CORNWOOD aren’t letting last season’s disappointment in the Premier Division put them off having another go at getting promoted.

The Corns have been up and down regularly in recent seasons were relegated in 2014, promoted in 2015 and relegated back 2016,

Duncan Boase, the director of cricket at Oak Park, said Cornwood had nothing to fear if they went back up again.

“When we came down in 2014 we were losing pretty convincingly and could see how it was going to end,” said Boase.

“Last season we were in with a chance of staying up right to the end and there was only five or six points between us and staying up instead of Plymouth.

“We have certainly improved as a side and I would say we are improving all the time,

“Last year there were games we could have won and some we should have won. We couldn’t say that before.

“We still threw away too many games, but if we can find a streak of consistency we can challenge to get back up.

“It looks like a difficult division this year with Sandford, Budleigh and Brixham all strong. But we will give it a shot.”

Match-pro Jackson Thompson has gone from last season, he is with Bradninch now, and Kiwi seamer Craig James has dropped down a division to play for Thorverton.

Elliot Staddon remains as captain on the field, but Boase will be handling the executive side of the job between games.

The new overseas player at Oak Park is Allen Magombedze, a Zimbabwean who bats and coaches.

PREMIER cricket is the aim of Sandford captain Richard Foan, who is back in his old job after four years working in Australia.

The last time Foan was skipper – 2007-2008 – Sandford were a Premier Division side and won the Devon KO Cup.

Sandford have been up and down between the top two tiers since then and have been resident in the A Division since 2015.

Foan has his sights on Premier cricket sooner rather than later and isn’t coy about saying so.

“Premier cricket is our aim and with our facilities, set-up and behind-the-scenes people that is where we should be,” said Foan.

“We have players capable of playing Premier cricket, players who recognise it is tough from being there before but want it nonetheless.”

There’s a statement of intent!

Foan has re-recruited his former Sandford and Devon team-mate Neil Bettis for the season ahead, luring him back to Creedy Park from Braunton.

Batter Bettis will be car sharing with younger brother Marc, who is pencilled in for keeper-batting duties having also rejoined the club.

Paddy Rowe, a young Australian from Melborne, spent part of last season keeper-batting for Sandford and he is due to have another six-week stint with the club this summer. He has been playing Premier cricket in the Victoria competition and at 16 is the youngest player ever to play First Grade in the comp.

Sandford’s full-time overseas player in 2017 is Sri Lankan Ramesh Lakmal

The 26-year-old left hander has decent track record in English league cricket, amassing 2207 runs in the last three seasons with Heanor Town in Division Three of the Derbyshire County League.

His right-arm seamers have earned 113 wickets at 25.37 each

Lakmal has spent a couple of winters in Australia, playing for Denmark and Brisbane Saints. His stats are 34.05 average with the bat and 46 wickets at 10.87.

Grant Ward, from North Devon League cricket with Filleigh, has signed forms this season.

Gone from last year are overseas player Matt Hopkins – 656 league runs at an average of 50-plus – and Russell Discombe, who has moved to Cheltenham to live.

Sandford’s season gets under way on Saturday with a home game against Cornwood, back in the A Division again after a summer in the Premier.

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