Devon Cricket Board - England stars heading for Bovey T20 game

England stars heading for Bovey T20 game

ENGLAND stars Craig Kieswetter and Marcus Trescothick are set to play for Somerset in a T20 benefit match at Bovey Tracey as a curtain raiser to the season ahead.
The match against the Cidermen is part of the benefit programme organised for Somerset’s long-serving batsman Arul Suppiah.
Suppiah, born in Kuala Lumpur but an English resident since the age of 13, is no stranger to Devon having played for and in the county earlier in his career.
Somerset took on Suppiah (left) as a talented teenager – and sent him to Milfield School then the University of Exeter to get an education.
It was while studying for a business degree in Exeter that Suppiah played for Seaton (2005), Exmouth (2008) and Devon.
Suppiah is a member of one of Devon cricket’s most exclusive clubs – the double ton club – having made 240 against Dorset at Bournemouth in 2005.
The game is at Bovey Tracey on Tuesday, April 30 with a 4pm start. Bovey stepped in at short notice to host the fixture after Dorset pulled out of a similar T20 game against Somerset at Sherborne.
Nigel Mountford, the Bovey Tracey chairman, said the club were happy to give Devon cricket supporters the chance to see top-class players in action on their doorsteps.
“When I was much younger and playing for Torquay we had a game around this time of the season against Somerset when the likes of Botham, Garner, Roebuck and Richards were in their prime,” said Mountford.
“Those days have sadly gone – as have the games Devon used to play until relatively recently against the First Class counties in the C&G Trophy.
“Players don’t get the chance to see how they measure up against the professionals – and spectators have to travel if they want to see one of the First Class counties play.
“I can’t think of a better curtain-rasier to the season ahead than having Somerset down for a game like this.
“It is also nice to do something for a player such as Arul, who has a genuine connection with Devon through his time at Exeter University.
“Somerset have a huge following in Devon and I hope we will get a big turnout for the match.”
Bovey supporters should get their first chance to see Aussie batsman Damian Bourke in action as he will have arrived for the summer by then.
Bourke, a batter who can bowl a bit of leg-spin, is Bovey’s overseas player for the season ahead.

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