Ivybridge batsman Harvey Johnson, one to watch for the future according to club chairman Jerry Clough<br>credit: www.ppauk.com

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

IVYBRIDGE have snapped up Sri Lankan quick bowler Sahan Adessha as their overseas player for the 2020 season back in the B Division.

The Bridge had a relegation scare in 2018 when they were reprieved due to Brixham’s request to be relegated, Ivybridge were seldom out of the bottom two in 2109.

Having had Zimbabwean overseas players for the past two seasons – Charles Kunje (2018) and Dudo Zondo (2019) – Ivybridge went through the old boys’ network to recruit Adessha.

“The connection is our former overseas player Jeewan de Silva, who recommended Sahan to us,” said chairman Jerry Clough.

“Sahan is a fast-medium bowling all-rounder who plays in the Sri Lankan Tier A First Class competition and has been involved with Sri Lanka Cricket’s fast bowling development set up.

“He did well in their domestic T20 competition before Christmas.”

Zach Dunn - one of Ivybridge's rising starsAdeesha, who currently plays for Negombo in all three forms of the game, has an impressive record of 20 wickets at around 19 runs each in 15 games of T20 cricket.

Ivybridge needed some bowling power to replace the wickets lost by the departures of Andy Coker to Cornwood and James Sharp back to former club Plymouth CS&R.

Coker took 36 wickets at 25.67 runs each and Sharps stats were 18 at 32.72.

Clough said while he was disappointed to see both players leave, he understood their reasons.

“It’s always sad to lose guys like Josh who have been at your club since they were 10 years old, but when its based on a cricketing decision you have to respect that,” said Clough.  

“Josh wanted to keep playing at a higher level and Cornwood have promised him that opportunity in the Premier.

“James is going back to the club he started with and where he has been doing on-going coaching work to get their colts back up and running.  

“You have to respect his decision to go back to a club he has an emotional attachment and with their ‘new start’ at Manadon it’s also understandable.”

One player staying put is match-day pro Dinesh Raheja, who topped the batting stats last season with 556 runs at 42.77.

New skipper Adam Huxtable (434@24.11) and Zondo (430@26.25) were the only other batters to top 300 league runs last season, highlighting an issue that needs addressing in the summer ahead. Those three batsmen scored nearly 60 per cent of the team’s runs. 

Although Relegation was inevitable well before the end of the season, there is nothing down or out about Ivybridge’s forward planning.

Ivybridge see themselves as an A Division club in waiting and with a mix of experienced performers such as Adessha and ever-improving youngsters the hope is they won’t be waiting long!

“Despite the relegation of the 1st XI last year, we feel in a good place,” said chairman Clough.

“Staying up because of Brixham’s withdrawal of their second team in 2019 really didn’t do us any favours as we were a bit in transition.  

“We have a very talented group of 15, 16, 17 year olds who weren’t quite ready for the A Division in 2019, but are a fantastic group who have done really well in junior cricket. 

“Harvey Johnson, James Grigg, Zach Dunn, Jacob Kopparambil and Archie McWhinnie will all be in and around the 1st XI for the season ahead.

“And there is a group including Sam Kidd, Arthur Johnson, Lewis Clarke, James Ferriman and others who will be in the 2nd XI regularly and will be pushing hard.

“We starting to see the benefit of the hard work the likes of Andy Johnson and Stafford Williams have put in to develop the youth section.”

More young players will start learning the rudiments of adult league cricket in the season ahead in Ivybridge’s new 3rd XI, which will be playing home game on the picturesque ground at Harberton.

“The development of the youngsters means there are a few older ones who aren’t guaranteed 2nd XI cricket and there are able, younger ones who need to be playing Saturday cricket for their development,” said Clough, who will be skippering the team.  

“Having a 3rd XI in the league has also seen a few of our former players show some interest in picking up a bat again which is also great to hear.”

Pre-season training is already well advanced for the men’s and under-13 teams at Devonport High School for Boys, between 12.30-2.30pm on Sunday afternoons.

Junior coaching for U8s and U10s takes place on Fridays (5.30-7pm) at Ivybridge Tennis Club.

The U12s are training at Ivybridge Leisure Centre between 3-4pm on Sundays.

The booming ladies section, which will be running a team in the regional softball league this summer, are training indoors at Ivybridge Tennis Centre on a Friday from 5.30-7pm.