A stunning eighth wicket partnership between Kyle Brockley and Luke Bess saved table-topping Sidmouth serious batting embarrassment in their Tolchards Devon League top flight game at strugglers Cornwood was followed by a six wicket hail from Will Murray as the Fortfield men landed a 116-run win in South Devon.

Batting first, five of the top six Sidmouth batters managed to accrue just 19 runs between. The one exception was number three bat, skipper Luke Bess, who went on to hit 87 before he was ninth man out when his team’s score had recovered to a healthy 262-9. The fact that the Sidmouth score closed on 272-9 was down to that amazing eighth wicket stand.

When Mill Murray was dismissed for 19 the Sidmouth score was a seriously troubled 124-7 one ball into the 33rd over. Number nine bat Kyle Brockley joined skipper Bess and the pair put on 137 in just 16 overs. Brockley was the dominant partner as he scored 96 of the partnership and was eventually out for a stunning 56-ball 96 hitting six fours and no fewer than eight sixes.

Bess finished with a splendid 87 and spent almost the entire 50 overs at the crease scoring seven fours. As wickets fell at the opposite end, he stayed firm and the only other double figure score was the 21 from the bat of Henry Gater.

Cornwood’s reply was hit by a fine burst from Will Murray as he claimed three of the first four wickets – quick ones too – to fall. Zac Bess got the first, before Murray claimed wickets two, three and four to leave Cornwood wobbling on 31-4 midway through the 15th over. That was quickly 33-5 as Murray bagged his fourth wicket. A Dan Powell catch off the bowling of Charlie Miles reduced the home side to 66-6 before Murray got his fifth, aided by a Zac Bess catch and Cornwood were 73-7. The eighth wicket fell 10 runs later with Murray getting an lbw decision to take his sixth wicket.

Matt Cooke picked up one of the ninth wicket before a Liam Lewis catch off the Charlie Miles bowling saw Cornwood bowled out 116 with one ball of the 30th over remaining.