Dan Goodey - recalled to Devon's side a year after his last appearance

DEVON resume their Unicorns Trophy campaign on Sunday when Herefordshire are the visitors to the Mount Wise ground in Plymouth.

In the days when the United Services Officers Club used the ground on the outskirts of Devonport, it was a regular venue for representative cricket.

It’s been a while since Devon played there though. The last time was back in 2001 when Bob Dawson scored a double hundred in a 166-run win over Oxfordshire.

Right now Devon would settle for any sort of win after a slow start to the three-day season.

A draw against Wales in round one was followed by a six-wicket defeat by Cornwall last time out.

Devon have had problems picking sides this season due to injury issues surrounding their seam bowlers, problems which show no signs of easing yet.

Bovey’s Hugo Whitlock isn’t playing at all and Paignton’s George Benton does not feel fit enough to sustain three days of cricket.

North Devon’s Jack Popham is on the comeback trail, Plymouth’s Joe Hagan-Burt  is bowling within himself due to a sore hip and Sidmouth’s Zak Bess is hoping a two-week break from bowling will get him over a couple of strains.

“We have got so many players with niggles we have named a squad of 14 for now and will see how those with injuries are shaping up towards the end of the week,” said team chief Keith Donohue.

Neither Popham or Plymouth’s Dan Goodey played in the defeat by Cornwall but both are in the latest 14. So is Plymouth’s Matt Petherbridge, who is one of four spinners in the squad.

Bovey’s Toby Codd is retained, so is Jamie Stephens, with Petherbridge and Max Hancock added.

Petherbridge has played before – Shropshire away in 2015 – but Hancock is something of a wild-card pick.

Hancock has made a name for himself in county age-group cricket as a left-arm spinner who turns the ball away from right-handed batsman. That’s a bowling took Donohue feels Devon are missing.

Millfield schoolboy Hancock, who is 16 and has only played six Premier Division games for Sidmouth, is almost certain to play.

“There are not that many left-arm spinners round the county that do what Max does and as an up-and-coming young player I am keen to see what he can do at this level,” said Donohue.

Hancock played for Devon at under-15 and under-16 level last season.

Tom Ansell is not available for this game, which means Matt Thompson will move up the order to open with Josh Mailling.

Devon (from): J J Bess (Sidmouth), M W Thompson (St Fagins), A W R Barrow (Exeter), J H J Mailling (Bovey Tracey), D R Pyle (Exmouth), Z G G Bess (Sidmouth), J O Hagan-Burt (Plymouth), J A Stephens (Falmouth), D J Goodey (Plymouth), M W Hancock (Sidmouth), J R Popham, J V King (both North Devon), M J Petherbridge (Plymouth), T J R Codd (Bovey Tracey).