Waller, now 35, joined the Somerset staff in 2009 and made a specialist career in Twenty20 cricket. When he retired at the end of the 2022 season he had appeared in 144 T20 matches and taken 139 wickets.

South Devon have hosted similar testimonial games for now-retired Somerset stars Peter Trego, Marcus Trescothick and James Hildreth in recent years.

Waller played in all three of his former team-mates’ games at South Devon and the success of them is one of the reasons why he wanted one of his own games there.

“They were all great days out and really enjoyable,” said Waller, who now coaches at the University of Exeter and turns out in league cricket for Cornwall Premier side St Just.

Waller hasn’t fully finalised his team yet but knows that current 1st XI captain Tom Abell has promised to play and take part in a question-and-answer session during the pre-match lunch.

“Most of the T20 lads have said they will play, which I hope will include Tom Banton, Will Smeed, Lewis Gregory and Ben Green.

“James Hildreth is coming as a guest to watch but said he will have his kit in the boot, so if we are short he might get a game too.”

South Devon have strengthened their side for the match by inviting the overseas players from Torquay, Barton and Teignmouth & Shaldon to guest for them in the match.

Top of the that list is Torquay’s Ruan Terblanche, who is a former South Africa under-19 star currently playing professional cricket for Boland and scoring runs for fun in the Tolchards Devon Cricket League.

Cephas Zhuwao, the Barton overseas player, is a former Zimbabwe international in both forms of white-ball cricket and is still turning out at First Class level for Southern Rocks at the age of 38.

South African Ruben Minnaar, who bats and bowls for Teignmouth & Shaldon, went through the Boland youth system up to under-19 level.

“Somerset are professionals and we are just club cricketers, so it makes sense to invite a few guests in to make us that bit more competitive,” said Mark Andrews, the South Devon CC chairman.

Mali Marshall, the son of West Indies legend Malcolm Marshall, is South Devon’s overseas player this season and will be keen to bowl against the Somerset pros.

Mark Tyler, Somerset’s former match-day announcer for home games in Taunton, will be providing all the sights and sounds fans love at T20 matches.

Although all the tickets for a pre-match lunch have already been snapped-up, there is still some space in the 130-seat marque for cricket fans looking for a comfortable spot on the boundary.

Tickets are priced at £25 each and can be obtained through the South Devon CC online shop which is https://southdevoncc.my-online.store/browse/catjMrXx_377257.aspx

The ticket price covers admission to the match, a reserved seat, the use of a private bar, a complimentary buffet, a souvenir programme and the chance to meet and chat with the players.

“We are down to the last few dozen places in the marque and need to finalise numbers by Monday (June 12) so the catering team can order food,” said Ian Shepherd, the club secretary.

Admission to the ground on the afternoon of the match will cost £5.