Sidmouth are up to third in the Tolchards Devon League table after a nine-wicket victory over Cornwood with stumps drawn at the end of the contest long before the early evening sun arrived at Fortfield.

Sidmouth skipper Luke Bess won the toss and invited the visitors to bat.

William Gater and Kyle Blockley were charged with the new ball duties and each claimed a wicket, ending back the Cornwood openers.

Former Middlesex and Gloucestershire professional Jackson Thompson, dropped on nought, did rifle a brace of boundaries. However, he was caught at midwicket off the bowling of Josh Bess for just 13 – a total that was to be the highest of any contribution from a Cornwood bat!

After the Thompson departure wickets fell at regular intervals. Last year’s skipper Will Murray picked up two wickets for 26 runs and Bess bagged two more to finish with 3-15. Devon Spinner Charlie Miles ran through the lower order, taking the last three wickets and Cornwood were bundled out in next to no time for a paltry 95.

That total was way below par for what looked a peach of a track and the home run chase underlined how good the surface was as the first two overs saw 18 runs on the Fortfield score board!

Just the wicket fell in the swift run chase, Matt Cooke bowled for 16.

Thereafter Liam Lewis was joined by Josh Bess and the pair rattle doff the runs – mostly trading in boundaries – with Lewis unbeaten ion 33 – 40 of which came in boundaries – and Bess was not out 35 from 28 balls faced and Sidmouth sealed victory in 14.3 overs.