We have been drawn away at Kilmington in the first round of the Devon T20. The date is TBC but first round ties must be played before 8th June.
Jake Choules’s side will be wanting to win in Devon’s premier T20 cup for the first time, after exiting at the hands of Bovey Tracey, Plympton and Exmouth in the three years since being eligible to play in the competition following promotion to the A Division.
Jake Choules continues his recruitment drive for 2025 and has confirmed the signing of all-rounder Freddie Fenner from D Division East side Whimple. Fenner has scored 353 runs and taken 51 wickets for Whimple’s 1st XI since making his debut in 2021. He also struck a maiden ton against Broadclyst this season against a bowling attack including George & Andy Daldorph.
Get to know Freddie:-
Highest score? –
100 not out
Best figures?
3-8
Best cricketing moment?
Probably scoring my first ton
Worst cricketing moment?
After doing one on one training all winter, I still managed to get a golden duck first game of the season
Favourite Cricket Tea Item?
Either coronation chicken sandwich or jam and cream scones
Favourite Song?
Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry
Favourite Film?
High School Musical 3 or Tangled
Cricketing Idol?
Kevin Pietersen
Most used emoji on your phone?
🤯
Other teams played for?
Whimple.
What attracted you to Thorverton?
I was looking to move clubs and the opportunity arose so I took it.
What are you looking forward to most about your time at the club?
Training with better players and progressing my ability as a player
Skipper Jake Choules:- “Really pleased to have signed Freddie who comes highly recommended from some of the guys that have played against him. Freddie is an exciting young all rounder that I will hope will challenge some of us senior players for spots in the 1st XI”
We are delighted to announce that South African all-rounder Shane Yelverton has signed as our overseas player for 2025.
Shane who hails from Durban is a familiar face in Thorverton as he was the club’s overseas player in 2019 and also appeared for the club’s 2nd XI in both 2023 and 2024.
In his one full season with the club, Shane scored 353 B Division runs at an average of 25 and took 32 wickets at an average of just 13.
Shane returned as a guest for the 2nd XI on ten occasions over the last two seasons (DCL regulations mean only one overseas player can feature in the 1st XI), scoring 406 runs at an average of 58 & picking up 14 wickets at an average of 20.
Shane will be kindly accommodated by Becky Rice for the first half of his stay; thank you Becky. If you would be able to offer Shane accommodation for July & August, please get in touch with us.
Get to know Shane (if you don’t already)
Highest Score?
85* – the elusive ton has yet to come but what better time than ever on my return!
Best Figures?
7/19
Best Cricketing Moment?
The game I played (for my club in Sussex) where I took 7/19. Chased down the target and was 73* at the end too. That game secured a Hampshire trial for me so it was a great day.
Worst Cricketing Moment?
Stinging nettles on the boundary. Those who know, know.
Favourite Cricket Tea Item?
Mini sausage rolls & any sweet treat!
Favourite Song?
Currently: Longshot – Catfish and the Bottlemen
Favourite Film?
Hacksaw Ridge & Holes
Cricketing Idol?
Shaun Pollock & Herschelle Gibbs
Most used emoji on your phone?
👀 & 😂
Other teams played for?
Berea Rovers CC (South Africa)
Lindfield CC (Sussex)
What attracted you back to Thorverton?
The club is such an amazing place to be and be apart of. I’ve had the privilege of coming back a few times now over the past couple summers and I’ll always find my way back to visit or play! Everyone at the club are legends, the ground is phenomenal and I’m already excited for the home games during the season.
What are you looking forward to most about your stay at the club?
Playing at Station Ground again, what a place.
Captain Jake Choules said “Absolutely delighted that Shane has re-signed as our overseas player for 2025. I’m sure he will be a popular choice as he knows the club well and will be fully committed during the season. With the signing of Shane and Awrangzeb, who signed a few weeks ago, we have added 2 quality all rounders before Christmas and I am hopeful of a couple more incomings in the new year”
Last night’s AGM went smoothly with the following officers elected for 2025:-
President – Charlie Andrews
Chair – Charles Kislingbury
Chief Executive Officer – James May
Vice-Chair – Jack Stirling
Secretary – Andy Pitt
Treasurer – James Meredith
Fixture Secretary – Andy Pitt
1st XI Captain – Jake Choules
2nd XI Captain – Ben Coe
3rd XI Captain – James Meredith
Women & Girls Coordinator – Keeley Wells
Club Development Officer – Alex Jopling
Membership Secretary – Jack Stirling
Safeguarding Officer – James May
Hon Auditors – Brays Accountants
If you wish to help in any area of the club, this can be done without sitting on the committee. Please get in touch if you are able to offer any help.
Everyone at Thorverton Cricket Club is delighted to hear of the news that Erin Vukusic has signed a two-year contract with the newly-professional Somerset Women who were awarded Tier 1 status as part of the ECB reshuffle of women’s cricket. Somerset’s women’s team have essentially replaced Western Storm, where Erin has been an academy player for the past two seasons.
