The South Devon story from the 2024 cricket season

Although first class cricket continues through September, it’s always an earlier goodbye to the local action. Despite a summer that lacked prolonged sunshine and very warm temperatures, only week twelve, on Saturday, July 20, was completely lost to the weather.

Before this final reflection on the 2024 season, confirmation that Bovey Tracey will after all be relegated from the Premier Division. The Devon Cricket League Management Committee voted unanimously last week to promote third-placed Plymouth from the A Division, instead of one-up, one-down as last year.

Runners-up Bridestowe knew in advance that they did not meet the ECB’s eligibility criteria for Premier cricket, but Plymouth do.

Bovey will bounce back from relegation and should be a force in the division below. Top scorer for them this summer was Musa Twala with 522 runs, Ollie Clifford-Bourne leading bowler with 27 wickets.

Success in the ‘winner takes all’ match at Bovey on the final day ensured Paignton remain in the Premier Division for another year, finishing eighth overall. A frustrating season again for the Queens Park 1st XI with inconsistency and a lack of big runs on the board.

Abhay Negi was joint-leading Premier Division wicket-taker with 37 dismissals. Charlie Ward (462 runs) and Luke Medlock (439), including his maiden league century, the top batters.

It was still a pleasure to witness Neil Hancock at the crease, albeit mostly for the 2nds this season, where he was leading run scorer in C Division West with 519 runs, including 156 not out against Plymouth 2nds in July. The same game in which 15-year-old Ella Gill claimed a hat-trick after establishing herself as a regular in the team.

Paignton again managed to field four teams every Saturday. The 3rds finished seventh in E Division West and the 4th XI were sixth in G Division West.

It was the top four batters that accrued the majority of Torquay and Kingskerswell’s runs for their fourth-place in the A Division. Becoming a father this year certainly inspired Chris Kelmere who had a stellar season with 925 runs, including four centuries and a high score of 149.

Kelmere was also the team’s top wicket-taker with 25 scalps. South African wicket keeper/batter Nathan Roux weighed in with 802 runs, including three centuries, and a high score of 134 not out.

Torquay and Kingskerswell can definitely view their first year as a merged club as a success. The big decisions and bold moves to bring the clubs together for long-term survival has paid early dividends.

The 2nds, under Mike Etherington, won promotion from the E Division West, as runners-up to Chagford. And the 3rds, under Matt Rossin, secured the runners-up spot behind Topsham St. James 2nds in the H Division Central.

Abbotskerswell will have the winter to re-group and plan for B Division cricket after their relegation in a flat season at Two Mile Oak.

Back in the A Division for 2025 are Barton. Inspirational Tarisai Musakanda hit 1053 league runs for them, with four centuries, and also chipped-in with 22 wickets. Stu Bowker was Barton’s leading wicket-taker with 26. Adam Parker’s 105 against Chudleigh in early August saw him pass 5000 runs for the club.

Barton 2nds did just enough to survive in D Division West, although that meant relegation for Totnes and Dartington.

Stoke Gabriel finished a very respectable fourth in their first season back in the B, looking good for promotion much of the way. Justin Pringle (680 runs) and Abhishek Anand (623) again led the way with the bat. All-rounder Jack Tolley took most wickets with 27.

Ipplepen lacked the consistency to challenge at the top and finished sixth. Reuben Stanley their top batter with 503 runs. But Ipplepen 2nds were promoted from D Division West following a vital last day win. Chris Needham’s 631 runs was the best tally in that division.

Brixham will be disappointed with their seventh-place finish after being runners-up to Stoke Gabriel in 2023. Brixham 2nds finished sixth in F Division West.

Jon Martin’s 30 wickets for South Devon were the most in C Division West. But it was a lack of runs that plagued the Newton Abbot side, just avoiding relegation with an eighth-place finish.

Father and son Marcus and Josh Thompson combined for over 900 of Babbacombe’s league runs as they finished fifth in D Division West, those two pivotal in the club’s Brockman Cup triumph in July.

And well done to Stokeinteignhead in clinching promotion as runners-up in F Division West.

As we close another local cricket season, special recognition always goes out to the army of volunteers, umpires and scorers who, with the players, make it all possible.

When the upcoming winter gives way to spring once more, it will be time for Devon cricket to rest. Keep well everyone and cherish your happiest cricketing memories of summer 2024.