CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING
HEATHCOAT captain Dylan Penberthy-Hutchings is looking forward to welcoming the old guard back for the 2025 crack at the Tolchards DCL Premier Division title.
Liam Lewis, Jack Dart and Pete Randerson have all committed to making regular appearances during the season ahead.
All three were members of the Heathcoat sides that won the Premier Division title in 2019 and again n 2021. Randerson, who skippered the 2021 champions, totted-up more than 1,000 league runs in the two campaigns.
Batter Lewis was a Devon regular in red or white-ball cricket between 2013-2019; Randerson’s record for Sidmouth and Heathcoat amounts to 7,744 runs at an average in the mid-30s and Dart has more than 2,700 league runs under his belt for Heathcoat and Budleigh Salterton. He also played for Devon.
A combination of work commitments and family duties getting the way have limited Lewis, Randerson and Dart to just the odd game here and there in the past two seasons. Heathcoat have finished below halfway both times.
The pressures on all three have eased since last season, which has given Heathcoat and Penberthy-Hutchings a hefty boost. And that’s before other fresh faces are factored in.
“It is massive to have Liam, Jack and Pete back for us – I am buzzing,” said Penberthy-Hutchings.
“They won't be available every game, but all three will play the bulk of the games and bring title-winning experience and runs to the side, something we lacked last season.”
Youngsters Dan Pugsley and Harry Southgate will be regularly available in 2025 now their obligation to put school cricket first on Saturday afternoons is over.
Heathcoat hope to see more of batter Sammy Broomhead this summer after only seeing him four times in 2024.
“Sammy is at university in Cardiff and stayed up there for a bit last year, and the year before, to play for Pentrych in the South Wales Premier League,” said Penberthy-Hutchings.
“Dan Pugsley is also studying in Cardiff and Sammy is going to travel back with him to play.”
Another familiar face on the way back to Knightshayes in 2025 will be a ‘mystery player’ from overseas.
“A previous overseas player is coming back, but he has asked us not to reveal his name just yet,” said Penberthy-Hutchings.
Fresh faces in the dressing room include Travis Norris and Seb Allison, who are both students at the University of Exeter and will feature until mid-June.
Norris, who bats left-handed and bowls off-spin, played for Durham UCCE while studying there and has Premier League experience with Felling in the North East and Middlesex side Stanmore. More than 3,200 league runs in four seasons is an impressive tally.
Allison, likewise, has been a Felling CC regular since 2021, since when he has taken more than 150 wickets and scored in excess of 1,700 runs at an average of 29.10.
Allison appeared in three late-season games for Worcestershire 2nd XI in 2024. He has also played for Durham 2nd XI and is currently registered with Northumberland for NCCA cricket.
It could get crowded in the dressing room as Penberthy-Hutchings has hinted at more signings in the pipeline.
“With one or two more potentially coming in, there is going to be good competition across all four sides this year,” he said.
Meanwhile, work continues behind the scenes on Heathcoat’s pavilion re-building project.
Heathcoat’s wooden pavilion, built at a cost of around £500,000 in 2013 on the National Trust-owned Knightshayes estate, was razed to the ground in August last year. An electrical fault was blamed for the blaze.
Penberthy-Hutchings said the design and planning process is taking time.
“Everyone has been great with planning, offering services and so on but, at the moment, the plans are with the National Trust for their approval,” he said.
“Once we have confirmation from then we will be submitting the planning and getting to work.”
