Aya Gqamane, booked for a second summer by the seaside<br>credit: Conrad Sutcliffe - no re-use without copyright owner's consent

CONRAD SUTCLIFFE REPORTING

SOUTH African all-rounder Aya Gqamane is on his way back to Paignton this summer for a second crack at Premier Division cricket in the Tolchards DCL.

Paignton finished runners-up behind champions Bradninch & Kentsbeare last season. Skipper Harry Ward is looking to go one better in 2026 and claim the club’s first Premier title since 2005.

“With Aya’s return I am really confident we can push on and challenge for the Premier title in 2026,” said Ward.A youthful Neil Hancock in the mid-2000s

Gqamane scored nearly 500 league and cup runs last season – and with 54 wickets at 10.07 runs each was easily the leading wicket taker in the Premier Division. Cornwood’s Lee Baker (39@12.82) was best of the rest.

Seven four-wicket returns, and a five-for-47 against Heathcoat, underlined 36-year-old Gqamane usefulness in the side.

The only Paignton bowler to previously take 50 wickets in an 18-game Premier season was Neil Hancock, who took exactly that as captain of the 2005 title-winning side.*

Priority

Ward said Gqamane stats in 2025 made getting him back to Queen’s Park a priority.

“Aya had a record-breaking 2025 and has firmly established himself as the best bowler in the Tolchards Devon Cricket League,” said Ward.

“Personally, as a new captain, having someone with more than 10 years’ experience in First Class cricket to lean on was a massive benefit to me, and our young squad.

“Aya’s impact off the pitch is just as important: he is brilliant with the team and is an outstanding coach for our ever-developing young section.

“Aya is genuinely loved across the whole club and has brought into our one-club philosophy.”

Cole Harford, hoping to spin it to win it for Paignton this summerGqamane, currently turning out for Boland in all three formats, said: “I had a special summer with Paignton in 2025 and I am really looking forward to making more memories in sunny Paignton in 2026.”

Ward has also signed Matt Lipton from Barton and Cole Harford, who is returning to Queen’s Park from a spell at Barton.Imran Ali

Lipton bats, and bowled well enough to take three for nine against Thorverton last season. Harford, who only played a handful of games last season, is a left-arm bowler.

Gone from Queens Park – all to Brixham – are Connor Bryan, Mark Orchard and Tom Blundell. George Benton, who has not featured regularly in recent seasons, has also joined the exodus to Boundary Park.

[O] Barton’s Aqeel Ahmed currently holds the record for the greatest number of Premier Division wickets taken in a season with 66 in 2001. During four successive seasons – 2001-2004 – the Pakistani spinner claimed 66, 53, 64 and 57 wickets. What a record!

Only one other bowler has taken 60 wickets in an 18-game season: North Devon’s Glenn Querl with 60 in 2011.

Other members of the 50-Plus Club are:

  • Plympton’s Imran Ali Pasha with 58 in 2011 and 55 in 2006
  • Sidmouth’s Will Murray, who took 50 in 2010
  • And Dikshan Negi, whose 50 wickets propelled Sandford to the Premier title in 2023
  • And Paignton’s Shakil Ahmed, who bagged 56 in 2002

Hancock and Torquay’s Emmett Craik dead-heated on 51 each in 1998, which was the last season the DCL played a 22-game season with 23 the maximum number of overs a bowler could bowl. Since then Premier bowlers have been limited to 15 overs (1999), 18 overs in 2000 during the Grade cricket experimental season, 16 overs (2001-2007), 15 overs (2008-11) and 10 overs since 2012, following the adoption of win-lose cricket and the scrapping of winning and losing draws.