Sidmouth climbed out of the bottom two in the Premier Division of the Tolchards Devon Cricket League with a crucial 90-run victory at Bradninch.

Opener Isaac Thomas gave Sidmouth the perfect platform with a tremendous 104, building some decent partnerships along the way, with Jamie Baird (23) and Luke Bess (28) both playing patient knocks.

After steadily moving past the 200-mark, Codi Yusuf struck a swashbuckling unbeaten 66 from 46 balls to give the Sidmouth an added push, as they finished on a very pleasing 304/6 from 50 overs.

The Bradninch response was led by skipper Gary Chappell smashing a quickfire 35 but his wings, and pads, were clipped by Yusuf claiming an important leg before. Tom Simmons grabbed the wickets of numbers two and three, but Bradninch settled with a couple of decent middle order partnerships.

Jordan Fowler trapped Ross Acton on 39 and when Mitchell Pugh was caught and bowled by Will Murray on 47, momentum had swung back in Sidmouth’s favour.

Bradninch duly collapsed, with Sidmouth sharing out the wickets and it was game over when Dylan Church clean bowled number 10 Will Squire, giving the visitors a very welcome maximum 20 points. The result also moved Sidmouth within five points of Bradninch in mid-table.

Sidmouth Captain Bess spoke to the Devon Cricket League website after the game: “Chappell came out flying and put us under a lot of pressure, but we managed to pick up wickets on a fairly regular basis,” he said.

“In the end the scorecard looks comfortable, but it didn't feel that way out in the middle until the last 10 overs or so.

“A great win for us, as, in the past, we have found Bradninch a difficult place to go, even at our peak.

“Isaac Thomas batted really well to get his second ton in the Premier Division and lay the foundations for us to bat around. Codi then finished the innings well with a quick 60.”

Sidmouth are back on home turf against Bovey Tracey this weekend. Bovey slipped to a narrow three-wicket defeat at Plymouth on Saturday.