Devon Cricket Board - Pens back on B Division for first time since 1998

Pens back on B Division for first time since 1998

IPPLEPEN enter uncharted territory this season now they are back in the B Division.
It’s 15 years since the Pens were last as high as the B Division – and experience at that level is a bit thin on the ground.
Skipper Keith Wakeham, seamer Paul Thomas and Steve Bowden are the only survivors from the previous stay in the B Division.
And some of the players in the current side hadn’t started primary school the last time Pens were a B Division side.
“We need to be a bit more disciplined about our cricket while we are getting used to the B Division,” said Wakeham.
“Consolidation has to be our first goal and once we have done that we should be aiming for the top half of the table.”
Gone from last year’s title winning side are Kiwi left-armer Caleb Gaylard, who mopped up 66 wickets.
Gaylard was earmarked for Bournemouth in the Southern Premier League, but an injury has forced him to stay at home.
Also gone is Matt Nichols, the University of Exeter student who made 382 runs last term.
Sam deFriend and batter Tom Dyer will miss the first half of the season, but should be around during the university holidays.
New arrivals are Marcus Green, a Premier Division winner with Torquay back in 1996, who has jumped ship from Abbotskerswell.
Ashley Harvey, a batsman and occasional off-spinner, has joined full-time from Ashburton having played indoors for Pens for a couple of years.
The new overseas player at Moor Lane is Nick Fairbank, an opening bowler playing grade cricket in Melbourne.
Visa problems have delayed Fairbank’s arrival and he will miss the first round of matches.

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