Devon Cricket Board - Hickinbottom outlines his Bovey vision

Hickinbottom outlines his Bovey vision

NEW Bovey Tracey skipper Sam Hickinbottom has been outlining his vision for the club for his first season in charge.
The 26-year-old swing-bowling all-rounder was voted into place at the clubs annual meeting to succeed Andy Fairbairn.
Fairbairn stood down at the end of last season after two years in the job due to a combination of work and family commitments, but will carry on playing.
Since Bovey Tracey returned to the Premier Division in 2009 they have never finished higher than third, or lower than fifth.
They were only eight points behind champions Sidmouth in 2012, when there was a three-way scrap for the title with Exmouth.
Hickinbottom said he wants Bovey to dump their nearly men tag and make a serious bid for the title.
“I would like to see us go a step further than we have been,” said Hickinbottom, who joined the club in 2014 after moving to Devon from his native Leicestershire.
“It seems we start well, have a decent middle to the season then tail off towards the end.
“When we get to what appears to be a make-or-break game, we tend to lose.
“The problem is those games tend to come during the summer holiday season, which can mean the family guys are away on holiday.
“I believe we have the players and with a bit more continuity we can go further.”
Hickinbottom expects to inherit the bulk of the squad led by Fairbairn and Peter Bradley, who deputised for the captain during injury absences last term.
Batter Jordan Willoughby, who won’t be returning from Tasmania, which leaves a 400-run dent in the order.
Bovey hope they have plugged that gap by signing keeper-batter Robert Honeybul, and English-born 22 year old, who has been playing in Western Australia for Grade side University.
Hickinbottom played cricket for Cropston in the Leicestershire County League First Division before going to Sheffield University, where he was vice-captain of the 1^st XI.
He played age-group cricket for Leicestershire & Rutland from U14-U17, but no further.
“After U17 they decide which players they want to take on and I wasn’t one of them,” he said.
Hickinbottom skippered Cropston in Evening League cricket and did a similar job for Bovey Tracey in the T20 competition last season.

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