Elliot Staddon, who hopes to contribute to a Devon win over Cornwall at Werrington<br>credit: Conradcopy Ltd

By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

CORNWOOD captain Elliot Staddon is set to make his Devon debut tomorrow (Sunday) in the Twenty20 double date with Cornwall at Werrington (11am).

Staddon, 27, was talent spotted by Devon team boss Dave Tall playing Premier Division cricket last season and invited to train with the development squad during the winter.

“Elliot did two things last season to turn Cornwood’s season around when he changed himself into an opening batsman and started bowling seamers instead of spin,’ said Tall.

“He hits the ball cleanly and is a fine fielder who does not look out of place in out squad.

“Perhaps he needs to do a bit of work on his bowling, but the signs are that Elliot is prepared to put the effort in to become a better player.Impressed: Dave Tall

“Elliot is like a lot of players in Devon who, if they are prepared to work and put he effort in, have potential to go further in the game.”

Tall saw enough during indoor sessions at Bicton College near Exmouth to offer Staddon game time in pre-season warm-ups against University of Exeter and Gloucestershire Academy – and his performances in both reinforced Tall’s view that Staddon had something to offer in white-ball cricket.

Staddon was an easy pick for Tall to make for his first 13-man squad of the season and with seam bowlers in short supply due to early season availability issues it is hard to see an scenario in which he does not play.

Staddon is a rarity in the Devon set-up as he did not go through the county age-group ranks as a youngster. No one is more surprised than he is about breaking into county cricket.

“I can’t say playing for Devon is something I ever thought overly about, but I am looking forward to it,” said Staddon.

“I' have always loved my club cricket at Cornwood and I'm grateful the opportunities I have been given there over the years has got me to where I am now, 

“I just hope I can make good contributions to what is a great young team and, where possible, help Devon win games.”

Devon have not played competitive Twenty20 cricket since 2019 as the NCCA tournament was scrapped in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid 19 crisis.

Only two players – leg-spinner Ed Middleton and former Plymouth pacer Dan Goodey – survive from the squad that finished one off the bottom of their qualifying group in 2019.

Among the new faces in the squad are Staddon’s Cornwood team-mates Ben Beaumont and Matt Skeemer along with Plympton’s Elliot Hamilton. Jonty Walliker, another Plympton player, had to rule himself out as the game clashes with the exam season at university.

Devon and Cornwall have been pooled with Wiltshire, , Dorset and Herefordshire in qualifying group. The four group winners will proceed to finals day at Tring CC in Hertfordshire at the end of May.

Cornwall already have one round out of the way in the competition, which was against Herefordshire at Brockhampton last Sunday.

Herefordshire were beaten by one wicket in the first game of the day thanks largely to Ben Ellis hitting a rapid 35 not out to see them home with five balls to spare.

Cornwall lost the afternoon engagement when they were bowled out for 87 chasing Herefordshire’s imposing total of 179 for two.

The Cornwall selectors have made two changes to their match-day 12 for the appointment with Devon. Scott Kellow and Plymouth-born Tom Dinnis replace Kian Burns and Jonny Ludlam.

Cornwall: SA Harvey (Truro), Ateeq Javid, P S Smith (Castle Bromwich), C B F Purchase (Penzance), C D Lello (Hayle), T G Sturgess (Swarkestone), S P Kellow, (Falmouth), J A Turpin (Wadebridge), B A Ellis (Twickenham), T J Dinnis (Penzance), C M Johnson (Redruth). 12thL L T O Brenton (Callington).

Devon (squad): C J Haggett (Bridgwater), J D Horler (Exmouth), J W Baird (Sidmouth), B A Beaumont (Cornwood/Bristol), A J Small (Sandford), E H Hamilton (Plympton), M P Skeemer (Cornwood), S O Read (Exeter), E J Staddon (Cornwood), D J Goodey (Bashley/Rydal), E W O Middleton (Taunton Deane), K B Szymanski (Swansea), F Sabir (Ombursley).

Umpires: P A Smith, D J Daniels.