IN THE East Devon League Sidmouth beat Cullompton, finding that a week's break could not halt their winning streak.

IN THE East Devon League Sidmouth beat Cullompton, finding that a week's break could not halt their winning streak.At the Fort field Sidmouth Colts elected to bat first and applied the pressure by amassing a strong total of 171.For once Anthony Dibble and Dan Powell did not overly trouble the scorers and it was left to some big hitting from Will Sobczak (43 retired) and Dec Lines (41 retired) to get the score moving past the 100 mark.Joe Fowler is also starting to show promise, and hit a swift 19 before Dom Bess and Joe Griffiths (9 and 12 not out) took advantage of some loose bowling at the end.With a large total to defend, 171-3, the Colts decided that wicket-taking was the order of the day and an attacking close field was set to take advantage of the situation.Bess, with his mature off spin bowling took three quick wickets, George House (a constant fixture in the nets every weekend!) showed that practice makes perfect with a fine spell of bowling, taking a wicket and giving away only 13 runs in his four overs. Jamie Briggs, Callum Bray, and Lee Clayden all joined Sobczak and Griffiths amongst the wickets as the visitors tried in vain to reach the required total and were 92 all out.l The team moved on to Bicton to play the next round of the East Devon Cup.With Bess and Powell away on a school trip, coach Charlie Dibble did not have to worry too much about replacements, drafting in Devon U12 player Henry Gater and, making a welcome first appearance for the Colts this season, England player Jodie Dibble!Will Sobczak and Anthony Dibble played soundly to get the innings off to a great start, Sobczak hitting seven fours in his 40 before retiring and Dibble a resolute 36 before falling lbw.Gater was in the mood to take full advantage of the short long on, boundary at this venue, and hit six boundaries in the nine balls faced, including two sixes, one of which bounced off the clubhouse roof scattering the crowd! His score of 29 runs off nine balls is true 20:20 batting at its finest!Dec Lines also joined in the run fest contributing a quick fire 23 not out, and yes, Dec, you did hit a six! Joe Fowler, 11, and Isaac Thomas, 5 not out, meant that the total of 163 was a reasonable score.Tactics played a part in the bowling attack from Sidmouth with the opening salvo from Griffiths (1 wicket for 13 runs) with Thomas again penning the Axminster batsmen back.With the run rate at 8.2 an over, the Colts knew that containment was as much as wicket-taking were always going to apply the pressure to the away team. At the end of the first eight overs, with only 40 on the board, the run rate had leapt to 10.25 an over and the game was already slipping away from Axminster.The arrival of Jodie Dibble into the attack was not what the visitors wanted to see, her left arm pace bowling was a lesson to the boys and spectators on accuracy and aggression. Four overs, one maiden, three wickets and three runs conceded was pure class. Well done, Jodie!Jamie Briggs and George House both bowled well to grab two wickets apiece and Lee Clayden bowled two overs finishing with one wicket for seven runs. A solid, efficient performance from the team was what was required to progress in this tournament and that is what was delivered. Sidmouth 163 for 3, Axminster 71 all out.