from the job.
Hancock cannot get enough time off work to play in the four-day game at March CC, which starts this Sunday.
Hancock’s employers will let him have Monday and Tuesday off, but have said he has to attend a meeting in London on Wednesday afternoon.
Devon were not prepared to let Sidmouth all-rounder Hancock leave at lunchtime on the fourth day to dash down to London, leaving them short-handed with two sessions to go.
Bovey Tracey spinner Chris Bradley, who led the team against Shropshire at Exmouth three weeks ago when Hancock was sidelined with a broken nose, has been made captain for the match.
England U19 squad all-rounder Craig Overton from North Devon comes in as the playing replacement for Hancock.
Hancock is saying little about the selectors’ decision as doesn’t want the issue to interfere with the players’ preparations for the big game.
“I feel I have not been supported by the management and not treated with respect,” was all Hancock would say.
Roger Newman, Devon’s director of cricket, said he was disappointed to be without the team’s star all-rounder but added the selection committee had very little choice.
“It is a four-day game of cricket and it simply isn’t feasible to potentially go into the last two sessions without the captain and a man short as I could not see Cambridgeshire allowing us to have a sub fielder,” said Newman.
“You cannot say the game should be over in three days as there is always the chance there will be rain at this time of year. That is why it is a four-day match to allow time should things go wrong.
“All of us on selection are disappointed Hanks can’t play, but we are confident in Chris Bradley’s ability to lead the team to victory, as he did against Shropshire.”
Hancock, 35, is saying nothing about staying on as captain next season, although that would seem unlikely after his bust up with the selectors.
Newman has dropped hints before that he sees 30-year-old Bradley as a future captain of Devon. The way things are going that moment could come sooner than expected.
“All I would say is Chris Bradley has the chance to show the selectors if he is the man to lead Devon in future.”
Devon: J E Burke (Budleigh Salterton), R J Holman (Exeter), R J Woodman (Taunton Deane), C Overton (North Devon), D F Lye (Exmouth), J J Bess (Sidmouth), R I Dawson (Budleigh), M W Thompson (Torquay), T S Anning (Exmouth), S Barlow (Budleigh), C Bradley (BoveyTracey). 12th man: C A J Morris.