WITH rain following its regular Saturday habit of waiting until cricketers have assembled for their matches before starting to fall, it was a frustrating afternoon for Sidmouth teams hoping to continue their excellent start to the season.

WITH rain following its regular Saturday habit of waiting until cricketers have assembled for their matches before starting to fall, it was a frustrating afternoon for Sidmouth teams hoping to continue their excellent start to the season.With no Francis Clark Devon League action possible, Anthony Griffiths was able to make an early departure for Newbury where he was making his debut for Devon in the Minor Counties championship with Berkshire.He did a good job of seeing off the new ball when Devon batted first, making 31 before falling lbw. It set Devon off to a healthy total of 377-7 which saw them establish an 89-run first innings lead. Although dismissed for 153 second time round, Devon had Berkshire hanging on for the draw at 176-9 when play ended on Tuesday.See story back page.l The action at the Fort Field was restricted to Sunday when Clyst Hydon provided the opposition and made 155-6 after electing to bat first.Mike Johnson made 46 at opener, peppering the legside boundary with swipes until falling lbw to Ben Damen. That took the drama out of the innings until Matt Cooke was taken out of the attack when a straight drive hit him on the knee and he was carried off the field. John Goodwin completed the over and promptly dismissed the offending batsman.Clyst's Steve Doyle held the innings together with an unbeaten 53 as Goodwin, Matt Hill and Andy Green picked off wickets.An opening stand of 83 between Tom Bowring and 13-year-old Will Sobczak set Sidmouth on to a comfortable eight-wicket victory with seven overs to spare. Bowring made 41 and Sobczak completed a half century in a 71-run second wicket stand with Graham Bess who was not out 36 at the close. When Sobczak was out for 55, only two runs were needed for victory, obtained when the first ball sent down to new batsman Will Murray was a wide that beat the wicketkeeper.l Tomorrow North Devon provide the Premier Division action with the 1st XIs meeting at the Fort Field and the 2nd XIs at Instow. Sidmouth 3rd XI travel to Bradninch.l Sidmouth's Devon Cup tie with Sandford - a repeat of last year's final won by the Mid Devon side - which was originally scheduled for this Sunday, has been moved to Sunday, June 21.