SIDMOUTH have made two significant signings – one permanent, one not – ahead of their Premier Division campaign in the Tolchards DCL.
Luke Beaufort, a 23-year-old keeper-batter from Port Elizabeth, is the overseas player at the Fortfield this season.
Beaufort was a South Africa under-19 team-mate of Bryce Parsons, whose 738 league runs was only bettered by Sandford’s Dikshan Negi (810) last season – and he played five more games.
Parsons returned home to South Africa five games early, which dealt a blow to Sidmouth’s title hopes. They finished a respectable third behind Bradninch & Kentisbeare and Sandford.
Luke Bess, carrying on for another year as Sidmouth captain, will no doubt hope Beaufort makes it to the end of August. He played for WEPL Wilts side Hinton Charterhouse last summer and made more than 600 league runs.
Parsons is contracted to play for Lancashire side Edgworth this season.
George Addy, a student at the University of Exeter, is a short-term signing for Sidmouth. His home club is Otley in Yorkshire.
Addy, who bowls left-arm spin, has been registered by Devon CCC and played in the T20 double-header against Cornwall at St Just on Sunday.
Gone from last season’s playing roster are spinner Charlie Miles, who has moved to Wales, where he has hooked up with former North Devon captain Barney Huxtable at Port Talbot, and early-order batsman Matt Cooke, who has retired.
Cooke played 285 times in Sidmouth’s first team between 2003 and the end of last season. He scored more than 4,700 league runs – top score 109 against North Devon in 2016 – and picked-up the odd wicket here and there.
Miles, who had a run in the Devon team between 2014-16, moved on with more than 300 league wickets, the vast majority of them in the first team. Batting was an optional extra for Miles, although a rapid 52 off 26 balls against Heathcoat in 2021 won’t be forgotten in a hurry.
“We won't necessarily be trying to 'replace' those guys as such because that would be a tough ask on those coming in, but it does create great opportunity for guys to get exposure to first team cricket and develop at their own pace,” said Bess.
“As a club we have been in a bit of a transition for a couple of years – and this may well still be the case.
“However, a lot of the younger guys coming through have had plenty of opportunities now and we will be looking for them to step-up and start leading the club forward, both on and off the field.”
Sidmouth second team will have an overseas player this season thanks to the arrival of Sydneysider Henry Lester, who approached the club during the winter.
Devon Cricket League watchers with long memories might just remember his father: Tim Lester. He played for Sidmouth (1988-91), during which they won the Premier Division for the first time, and Exmouth (1991-93) and was prolific run getter in what was then Minor Counties Cricket for Oxfordshire.
