Devon Cricket Board - Premier news - Exmouth sign Bishop as cover

FORMER Somerset,Surrey and Devon opening bowler Ian Bishop has signed for Premier leaders Exmouth and will make his debut in tomorrow’s clash of the Seasiders with Torquay on the Recreation Ground.
Exmouth need a new-ball bowler for the day as Matt Webb isn’t available – and Bishop fits the bill nicely.
Bishop (right) has been playing for Bridgwater in the West of England Premier League for the past three seasons since leaving Budleigh at the end of the 2010 campaign.
He doesn’t have a game tomorrow for current club Staplegrove and has been cleared to play for Exmouth by Devon League bosses.
“There are a couple of Saturday’s when Bish doesn’t have games for Stapleton and will be available to us,” said Exmouth skipper Richard Baggs.
“We also hope he will be available for our cup games and T20 matches.”
Bishop has been around a bit on the cricket circuit since making his debut for Somerset against the touring Pakistanis in 1996 as an 18-year-old fast-bowler.
A successful season with Sidmouth and Devon in 1998 after being released by Somerset earned a ticket back to the First Class game with Surrey – and a County Championship winner’s medal in 2000.
Surrey released Bishop in 2001 and he returned to Minor Counties cricket with Devon and joined Bovey Tracey.
Bishop’s 42 wickets in 2002 helped Bovey to their first and so far only Premier Division title.
It was next stop Callington for two years, while still playing for Devon, followed by six seasons with Budleigh Salterton, helping them win the Premier Division in 2006.
Bishop left Budleigh at the end of 2010 with 169 Premier wickets to his name. He took 42 for Bovey in one season there and 33 during the 1998 season with Sidmouth – a grand total of 244.
His Devon career was pretty impressive too – 77 wickets in the MCCA KO Cup and 237 in Championship games up to his retirement in 2011.
Torquay, one off the bottom of table, lose batting all-rounder Matt Hickey due to work commitments so recall Neal Osborne, who gets run in the 2nd XI.
Obviously Exmouth are an extremely strong side, but we are in a position where there will be no pressure on us,” said skipper Justin Yau.
“We are still waiting to kick start our season, so fingers crossed Saturday will be when it happens.”
SIDMOUTH captain Will Murray hopes tomorrow’s meeting with Exeter on the Fortfield will be a chance to clear the air.
Exeter now have two Bess boys on their books – all-rounder Zak and off-spinner Dom – both of whom left Sidmouth in the last couple of months in search of regular 1st XI cricket.
Dom and Zak (pictured) will both play for Exeter tomorrow in a side further boosted by the reappearances of early order batter Rob Holman and all-rounder Matt Hicks.
Three generations of the Bess family have played for Sidmouth and for any family members to leave is like the ravens leaving the Tower of London – unimaginable!
Plenty of banter – mostly good-natured - has taken place through social media channels since the Bess boys left. It flared up again last week when Dan Powell decamped to Heathcoat.
There is bound to be some chat flying around during the game, but Murray is confident it won’t obscure the real business of the day.
“No one at Sidmouth harbours any animosity and I think the players on both sides are mature enough to get on with the game,” said Murray.
“It will be a tough, competitive game of cricket that both sides are looking forward to.
“Once the game is played I hope we can all move on.”
PLYMOUTH skipper Matt Hooper has his fingers crossed for good weather so the derby clash with Cornwood can go ahead.
Rain is the cricketer’s oldest enemy and Hooper has every reason to fear another interruption.
Last Saturday’s rain off at Heathcoat cost unbeaten Plymouth ground at the top – and they suffered in a different way last term.
“We got rained off over there last season in the league and the wheels came off our season because of it,” said Hooper.
Obviously we are still unbeaten, but last weekend’s rain off feels like a defeat.
“There was no way we could play yet teams were able to overtake us and Sidmouth, which seems a little wrong to us.
“We feel we have been penalised for not playing and I am sure Sidmouth feel the same.
“We will look to maintain the winning run as we are desperate to keep the pressure on the top two.
“I am sure the lads will be right up for this local derby.
“We know how important this game is to our season so we will be coming out all guns blazing and going for as many points as we can.”
SANDFORD’S season goes into a make-or-break phase tomorrow when they welcome North Devon to Creedy Park.
Four games into the season Sandford haven’t won yet, although a rain-off did them no favours.
Skipper Jamie Palmer isn’t panicking, but feels the time has come to turn potential into results.
“The next five weeks are very important for us as a team,” said Palmer.
“We've been playing decent cricket, apart from the Cornwood game, but at some stage have to start turning good losing performances into wins.”
That won’t be easy against a side Palmer rates.
He said: “North Devon have had a good start and have a strong-looking team this year.”
“Adrian small returns for the unavailable Scott Tremain.”
North Devon will be without early order batsman Neil Bettis – at a wedding but have Jaz Kalsi back after injury as a replacement.
Spinner Matt Dart (pictured) isn’t available and is replaced by Jack Hockin.
North Devon skipper Matt Westaway said he is looking for a few more contributions against Sandford than he saw against Bovey.
“Tom Allin virtually won the game single handed against Bovey – and while he is good enough to do that it won’t happen every week,” said Westaway.
“Apart from Max Curtis making a hundred, no one has made a sizeable score all season.
“If we are going to achieve anything this season we need more players to contribute.”
BOVEY Tracey take on Heathcoat at Ashburton Road looking to improve on their played four, lost three record so far.
North Devon turned Bovey over last time out, leaving them four off the bottom of the table.
Ben Ayres, Jack Thomas and Jonty Woods all drop out.
In come Sam Hickingbottom, Mark Gribble and Jamie Bishop.
“We haven't clicked as a side yet but I'm confident that we are not far off,” said skipper Andy Fairbairn.
“Judging by some of the results they have had so far Heathcoat are clearly a good team and we will need to perform better than we have recently to get a win.”