By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

IPPLEPEN have welcomed back all-rounder Tom Durman after the briefest of stays at Kingsbridge.

Durman left the Tolchards DCL B Division club last year to play for Kingsbridge after moving house into the South Hams.

The pull of playing with brother Dom and old Ashburton team-mate Ashley Harvey proved too great though and Durman has found his way back to Ipplpen.

Simon Tapley, the team manager at the B Division club, said Durman’s return was well timed.

“Tom bowls a heavy ball and is a fine top-order batsman,” said Tapley.

“We expect Tom to more than make up for the loss of the Stanley brothers to Torquay.”

Tapley also expects to see more of Gareth Penrice and Jack Lewis in the season ahead, which will add depth to the squad.

One player who won’t be featuring in Ipplepen sides this season is Harrison Gorny.

“Harrison has made the short journey to South Devon in search of regular first-team cricket,” said Tapley.

Last season’s mini-league played over the final eight weeks of the season allowed Ipplepen to give teenagers a chance in the first team without the pressure of promotion or relegation being at stake.

Tapley said although is should be a regular 18-game season this summer with two up and two down, the policy on youth players will not change.

“We will continue to give chances to a number of county age-group players who will all be another year older,” said Tapley. 

“We expect George Tapley, Toby Holroyd, Olly Holroyd and Josh Thompson to be in and around the first-team squad.”