Sidmouth made it three wins out of three Tolchards Devon League top flight games as they defeated hosts Plymouth by 157 runs.

With a number of players missing Nick Gingell skippered the side and, when the home captain won the toss, Gingell sent Alex Barrow and Rory Thomas in to launch the Fortfield men's innings.

The pair delivered the goods, putting on 149 for the first wicket - the pair raced their side to 100 without loss in just over 18 overs - with Thomas the first to go, but not before he had plundered 71 from 66 deliveries, hitting six fours and three sixes.

Barrow was joined by Matt Cooke and they took Sidmouth into the 200s before Barrow fell with the score on 232. In his stay at the crease, the opener faced 129 balls, hitting nine fours and two sixes in his contribution of 109.

Cooke was joined by Luke Bess who scored who was the third man down, out for 15 with the score on 266 and the final wicket to fall was that of Henry Gater, bowled for one. Cooke stayed and got to his ton, trooping of at the end of the innings unbeaten on exactly 100 from 73 balls having his a dozen fours and four sixes.

The other not out batsman was skipper Gingell with 31 to his name, scored from just 18 deliveries and he hit two sixes and two fours as his team closed on an impressive 363-4.

Tom Simmons and Matt Cooke were tasked with the new ball duties and centurion Cooke struck first, removing one of the openers thanks to a smart stumping by wicketkeeper Robbie Powell, with the score on 31

Just 16 runs later Sidmouth got the prized wicket of overseas star Faizan Riaz, caught by teenager Byron Knowles, making his 1st XI debut, off the bowling of Will Murray.

A third wicket - a second for Murray - was snared with the score still on 47 and it was soon 111-5 with wickets for Charlie Miles and Tom Simmons.

From there all that was left ion the contest was to see if the home side could resist, or Sidmouth could take all 10 wickets. It was the former as Plymouth did indeed resist, closing on 206-8.

It was the experienced Murray who took the bowling honours with his return being 4-28 from a full shift of 10 overs.

There was also a special moment for young Knowles who marked his first start in the 1st XI with a wicket. Introduced as the third change, Knowles returned figures of 1-32 from eight overs.

The other wicket takers were; Charlie Miles (1-42 from 10), Matt Cooke (1-43 from 10) and Tom Simmons (1-49 from 10).

So three wins from three and 55 points out of a possible 60, but not enough to sit top for Paignton are the only other Premier Division side to have made a similar start and they have 57 points to their name.

Next up for Sidmouth is a Fortfield meeting this Saturday (May 25) when third in the table Heathcoat are the visitors for what should be a cracking afternoons cricket.