To date, since making her debut for our 2nd XI aged just 14, becoming one of the first three female cricketers to play in our second XI alongside Imogen Daldorph and Eliza Heard, Erin has featured in 28 2nd XI games, taking 33 wickets at an average of 25. Managing her workload in 2024 across her commitments to Western Storm’s Academy, Devon Women’s & Exeter Women’s meant Erin featured less for TCC in 2024 as she strove towards going pro and she was sorely missed as the 2s were relegated.
An international debut for Croatia was also a highlight in November 2023. In 4 WT20Is Erin is averaging a staggering 98.5 with the bat and 16.5 with the ball.
Erin is currently in Australia playing for Perth Cricket Club over the winter.
Speaking following the announcement, Erin said:-
“It’s a really exciting opportunity, and one I am really looking forward to.
Being a professional cricketer is what I’ve always wanted to do. The game has come a long way in the last few years and it’s great to see that girls are now getting the opportunity to achieve their dreams.
I can’t wait to start this journey and hopefully I can become a player that people are excited about watching.”
Erin’s rise will remind more senior members of Giles White, the last ex-Thorvertonian who went pro at Somerset and then enjoyed an 8 year first class career at Hampshire.
Everyone at Thorverton Cricket Club is delighted, but not unsurprised by the news and we all wish Erin the very best of luck with her professional career, which so many of us will be watching closely. As our women’s and girls section of the club grows and the astronomical rise of women’s cricket in the last decade, we know Erin will always be a fantastic model for young players at the club and beyond.
Congratulations Erin!
The season was nicely rounded off with our end of season dinner on Saturday at Thorverton Memorial Hall. Around 60 members from all areas of the club were in attendance.
Awards winners
Thanks to all those who helped organise the evening and those who to set & tidy up, to Dan’s American Kitchen for the food, all the bar staff at the Memorial Hall for an enjoyable evening.
1st XI skipper Jake Choules hasn’t hung around in his off-season recruitment & has today confirmed the signing of exciting all-arounder Awrangzeb Khogiani from Exwick.
Awrang has already played 4 matches for Thorverton in 2024, impressing with both bat and ball. His seam bowling picked up 4-31 in an impressive win over a strong Premier Division Sandford side in a T20 friendly.
Khogiani made his Exwick debut in 2023 and in his 22 Devon League fixtures so far has picked up 45 wickets at an average of just 12 & scored 372 runs at 21.88. Two fifers and a 78 are his most impressive returns so far.
Skipper Jake Choules:-
“Really pleased to have signed Awrang who will be a great addition to the squad. His stats are really impressive and it’s not surprising that he wants to test himself at a higher level and that there was interest from other clubs. He really impressed with his attitude, bowling and big hitting in the t20s he played for us in the summer so looking forward to seeing what he can do in the league.”
Below are the player stats for the 1st, 2nd & 3rd XIs in DCL matches for 2024.
1st XI
Batting (min 200 runs)
Brendan Coetzee – 395 runs @ 23.24. 2 x 50. HS 53
George Daldorph – 386 runs @ 32.17. 2 x 50. HS 70
Andy Pitt – 351 runs @ 21.94. 1 x 100. HS 122
Harry Choules – 286 runs @ 20.43. 2 x 50. HS 85
Dan Robbins – 243 runs @ 22.09. 1 x 100. HS 108
Bowling (min 10 wickets)
Ben Slaviero – 36 wkts @ 15.28. 1 x 5fa. BB 5-15
Dan Robbins – 17 wkts @ 21.53. BB 4-28
Alex Jopling – 15 wkts @ 21.93. BB 3-2
Jake Choules – 15 wkts @ 28.53. 1 x 5fa. BB 5-29
Andy Pitt – 12 wkts @ 29.92. BB 2-12
Fielding (min 5 dismissals)
Harry Choules – 20 victims (19 catches, 1 stumping)
George Daldorph – 8 victims (7 catches, 1 run out)
Ben Slaviero – 5 catches
Dan Robbins – 5 catches
2nd XI
Batting (min 175 runs)
Andy Daldorph – 456 runs @ 28.5. 2 x 50. HS 98
Dave Baldock – 329 runs @ 41.13. 1 x 100, 1 x 50. HS 115*
Paul Stirling – 312 runs @ 22.29. 2 x 50. HS 88
Shane Yelverton – 186 runs @ 46.5. 2 x 50. HS 85*
Jonny Baker – 178 runs @ 59.33. 1 x 50. HS 52
Bowling (min 8 wkts)
Jacob Broom – 11 wkts @ 20.64. BB 3-31
Shane Yelverton – 10 wkts @ 18.4. BB 4-9
Jonny Baker – 9 wkts @ 34. BB 2-24
Jack Stirling – 8 wkts @ 32.5. BB 3-15
Imogen Daldorph – 8 wkts @ 37.63. BB 2-19
Fielding (min 5 dismissals)
Paul Stirling – 11 dismissals (9 catches, 2 stumpings)
Dave Baldock – 5 dismissals (4 catches, 1 run out)
Jacob Broom – 5 catches
3rd XI
Batting (min 80 runs)
James Meredith – 135 runs @ 16.88. 1 x 50. HS 65*
Joseph Matthews – 122 runs @ 24.4. HS 31
Isaac May – 91 runs @ 22.75. HS 38
Rob Money – 89 runs @ 14.83. HS 14.83. HS 39
Nick Taverner – 82 runs @ 27.33. HS 78
Bowling (min 4 wkts)
Aidan Lea – 11 wkts @ 17.45. BB 4-20
Chris Winzer – 7 wkts @ 16.43. BB 4-25
Joe Milford – 5 wkts @ 33.6. BB 1-8
Flinn Brazier – 4 wkts @ 26. BB 2-19
Nathan Buckeridge – 4 wkts @ 50.25. BB 1-11
Fielding (min 4 dismissals)
Andrew Smerdon – 4 catches
Saturday saw the Energy Systems Player of the Month Award presented to Harry Choules for his match-winning 85 against Kilmington.
