Devon Cricket Board - Premier - League refuse Budleigh request

Premier - League refuse Budleigh request

BUDLEIGH Salterton have had cold water poured on their request to league bosses suspend relegation from the Premier Division this season, or allow extra time in September to play cancelled games.
Budleigh should have been playing defending champions North Devon at Ottermouth today, but that game is off as there is nowhere to play it.
The Ottermouth ground at Budleigh was under 15 feet of water earlier this week – the tidemark is just below the gutter of the pavilion roof – and will be out of action for a month and probably longer.
The University of Exeter have come to the rescue by offering its complex at Topsham for five weeks – starting next Saturday.
That means Budleigh’s 1st XI will have missed five out of 11 games on the fixture list and make it even harder for them to get out of the bottom two in the Premier Division.
Teams only get six points for a cancellation from the 20 points available for winning a match. The more rain-offs they collect, the futher behind Budleigh will fall.
There is a precedent for suspending promotion and relegation throughout the league from the foot-and-mouth crisis in 2001.
However, league chiefs decided the circumstances were entirely different when they met to discuss Budleigh’s request.
“It would not be fair to all the other clubs at this stage of the season to say there is no promotion or relegation,” said league administrator Geoff Coish.
“Foot and mouth was entirely different. We knew about that problem several months beforehand and called an extraordinary meeting of clubs, at which it was voted on to suspend promotion and relegation.”
Neil Rice, the Budleigh chairman, said he wasn’t surprised by the league executive’s response, but thinks it is the wrong one.
“Promotion and relegation should be decided over an entire season,” said Rice.
“At best we will play two-thirds of our games and you can’t base a decision on that.”
Plymouth welcome back all-rounder Andy Birkett for their game at home to leaders Bovey Tracey. Ben Stein makes way.
Bovey are struggling for batting numbers as Ben Ayres, Andy Fairbairn and Charlie Carter are all missing.
Skipper Peter Bradley has some plugging to do, which will probably involve Sam Wyatt Haines and James Fulner stepping into the side.
Although Plymouth haven’t had the season they were hoping for, three rain offs haven’t helped, Bovey captain Peter Bradley is wary of them.
“Callum Whittaker is due some runs, James Toms is always capable of getting a score and Chris Barr the overseas looks a decent player,” said Bradley.
“At their place they will be difficult to beat.”
Exmouth, away to Torquay, have brought in Lawrence Greenway for Akeal Hossein, who has left to join the West Indies U19 squad for the looming World Cup in Australia.
Torquay skipper Justin Yau hopes to be back from a mini-break in Portugal in time for the game, although conditions at the Recreation may mean it is a waste trip.
Bradninch captain Gary Chappell is keeping his fingers crossed for a break in the weather for the derby clash against lowly Heathcoat.
“We fancy our chances of beating Heathcoat and, hopefully, catching Exmouth and Bovey Tracey,” said Chappell.
“It is a shame the weather is ruining what was shaping up to be an excellent season throughout the league.”
Eliot Acton is back from college to bolster Bradninch’s batting and bowling for the rest of the season.
Sidmouth have recalled Zac Bess for their meeting with Sandford on the Fortfield.
All-rounder Liam Lewis is away this weekend so Bess comes up from the 2nd XI.
“Zac is always a batting option, but now he is bowling again he is a good replacement for Liam,” said Sidmouth captain Will Murray.

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