Devon Cricket Board - Devon aiming for Trophy last four

Devon aiming for Trophy last four

DEVON will be aiming to break their Minor Counties Trophy hoodoo tomorrow when they face Wiltshire at Corsham in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Devon’s previous three campaigns in the Trophy, which they last won in 2008 by beating Berkshire at Lord’s in a thrilling final, have all ended in a quarter-final exit.
Staffordshire put Devon out as holders in 2009 the Hertfordshire dispatched them in 2010 and 2011.
A new season brings new faces and new attitudes, as well as the confidence imbued by winning the three-day Minor Counties Championship last summer.
Into the one-day squad this year are former Somerset and Notts batsman Matt Wood, Bradninch pair Gary Chappell and Matt Golding, Torquay keeper-batter Matt Thompson and Bovey Tracey seamer Ryan Bougourd.
That’s quite a turnover from one year to the next, but it doesn’t bother director of cricket Roger Newman.
Devon are unbeaten in all competitive cricket this season and Newman believes that is a good pointer.
“Winning is a state of mind and I the current group of players are used to winning and hungry for more,” said Newman.
“If we can get the little things right there is no reason why we can’t get through to the semi-final.
“By little things I mean saving a run here and run there in the field, or turning singles into twos and twos into threes when we bat.
“If we can save 10 runs and steal 10 more that’s 20 runs, which when you get to this stage of the competition is a winning margin.”
Devon had hoped to include Somerset and England U19 fast bowler and batsman Jamie Overton, but have been refused permission to take him to Corsham.
If Devon defeat Wiltshire they will be away to either Suffolk or Staffordshire in the last four.
Wiltshire (from): J R Levitt, E R Killbee R D Underdown, J J Breet, H J Langford, S F G Bullen, T B Bowler, A Morrison, P J Robins, O J Alsop, M R Bhatt, Tahir Alfredi, B Gardner.

Devon (from): J E Burke (Budleigh), R J Woodman (Taunton), R J Holman (Exeter), D F Lye (Exmouth), M J Wood (Plumtree), J J Bess, (Sidmouth), M W Thompson (Torquay), G R Chappell (Bradninch), T S Anning (Exmouth), C Bradley, R Bougourd (both Bovey Tracey), M C Golding (Bradninch).

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