Devon Cricket Board - Allen sad to say farewell to Devon

Allen sad to say farewell to Devon

CORNWALL have boosted their Minor Counties squad for the season ahead by signing wicketkeeper-batsman Sandy Allen from arch rivals Devon.

Allen, 27, was a virtual ever-present for Devon from 2005-2010 after moving from Birmingham to study at the University of Exeter.

After playing 33 Minor Counties games, and 23 more in the MCCA Knockout Cup, Allen lost his place to up-and-coming Torquay player Matt Thompson.

Allen had been member of the Devon teams which won the Minor Counties title in 2006 and the KO Cup by beating Berkshire at Lord’s in 2008. He played for Warwickshire when they defeated Devon in the 2002 KO Cup final at Worcester.

When Cornwall learned Allen (pictured, left) was interesting in switching counties, they were quick to sign him up.

“Devon have a successful sides in Minor Counties cricket for a number of years and Sandy has been part of that success,” said Cornwall team manager Godfrey Furse.

“Sandy is used to being part of a winning side and brings that expertise to the squad.

“Gavin Edwards has found it difficult to play for the last year or so due to a bad back so last year Joe White from Callington and the St Austell lad Taylor Wilson both kept for Cornwall.

“Sandy will be available for selection as a batter, but with his experience behind the stumps the young keepers we have can only benefit from having him around.”

Allen, who came up through the youth ranks at Warwickshire, has played representative cricket for the Minor Counties XI in the Second Eleven Trophy.

At 27 he feels he has several more years of Minor Counties cricket left in him, which was why he approached Cornwall for a move.

“I enjoyed every single moment of playing for Devon and am sad to be leaving,” said Allen.

“It was clear midway through last season that I didn’t feature in Devon’s plans any longer and if I wanted to play Minor Counties cricket I needed a change.

“I have played against Cornwall many times and always enjoyed it. My only Minor Counties hundred was against them at St Austell.

“Some of the other lads - Tom Sharpe, Chris Hunkin and Rob Harrison – I have played with in the Minor Counties XI so it is not as if I am joining a bunch of strangers.

“Playing for Cornwall will be a new challenge for me and one I am looking forward to, especially the game against Devon at St Austell.”

It is pretty rare for Devon players to cross the border into Cornwall. Allen is only the fifth since 1946. The others were Frank Bulley (1959), Don Stilwell (1961), Chris Chaplin (1966) and Giles Auty (1970).

Cornwall will be warming up for the new season with a training weekend in Jersey during mid-April.

The campaign begins in earnest on April 22 when Oxfordshire visit St Austell in the first round of the MCCA Cup.

Cornwall’s team management has undergone some changes for the season ahead, starting with the addition of former captain Gary Thomas and Eric Willcock to the selection panel.

Michael Williams from Werrington is the new county chairman, replacing Ronnie Potts, who has stood down after 24 years in the job. Potts moves ‘upstairs’ to president, a role recently vacated by Canon Ken Rogers.

Allen isn’t the only Devon player on the move to pastures new – seam bowling all-rounder Scott Barlow (right) has joined Dorset for the season ahead.

Barlow, formerly with Sidmouth, moved to Bournemouth to work in 2010 but carried on playing for Devon and reappeared in the county league with Budleigh Salterton last summer.

Bournemouth Sports Club have asked Barlow to skipper their side this season and he has signed for Dorset.

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