Devonshire and Stars on collision course in Central Counties action
Central Counties champions Devonshire will open the defence of their title against arch rivals Western Stars in the opening round of this year’s competition.
Devonshire host Stars at Devonshire Recreation Club on May 19 with the eventual winner advancing to meet Police at the same venue in the second round on June 2.
For the second straight year Social Club have been drawn in the final that is to be played on June 23 at the Den.
Champions Devonshire kick off their 2007 cricket schedule this Saturday at Southampton Oval, venue for the Third Annual Kenneth (Mickey) Thompson Memorial Super Sevens Tournament.
Devonshire and Leg Trappers are the two new additions to the tournament this year, a tournament Devonshire coach Ricky Brangman intends to use an a warm-up ahead of his team’s Central Counties commitment with Stars later this month.
“We’re looking forward to having a good knock on Saturday while the guys look good and are geared up to play,” Brangman said.
Devonshire picked up a few new faces during the off-season with batsmen Allen Richardson (St.David’s), Jeremy Fray (PHC) and Ian Armstrong (Stars) having joined ranks — along with promising seamer Sean Perinchief from Warwick.
They did, however, lose key all-rounder Omar Amory to Willow Cuts. But Brangman feels that the new additions at his disposal will more than compensate for the loss of one of the team’s longest serving members.
“I would say that Amory is a loss, but with the players we do have I’m confident that we will be okay,” he insisted.
Brangman has pinned his hopes on the shoulders of all-rounder and nephew Dean Stephens — who debuted for Somerset in last year’s Cup Match — as well as sons Ricardo (a wicketkeeper-batsman), Derek (an all-rounder) and Lamont (a seamer).
He is also hoping for valuable contributions from front-line batsmen Fray and Armstrong and solid bowling from pacer Jodi Maroni and seamer Perinchief.
Undoubtedly retaining the Central Counties is high on Brangman’s list of objectives for the season.
But the former Southampton Rangers and Stars all-rounder has also set high goals for his team to strive for in the league.
“I’m looking forward to having a good season from the boys because we are looking for promotion and doing some good stuff out there,” he said.
“We are trying to work our way back up and so that is one our main goals this year because we have some good players who I think should be in the Premier Division playing against the big boys.”
With both Stars and Police — who have welcomed veteran all-rounder Dennis Archer back into the fold — going through a rebuilding phase, champions Devonshire and Social Club will again be favourites to lift the title in late June.
Brangman, however, refuses to take any team for granted.
“It’s going to be very competitive this year. Police have got Dennis back this year and so they should be a bit stronger while Stars have a lot of young guys who have heart. So we are not going take any team lightly,” he declared.
The veteran cricketer is also aware that his team could be on another collision course to meet a bolstered Social Club in June’s final.
“On paper I would say that Social Club have the stronger team and they always give us a good go. So we have to take things one game at a time and hopefully get to the final to play against them,” he said.
Devonshire easily defeated Social Club in last season’s final at Police Field to reclaim the crown they lost to Stars the year before.
“They always seem to get into the final,” Brangman added. “But we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Assisting Brangman this year is former Somerset Cup Match all-rounder Anthony Amory who is also working with the club’s youth teams.
As for his involvement on the pitch itself, Brangman said: “I’m really hoping not to play. But I may get a couple of games in.”
Meanwhile, Eastern Counties champions St.David’s will host perennial rivals Bailey’s Bay in the opening round of this year’s competition at Lords on July 21, Eastern Counties officials announced yesterday.
The eventual winner will then meet Cleveland on August 18 at the same venue with last year’s beaten finalists Flatts having been drawn in the September 1 final of the popular summer series.
In the Junior Eastern Counties champions Cleveland take on Bailey’s Bay in the opening round at Sea Breeze Oval on July 14 with the eventual winner set to meet Flatts in the second round at the same venue on August 11.
St.David’s have been drawn in the Junior Eastern Counties final that will take place at Sea Breeze Oval on August 25.