Sidmouth’s teenage spinner Max Hancock is poised to make his Minor Counties debut for Devon in the three-day game against Herefordshire at Plymouth.
Hancock, who won’t be 17 until December, has gone through the Devon age-group ranks and been polished by the cricket coaches at Millfield School in Somerset.
Last summer Hancock was one of the top 60 young cricketers from all over the country selected to play in the prestigious Bunbury Festival. Talent spotters from the professional game use the festival to spy out the next generation of young talent.
Hancock has only played six Premier Division games in the Devon League for Sidmouth, but that’s irrelevant to county team boss Keith Donohue.
Left-armer Hancock spins the ball away from right-handed batsman. That’s a bowling took Donohue feels Devon are missing.
“There are not that many left-arm spinners round the county that do what Max does and as an up-and-coming young player I am keen to see what he can do at this level,” said Donohue.
Hancock joins Sidmouth club-mates Josh Bess, the county captain, and Zak Bess in a 14-man squad for the game.
All-rounder Zak Bess is one of a number of seam bowlers in the squad nursing an injury that may prevent him getting through the overs.
The team management has factored seam bowling options into the squad by adding Jack Popham and Dan Goodey.
Devon are returning to Mount Wise for the first time since 2001 when Bob Dawson scored a double hundred in a 166-run win over Oxfordshire.
Right now Devon would settle for any sort of win after a slow start to the three-day season.
A draw against Wales in round one was followed by a six-wicket defeat by Cornwall last time out.
Devon (from): J J Bess (Sidmouth), M W Thompson (St Fagins), A W R Barrow (Exeter), J H J Mailling (Bovey Tracey), D R Pyle (Exmouth), Z G G Bess (Sidmouth), J O Hagan-Burt (Plymouth), J A Stephens (Falmouth), D J Goodey (Plymouth), M W Hancock (Sidmouth), J R Popham, J V King (both North Devon), M J Petherbridge (Plymouth), T J R Codd (Bovey Tracey).
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