Devon Cricket Board - Barton sign South African run machine

Barton sign South African run machine

SOUTH African run machine Denovan Ekstraal is on his way to Barton this summer as the A Division club’s new overseas player.
Ekstraal, 27 this year, had a brief First Class career in South Africa with South West Districts without ever getting established.
A product of the South West Districts system, he represented the province through the age-groups and made First-Class and List-A debut’s in February 2007.
In domestic league cricket at home and abroad he has a reputation for scoring runs and taking useful wickets as well.
Ekstraal continues to excel in club cricket for St Augustines in the WPCA 1B Competition in Cape Town.
Abroad, he has been a consistent performer for the three clubs he has represented: Old Elizabethans (2009, 2013), Newark Ransome and Marles (2011) and Langley Manor (2012).
Last summer for Worcester side Old Elizabethans he churned out 1,363 runs at 54.52 including five centuries - plus 28 wickets at 25.54 - in Division Two of the Birmingham League and the Worcestershire Sunday League.
Barton had planned to bring South African Husain Badat back to Cricketfield Road this summer, but he was forced to pull out last month.
“Husain has been offered a job at the cricket centre in Durban and it was too good for him to turn down,” said Barton captain Adam Parker.
“We needed an all-rounder to replace him and Denovan certainly looks good on paper.
“We need someone to bowl straight and score runs, which Husain did. Hopefully, Denovan will fit the bill.”
Parker reports little in the way of signing activity at Barton during the winter.
However, changes to their working arrangements should mean batter Will Grainger and seamer Chris Needham should feature more regularly this season.

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