Devon Cricket Board - Whittaker aims to prove doubters wrong

Whittaker aims to prove doubters wrong

PLYMOUTH pair Callum Whittaker and James Toms are determined to make the best of their chance to play for Devon after being handed places in the side to face Wales at Usk.
The Devon selectors haven't looked in Plymouth's direction too often for the past 20 years, possibly because the city side were a declining force in league cricket.
Left-arm pace bowler Dave Burke was a notable exception, not that he played as often as he should, but as Plymouth slid out of the Premier, into the A and finally down into the B Division in 2000 their players largely dropped off the radar.
Liverpudlian Whittaker joined Plymouth when their fortunes were at their lowest ebb and has helped them clamber back to the top tier in Devon cricket.
Toms arrived at Plymouth via Ivybridge, Torquay and Barton helping them become re-established as a Premier club following their return in 2008.
Both are in as batsmen having pressed their claims in Premier cricket and also with the Devon Lions development squad.
While Toms did all the conventional things - age group cricket with Devon from age 12 upwards, Whittaker's path to a place in a Minor Counties team was less orthodox.
Having come up the hard way, Whittaker is determined to seize the opportunity to show he is up to the task.
'I didn't start playing until I was 15 as a little tearaway, then got into the 1st XI under Dave Burke,' said Whittaker.
'We progressed from the B Division, through the A and into the Premier.
'Did I think I would ever play for Devon? No.
'I was told by one of the selectors last year that he couldn't see me as a future county player - and anyway there were a number of others ahead of me. That was pretty frustrating.
'Now I am over the moon to have the chance to represent Devon and I am confident I won't let them down.
'I am even more excited to be sharing it with James, who is one of my best mates. It will be a special occasion.'
Toms went all the way through the Devon Cricket Board system up to under-21. Then, like many before and after him, found it hard to kick on.
Some vanish without trace - and Toms has the photographic evidence to prove it.
Toms is in Devon under-19 team group from 2002. The only other face he will see on the Premier circuit now is Torquay's Nick Watkin,
'You always hope if you are scoring runs it will get noticed and that's pretty well what has happened,' said Toms, who has cracked two Premiership tons this season.
'For any English-qualified player your ambition is to play for your county - at least it is for me.
'I am 29 now and it has taken a while so I intend to make the best of it.'
Toms has a reputation for getting on with it - ideal in the 50-over league format but not necessarily the tactic in a three-day game.
Toms said he won't change his approach to the game, although he may take a bit more time.
'My style is to be aggressive and that won't change as I will continue to try to play positively,' said Toms.
'What I won't do is try to hit the ball over the top all the time.'
Toms and Whittaker open for Plymouth and may well be asked to do the same for Devon.
Skipper Chris Bradley and director of cricket Keith Donohue have to weigh up the pros and cons of putting two inexperienced batters at Minor s level in together, even though they are used to being there.
Toms and Whittaker get their chances as a string of top-five batters are missing. Openers Rob Holman and Rob Woodman, James Burke and Seb Benton are all out due to unavoidable commitments elsewhere.
Devon opened their campaign with a win over Cornwall at Exeter, while Wales defeated Dorset inside two days to go top of the first table.
Budleigh Salterton paceman Matt Kidd missed the win over Cornwall as he was playing for Oxford MCCU against Loughborough MCCU. He returns to the 12 at the expense of Will Squire.
Wales: R F Evans, S W Griffiths, A J Norman, A Griffiths, T J Baker, J R Murphy, D S Thomas, N H Davies, H W Powell, K A Bull, D P Jones, K Reid.
Devon (from): J A M Toms, C P Whittaker (both Plymouth), P Bradley (Bovey Tracey), J E Burke (Budleigh), D F Lye (Exeter), J J Bess (Sidmouth), M C Golding (Bovey Tracey), M W Thompson (Torquay), R W Davies (Tavistock), T S Anning, M A Orchard (both Exmouth), C Bradley (Bovey Tracey), M J L Kidd (Budleigh Salterton).
Umpires: Umpires: N H Wheatley & R C Hampshire.

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