CRICKET: Devon League champions Torquay begin title defence with home game against Brixham

TORQUAY begin their defense of the Premier title with a home game against promoted Brixham tomorrow.

The last time Torquay won a Premier title in 1996 she kept next year.

This will again skipper Justin Yau's his goal, but the title squad has suffered several departures in the winter.

Devon captain Matt Thompson lives and works in Cardiff and is located in the South Wales Premier League for St. Fagans play
.Max Waller, whose runs and wickets were instrumental to win the title for Torquay also has said adios.

Waller, Somerset white-ball specialist, has signed for Dorset and this season to play and is rumored to play a division cricket for Budleigh Salterton.

Fast-bowling allrounder Ryan Stevenson is contracted to play for Hampshire, which inevitably limit signs for Torquay.

And Kazi Szymanksi which appeared in the second half of the season after his school obligations completed, is on the Glamorgan Academy, you are obliged to monitor his playing time.
There has not been one-way traffic from the Recreation Ground goals as a left arm seamer Ben Williams (Lewdown), Dough Reid Mawdsley (Illminster) and goalkeeper Batter George Allen (warm) have all come.

Torquay have free nor scoring batter Mitch Pugh - he topped the Premier aggregates last summer with 73 - and tangible Galhenage (381).

Yau takes it's been a bit of a talent drain, but feels there are other things to worry about the next 18 weeks.

"It's a blow to lose the quality in Matt Thompson, Ryan Stevenson and Max Waller, but we have adjusted well and look forward to see how our new boy is the challenge of leading cricket face," Yau said.

"Clubs will probably be more of us after last season's performance and it is a good feeling takes the field as the master.
"We will enjoy the year, play hard cricket and see where it takes us."

It's been a while since Torquay crossed swords with Brixham League - way back in 1993, in fact - in the days when Julian Wyatt, Ian Coulton and Phil Bradford runs for Torquay accumulate.

"Brixham a bit of an unknown quantity for us, as we are not familiar with a couple of players have set them," Yau said.

"It's good to see South Devon other club in the top division, and hopefully the weather for a good game of cricket remains good.

"A derby is always a game that we look forward to and we go into the game and at the same time continue our streak of last season."