Devon Cricket Board - Huxtable appointed as North Devon captain

Huxtable appointed as North Devon captain

BARNEY Huxtable will skipper North Devon in the Premier Division this summer after taking over from Matt Westaway.
Westaway was caretaker captain last season after spinner Matt Dart stepped down due to work commitments getting in the way of his cricket.
North Devon were well aware Westaway didn’t want a prolonged run in the job having done it before – so it came as no surprise when he handed in his notice.
Westaway has also told North Devon he has no plans to play this season, not that he has retired either.
“I want to have a year off, see if I miss playing and spend a bit more time on the golf course at Ilfracombe,” said Westaway (left).
Huxtable, originally with Braunton, briefly with Exmouth and currently with North Devon since 2013, is 21, which makes him the youngest captain since the club joined the Devon League.
Tom Allin, the former Warwickshire and Devon fast bowler, will be Huxtable’s number two in what looks like a changing of the guard at Instow.
“There was some talk that I might take over from Matt Dart last season, but I had only been at the club a year and it was a bit soon,” said Huxtable.
“I was vice-captain to Matt last season and led the side a couple of times and was delighted to be offered the job when he stood down.
“It feels like a new era is beginning at the club with a young side that will need captained in a different way.
“Last season we were horribly inconsistent and would win games we should have lost and lost games we should have won.
“Because we are such a young side, the man management off the field is as important as the tactics on it. Get the man management right and we can have a good season.”
Huxtable (right) stopped short of saying North Devon are going flat out for the title as he doesn’t believe it needs to be said in the first place.
“If you don’t want to win the division you are in the wrong place,” he said.
“We need to take things slowly and build as the season goes on. As I said, we need to get that consistency going.”
Huxtable is no stranger to captaincy having led Devon at U17 and U19 level.
In Allin, who spent six seasons at Warwickshire, Huxtable has a useful sounding board as his number two.
“The more responsibility Tom has, the more switched on he becomes,” said Huxtable.
Missing from this summer’s squad will be Aussie speedster Jack Pudney as well as Westaway.
Josh King has arrived from nearby Bideford looking to perform in the Premier Division and enhance his county prospects after impressing for the Devon Lions Development side last season.
“Josh swings it in to the batsman so will enjoy bowling from the Pavilion End with the wind coming across the pitch,” said Huxtable.
Huxtable says North Devon are still a seamer light for the season ahead and can’t say where one is coming from.
“Max Curtis is in South Africa and we might pick someone up through him or Mark Ansell, our chairman, who is out there with the Devon U15s right now,” said Huxtable.
North Devon have been strongly linked with Devon opening bowler Jack Popham, who stayed with Barnstaple & Pilton last season despite offers to move on.
Huxtable said Popham hasn’t signed for North Devon, but would be a welcome arrival.
“He is very loyal to Barnstaple and leaving would be a wrench for him,” said Huxtable.
“Jack spends a lot of time with Gloucestershire and I suspect he will be guided by them where he plays this season.
“If that happens to be Instow, I will be delighted.”
One player back on the roster for 2015 is early order batsman Dan Bowser (right), who missed the 2014 season while recovering from an operation.
Bowser has been netting and looking good with a bat in his hands.
“Having Dan back is as good as signing a new player – and one we know is good for 500 runs or more a season,” said Huxtable.

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773