Phil Snyman hits out for an Overseas XI against a League XI at Bovey Tracey last season<br>credit: Mark Lockett

DARTINGTON & Totnes are not rushing to find a potential replacement for South African run machine Phil Snyman if he fails to make it to the UK this summer.

Snyman battered bowlers all round the C Division West last season as D&T raced to promotion without losing a game. He played in every league match from start to finish. He scored five 50s and two tons – the season’s best was 155 against Bridestowe – and averaged 77.9 from 848 runs scored.

Phil Snyman - runs galore for D&T in promotion seasonSuch was Darts’ dominance of the division they only dropped four match points all season in completed games. One game was washed out without a ball bowled.

Twenty-seven wickets at nine runs each – and an economy rate below two runs an over – proved Snyman was a genuine all-rounder at that level of cricket.

Darts wanted to bring South African Snyman back for a second summer at Foxhole, but have run into red-tape problems.

And with the possibility of months of uncertainty ahead as the country copes with the consequences and after effects of the cornona virus, D&T are adopting a wait-and-see approach to who they have as an overseas player in 2020.

“Phil had his UK visa refused and is in the process of appealing against the decision,” said Mick Rusling, the D&T chairman.

“No one has any idea how long the appeal process will take, or whether they will be any cricket to play this summer.

“The whole situation presents us with a real dilemma. As a promoted team going to a higher level we need to have an overseas player in place. But what happens if the season is cancelled, or there is no promotion or relegation, which is what happened in the foot-and-mouth year (2001) when the league ran as a merit table and places were worked out on percentages?

“If we don’t play we don’t generate any real income to pay the costs of running our club, such as the rent and other bills.

“Clubs like ours do not have big reserves of cash in the bank and what we do have won’t last very long.On the move - James Howrihane

“It might be a risk having the expense of bringing someone else over as a replacement, then finding there is little or no cricket to play.”

Dartington & Totnes have made two definite signings for the season ahead, one of whom is an old face returning to the club.

Will Gornall, a left-arm seamer who bats, has returned to his home club after a brief spell at Ipplepen.

Hamish Johnson, who bowls, has arrived to work on the Dartington Estate and has joined the local club.

Gone from last year is former captain James Howrihane, who has signed for Whitchurch Wayfarers.

Howrihane skippered Darts in 2015-2016 and was a member of the side that won promotion to the B Division last summer.

He joined D&T from the now defunct Cockington CC, whom he captained in 2012 in their last season as a league club. Cockington officially disbanded at their last annual meeting.

With 65 wickets and 659 runs in the book for Darts, Howrihane is a useful acquisition for Whitchurch.

Howrihane said he enjoyed his time at Dartington, but changed circumstances meant it was time to move.

“I have been living in Tavistock since last year and commuted back to play for Dartington,” said Howrihane. “I wanted somewhere closer.”