Sidmouth come up just short as Plymouth total proves beyond reach of challengers

The visitors chose to bat after winning the toss but Joshua Bess struck early with the new ball with only seven runs on the board.

Plymouth’s James Burke featured in partnerships of 52, 77 and 58, before falling three runs short of a century to Max Hancock (2-47) leave the visitors 194-4.

And Joe Hagan-Burt got to within five runs of three figures, hitting two sixes and 12 fours in a 74-ball knock, before Bess (2-48) ended his attack.

Aviwe Mgijima (3-56) finished as the pick of the bowling for Sidmouth, as their rivals closed on 277-8, before Bess and Declan Lines put on 64 in reply.

Bess hit two sixes and six fours in his 41 off 35 balls, but the hosts then slipped to 72-3.

Captain Luke Bess put on 87 with Matt Cooke, hitting a six and 11 fours in his 74 off 68 balls, but Elliott Rice fell first ball to leave Sidmouth 200-6.

Cooke (32) followed soon after and the efforts of Will Murray, who hit an unbeaten 31 off 27 balls, proved in vain as they were dismissed for 270 with one ball remaining.

Defeat leaves Sidmouth in second place, 11 points behind leaders Heathcoat, ahead of their top-of-the-table clash next weekend.

The thirds enjoyed an emphatic victory over the 10 men of Clyst St George seconds in F Division East.

Captain Saju Patidar chose to bat first after winning the toss and it proved a good move as three of his top four passed 50 to set up an imposing total of 311-7 off 40 overs.

Patidar (27) was the only one to miss out, as Thomas Moore (60) and Benedict Sapiecha (74) put on 104 for the first wicket, with David Watkins hitting 11 fours in his 82.

Wesley Holmes (3-21) struck early blows with the ball in Clyst’s reply, with Tim Drake helping reduce them to 31-4.

Drake (2-21) and Thomas Burhop picked up further wickets to leave the visitors 68-6, before some lower-order resistance saw them reach 158, after Sapiecha, Graham Munday and Moore got in on the act with the ball.