Harry has had a stellar 2024 season amassing 516 runs of which 286 came in the A Division including two 50s. Behind the stumps he’s also snaffled 20 league victims; 19 catches and a stumping.
Congrats Harry!
The final first XI of the year was; A. Pitt, H. Choules+, B. Coetzee, G. Daldorph, M. Wilkinson, B. Coe, B. Heard, H. Squire, B. Slaviero, A. Jopling, J. Choules*.
There was little riding on the game with North Devon already crowned as champions and Thors guaranteed A Division cricket next term.
The skipper won the toss and unsurprisingly elected to bat so the majority of the side could enjoy the stunning Instow surroundings while Pitt and H. Choules opened up. The latter’s experiment opening was short lived when Popham got one to swing the other way to remove the left hander.
After a tight start from the hosts, Pitt & Coetzee eventually benefitted from the rapid outfield with anything that beat the infield running away for 4. It was the short ball that did for Pitt in the end when he was caught for 16. Daldorph, also promoted up the order, joined Coetzee as the pair rotated the strike against the change bowling when the hosts turned to some spin. Just after passing the first batting point, Thors lost another when Coetzee was bowled for 25 in his last outing in a Thors shirt before he heads back to South Africa for a short stint before coming back to the UK again to study.
Wilkinson joined Daldorph as the hosts continued to rotate their bowlers regularly with the new man finding the boundary regularly, clearly enjoying the ball coming on. The duo accelerated as we entered the middle of the innings and were aided by a flurry of North Devon extras – one of which had Daldorph stumped off of a wide. Thors 90-4 at halfway.
The momentum continued when Coe entered the fray albeit Wilkinson was clearly the aggressor, bringing up his 50 just after Coe went for 16. By now the total had reached 157-5 with 15 to go and Wilkinson was really beginning to free the arms. Eventually he was caught for a better than a run a ball 69 just before getting his side to 200. Squire came and went and it was down to Heard and the tail to get a competitive total on board.
Slaviero struck a sweet six before being bowled, all the while Heard steadily accumulating with relative ease. However when he holed out for 32, Choules joined Jopling at 217-9. The final pair struggled for boundaries with the field still spread but got the total to 241 with some good running before Jops was caught on the final ball. The skipper reaching a total of 60 not outs for the 1st XI in the process.
After a plentiful tea, North Devon appeared to be in a rush to get their promotion party started – Bowser and Rothery striking at 10 an over for the first 6 and until Slaviero caught and bowled the former. The skipper brought himself on to attempt to tighten up and went close to getting Rothery on a number of occasions, but it was the introduction of Pitt that did for the opener when Heard caught him for 58. NDCC 91-2 from 10.
The following spell was better for the visitors and Choules had his wicket when Windley holed out to Slaviero. The control didn’t last long when overseas player Lakmal accelerated after the 17 over drinks break. Thors rotated bowlers frequently in an attempt for wickets but the champions elect remained in control as they reached 178-3 at halfway.
Pitt gave Thors another bowling bonus point when he removed Valeri via a 3rd Slaviero catch while Jopling deserved more as he toiled at the other end. With less than 40 more required with 18 overs still to bowl, there was chance to have a look at Wilkinson’s leg spin for the first time in a competitive environment.
However, no more wickets could be snaffled and the champions cruised home with 13 overs left to bowl. Lakmal finishing 86 not out.
With most other results going against Thors, we finish a disappointing 8th in the final standings, the lowest placing of the season. Spirits remained high in the camp post match though with an eagerness to climb the table next summer.
Thorverton Cricket Club