By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

LEWIS Hammett is poised to take over as Bovey Tracey’s 1st XI captain next season following the resignation of Toby Codd.

Codd, who took on the job in 2018, stood down as he expects to be working in Bristol by the time the 2021 season comes around.

Hammett quickly emerged as the likely candidate for the vacancy. He made his league debut for Bovey Tracey in 2007 and has totted up more than 200 1st XI games in all competitions and nearly 3,000 runs.

Nigel Mountford, the Bovey Tracey chairman, said Hammet’s is the only name going forward to the club’s annual meeting next month, when the appointment will be rubber-stamped.

“How the annual meeting will take place we don’t actually know yet, but it will probably be on-line,” said Mountford.

“We are looking into ways of live streaming it from the pavilion without the need for doing it on something like Zoom, which can be difficult when a lot of people are involved.”

The meeting is in the diary for Saturday, November 28.

Another appointment up for confirmation at the annual meeting is the replacement of Mountford as chairman after 18 years in the hot seat. Andy Bishop, a long-time player, is poised to take over.

Looking back on nearly two decades as Bovey chairman, Mountford said the expansion of the playing side of the club would be his proudest memory.

“Getting third and fourth teams out regularly on a Saturday afternoon is something I am chuffed about,” said Mountford.

“Thanks to the hard work of people like Andy Bishop, Mark Taylor and Mark Pitman, we have got sides out at a lower level that have enabled 13 and 14 year olds to get a taste of league cricket they would not have had.

“I admit I was sceptical about getting a fourth team out – and delighted that I have been proved wrong.

“As well as forming 3rd and 4th XIs, I am proud of our youth section, and of being a prominent club in the South Devon Youth League over a number of years.

“Friday evenings at the Club are a real social and family event with the bar and food on offer. That has evolved over a few seasons and is down to the different colts managers.”

Mountford said the pavilion refurbishment project completed in 2015 was among his highlights along with some trophy success for the first team.

“It took us a long time to do it, but we won the Devon Cup for the first time in 2012,” said Mountford. “Winning the Premier Division of the Devon League in 2017 was something special too.”

Bovey Tracey CC also needs to find a new president as Rob Phillips has retired after 15 years in the role. It will be no surprise at all if Mountford is asked to take over.