Sidmouth 2nds duly chalked up another comfortable success on their march towards retaining the Tolchards Devon League 2nd XI title with a 133-run Fortfield success over visiting Cornwood 2nds.

Nick Mansfield skippered the side, won the toss and opted to bat first on another sun-kissed ‘road’ a Fortfield batting track.

There were runs from all six batsmen that saw action with a first wicket partnership to get things under way of 120 runs between Isaac Thomas and David Watkins.

Watkins was first man down, out for a 55-ball knock of 45 with six fours. Thomas was joined by Anthony Dibble and they saw the total to 210 before the second wicket fell with Thomas sent back just 12 runs shy of a century.

His 74-ball stay at the crease saw him hit 13 fours in his 88. Nick Mansfield was in at four and he helped Dibble add a further 83 to the total before Mansfield fell for a run-a-ball 34. Soon after, Dibble joined him in the pavilion, having scored a terrific 70-ball 105, an innings that included 14 fours and one six.

It was left to Daley Holmes (18no) and Byron Knowles, who hit a 17-ball unbeaten 29 with two fours and two sixes, to add 41 from the unbroken fifth wicket to see Sidmouth to a close of 349-4.

Cornwood made a decent start to the run chase and it was not until second change Max Hancock was introduced that the home side made the break through with centurion Dibble holding the catch off Hancock to leave the run chase 83-1. Three more wickets were bagged before the reply reached 125 with Hancock picking up a second and third change Daley Holmes bagging a brace of wickets.

A wicket for Nick Mansfield left Cornwood with half their side out and the run chase effectively over. The visitors did stubbornly did ion to deny the home side all 10 of their wickets as they closed on 216-9 after 45 overs.

It was stand-in skipper Mansfield who took the bowling honours with a return of 3-32 from five overs. Daley Holmes (2-30 from nine), Max Hancock (2-29 from nine) and Wesley Holmes (1-28 from five) were the other wicket takers.

Sidmouth now sit 25 points clears of second placed Bovey Tracey II and this Saturday (July 15) make the short trip to Ottermouth to play a Budleigh Salterton 2nds who they defeated by six wickets when the pair met at Fortfield on matchday two of the season.