Scott Barlow so nearly bludgeoned Sidmouth to a remarkable victory before Will Murray and his men had to lick their wound after suffering a second successive defeat when beaten at Plymouth by just one run in a rain affected match.

Having travelled down the A38 Expressway in heavy rain it was no surprise that the contest had to be one of reduced overs and it was ultimately a 42-over per side match.

Murray won the toss and needed no second though to invite the home side to bat first.

They made a respectable start, the first wicket falling with 52 on the board in the 18th over. Not for the first time this term it was the hosts overseas player who both increased the tempo and indeed carried his side to a respectable total as the innings closed on 22-1 after 42-overs.

Seven bowlers were used by Murray with Scott Barlow the most successful; he claimed 2-35 in eight. It was Murray himself who served up the most economical figures, his eight overs going for a paltry 18. Charlie Miles (1-25 from four) and Harrison Jones (1-46 from seven), were the other wicket takers. Josh Bess (0-35 in eight), Liam Lewis (0-38 in six) and Matt Cooke (0-18 in one) were the other bowlers used.

The reply got off to a horrible start with both openers back in the Mount Wise pavilion inside 25 deliveries. Liam Lewis fell without troubling the scorers to the 13th ball of the reply and Cooke followed him for seven.

Anthony Griffiths came in at three and he was still there at the death, unbeaten on a frustrating 98 with both his century and victory a half hit away!

Josh Bess fell for four, given out to a catch behind down the leg side and Luke Bess went for five. It was Pete Randerson who then joined Griffiths and the pair put on 59 for the fifth wicket before Randerson was out for a 43-ball 37 with four 4s.

Randerson fell to the fifth balk of the 30th over and, when Harrison Jones joined him back in the pavilion the total was 148-6 with just five overs and one ball remaining and victory seemingly way off in the distance with still 74 runs required!

Enter the action Scott Barlow who clearly does not know the meaning of the two words ‘lost cause’ as he crashed five sixes in a 23-minute stay at the wicket that saw him face just 17-balls. The final over started with 11 runs required and it got down to two runs to win off the final ball. Anthony Griffiths was facing and he was in need of two runs to bag an outstanding century. It was not to end well though as the final ball past his bat without contact being made and Sidmouth were a run shy of the home total at stumps.

Sidmouth skipper Murray said: “It was a close thing. I am not one to ever concede at any sport, but deep down I thought we were out of this one with five overs to go and 74 needed. Scott (Barlow) was magnificent, as was Griff (Anthony Griffiths). He really did so deserve to get his ton and win us the game. Sadly, it was not to be. Sometimes you just have to take a defeat on the chin and, whereas the week before when we lost at Exeter, and I still don’t quite understand how we failed in that one – the fact is we so nearly pulled off an incredible win at Plymouth and that tells me there’s nothing wrong either with our game or our spirit. We are disappointed to have lost two on the spin, but any talk of the wheels coming of is way off the mark. There’s plenty of cricket still to be played and we’ll have a say in proceedings, of that I am sure.”