SOMERSET captain Lewis Gregory is bringing his Vitality Blast-winning team back to Newton Abbot next month to take on South Devon in a special Twenty20 challenge match.

The match is in support of Gregory’s Testimonial Season and charities, and also one of the feature events in the host club’s 175th Anniversary season.

"Lewis has been an exceptional player and leader for Somerset for a number of years" said South Devon CC secretary Ian Shepherd. "We love having Somerset here for testimonial matches and have had nothing but great feedback from all our guests over the years.

“It's a chance for the whole town to come together and watch some of the best cricketers from around the world do what they do best on your doorstep.”

The match, which takes place at South Devon’s home, the Recreational Trust, in Marsh Road at 5.30pm on Tuesday, June 16. Beforehand there will a lunch, during which Gregory will take part in a question-and-answer session alongside a couple of his Somerset team-mates.

South Devon have hosted numerous testimonial games for Somerset players in recent seasons. Regular features such as the popular hospitality marquee will be available before, during and after the match.

“We can’t stage an event of this size without significant support from local businesses and the community” said Shepherd.

“We have sponsorship and hospitality options available to suit all budgets, so if you are able to help at all, even if it’s just by donating a raffle prize, please get in touch.”

Tickets will be available on the gate on the day, priced just £10 for adults and £5 for under-18s. Under-fives and members of the South Devon junior section will get in free of charge.

For more information on the lunch, marquee tickets or sponsorship visit www.southdevoncc.co.uk or email [email protected].

Devonian Lewis Gregory started his cricket career with Plympton and had just turned 14 when he made his DCL Premier Division debut for them against Sidmouth in 2006.

Somerset and the ECB talent-spotted Gregory as he went through the Devon age-groups from under-11 upwards. By 2008 he was playing in Somerset’s 2nd XI and part of the ECB’s development programme.

Gregory went on to captain England under-19s in two Tests against Sri Lanka in 2011. He made his First-Class debut for Somerset later that year.

Among Gregory’s many highlights have been 12 white-ball appearances for England, winning the Vitality Blast competition and featuring in Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat, the Bangladesh Premier League (Rangpur Rangers) and the Pakistani Super League for Pershaw and Karachi Kings.

Twenty-20 cricket has given Gregory the opportunity to play in South Africa, most recently for Sunrisers, and the United Arab Emirates.

South Devon have been staging testimonial and benefit games for professional cricketers since the 1950s. The first match was against Northants in 1955 on behalf of Len ‘Jock’ Livingstone.

Somerset first visited South Devon in 1957 when the beneficiary was wicketkeeper-batsman Harold Stephenson.

Over the years since other benefit games have been hosted on behalf of Bill Alley, Len Coldwell, Peter Trego, James Hildreth, Max Waller, Marcus Trescothick and the Injured Jockey’s Fund.

South Devon CC hit the national and world sports headlines during Trego’s match in 2015 when West Indian star Chris Gayle wandered out of a hospitality tent with a borrowed bat in his hand and set about the Somerset bowling!